engine problems troy-bilt tiller

   / engine problems troy-bilt tiller #1  

randy41

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i've got a troy-bilt super bronco, about a 2008 model. i'm having some engine problems. the engine doesn't run smoothly unless the choke is engaged. otherwise, when it runs and i open the choke the engine will stall from a lack of fuel i'm guessing.
the first time this happened i thoroughly cleaned the foam thing around the air filter and i blew out the fuel cap vent. it then ran as it should. the next time i went to use it (just a couple of hours later)i had the same problem as i did before. i tried to repeat what cured it before but it did not help this time.
i ran the engine with some sea foam in the gas. i sprayed some carb cleaner into the carb.
anyone know what i need to do here? the engine is a 208cc.
 
   / engine problems troy-bilt tiller #2  
do you have the briggs engine or the chinese mtd engine. in both cases you may just have to bite the bullet and replace the carb. the carbs on a lot of the newer engines are so technically complicated that the can't be cleaned good enough to get the engine to run right. vent passages so small that you can't clean them properly and if any water gets in one of the micro passages it will corrode the carb and you will never get it open.
 
   / engine problems troy-bilt tiller #3  
Yep. EPA nonadjustable carb probably sat with some methanol gas in it just long enough to stop up the passages. Spraying the carb isn't likely to unclog it. You might try getting a gallon can of carb cleaner and soaking the carb overnight, but results are not guaranteed. Blow it out with an air compressor after soaking it, too.
 
   / engine problems troy-bilt tiller
  • Thread Starter
#4  
i'm getting a new carb. i hope that will work. it is the MTD engine. repair shops say pretty much all the carbs have problems these days. $50.
 
   / engine problems troy-bilt tiller #5  
It's the combination of methanol gas plus carbs with small passages that is causing these small engine issues. In my opinion, the problem is worse on engines that have the gas tanks attached to the carbs compared to the ones that have a fuel shut off between the carb and the tank. You can shut off the fuel on the ones with the shut offs and run the carb dry to avoid some of the issues that you run into with the other types. The gas goes bad so quickly these days that they will soon be including carbs with the spark plug tune up kits--only $99.95 for a tune up coming soon.
 
   / engine problems troy-bilt tiller #6  
don't want to horn in on the original subject of the thread but... for all the engines I have that are not run on at least weekly basis I use Stable in the fuel. It tends to prevent the deterioration of the basic gasoline and hold the alcohol at bay so to speak. This has been the only workable solution I found that worked on the Honda motor on my log splitter. Running it dry worked for awhile but I ended up with a carb replacement after a couple years anyhow.
 
   / engine problems troy-bilt tiller #7  
Really, gas going bad is the whole subject. For engines that don't have a gas shut off, a person has almost got to use a stabilizer product with the gas unless they run the engine about every week.
 
   / engine problems troy-bilt tiller #8  
years ago everybody kept gas from year to year, then the recommendation became don't buy more gas then you can use in 30 days, then it became 14 days. now i think i read someplace that the current recommendation is not 7 days. tells you were the quality of gas is going doesn't it.
 
   / engine problems troy-bilt tiller
  • Thread Starter
#9  
too bad it isn't reflected in the price.
 
   / engine problems troy-bilt tiller #10  
Have been using Stabil products for perhaps 3 years now. Before that found myself repairing and replacing ANY Honda small engine carb bowl, fuel lines in Stihl and Riobi machines, total carbs in 2 cycle Tecumseh engines and on and on. For the last 3 years have made it a practice that when I bring a can of fuel home I immediately treat it with Stabil. This year I have switched over to the ethanol Stabil in the blue label.

The stuff works for me as I have NOT had a single fuel delivery related problem in the last couple of years. In addition, from time to time in an individual machine I will put a heavy dose of Lucas gas treatment for cleaning upper cylinder and carbs. I also completly drain fuel or run them dry when they are going to sit longer than a couple of days. On those with a shut off valve I have NEVER drained the fuel from the tank and have had zero problems so far.......KNOCK ON WOOD DENNIS
 
 
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