stuck bowl on Yazoo Briggs engine carburetor (7hp updraft) 1980's gasket blues

pookins · Jul 20, 2014

I need to clean the bowl a 7 hp Briggs updraft engine. But the gasket around the top of the bowl is not letting me remove it. I did already take out the long brass jet tube with the highspeed jet. Any idea what's holding this together? It really does not want to come apart. This is the 3 bolt mounted carb on Briggs engine:
Model 170402
Type 2155
Date 84062812
I purchased the Carburetor overhaul kit (394693) however the old paper gasket just does no want to come free.
If I whack it any harder I fear that I may break something. Is there a secret to getting these apart?
This engine runs a 24" Yazoo made for Troy-Bilt called a "Pro." The Yazoo and this engine have not been run in 8 years. The carb was pretty gummed up and the paper gaskets are very dry.

pookins · Jul 20, 2014

I figured out the problem. Someone used some RTV (sealant) to glue the choke housing onto the carburetor. They may have had a leak or drip down below the choke and thought this would solve the problem. Not sure how to disolve the RTV? Maybe brake cleaner?

Mace Canute · Jul 21, 2014

pookins said:
I figured out the problem. Someone used some RTV (sealant) to glue the choke housing onto the carburetor. They may have had a leak or drip down below the choke and thought this would solve the problem. Not sure how to disolve the RTV? Maybe brake cleaner?

Use this stuff. Gasket Removers : Permatex

pookins · Jul 21, 2014

While I was cleaning the long brass emulsion nozzle tube (power jet) I noticed that it was tarnished a one specific spot where is is supposed to seat tightly. As if gas was sneaking past. I think what has been happening is that the brass emulsion nozzle tube (power jet) does not seat and seal properly and allows gas to leak down to the choke and dribble out when the engine is shut off. I had a similar Briggs engine on a leaf blower that would do this. I either had to shut it down by turning off the gas and running it dry or leave a small plastic cup under the choke to catch whatever leaked out from the carb after it shut down. It was never a problem while it was running, just at shut down. I don't know if there is a fix for this. Some way to get the long brass emulsion nozzle (power jet) to seat and seal. This image was not created by me: