5hp Briggs peoblem

   / 5hp Briggs peoblem #1  

bob_wood

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Dec 10, 2006
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Location
plainfield NH
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kubota 4610, kubota 4200, JD 455, Toro 256E zero turn mower, Case 135 excavator, hydraulic dumpcart
I have a 5 hp Briggs engine ( on my log splitter ) that starts hard and runs intermitantly. Can anyone help me ?:)

Bob
 
   / 5hp Briggs peoblem #2  
1. Pull the spark plug; what color is the business end? Is it wet?

2. Test ignition; using a new plug, spark tester or screw driver (get your wife to hold it near the engine head):D and what color is the spark? Blue is good, yellow is bad.

3. Inline fuel filter?

4. If your engine has a float bowl, remove the nut from the bottom and remove the bowl, probably full of crap.

What model of engine? Older ones are very easy to troubleshoot and work on.

Cheers,
Mike
 
   / 5hp Briggs peoblem
  • Thread Starter
#3  
mwb said:
1. Pull the spark plug; what color is the business end? Is it wet?

2. Test ignition; using a new plug, spark tester or screw driver (get your wife to hold it near the engine head):D and what color is the spark? Blue is good, yellow is bad.

3. Inline fuel filter?

4. If your engine has a float bowl, remove the nut from the bottom and remove the bowl, probably full of crap.

What model of engine? Older ones are very easy to troubleshoot and work on.

Cheers,
Mike

Thanks Mike

My splitter is 10+ yrs old. I put a new plug in it today . When I pull air filter and look in carb I see Alot of fuel... is that normal? I can start it after alot of pulls but is will run for a short time then die. Starts Hard.
My gas tank had a leak about a month ago so I removed tank ( had to pull everything apart to get the tank off :( but was told new tank was about $60 so i fixed leak with screw and rubber washer :( and reassembled everything ) I didnt replace gasket on tank ... wondering if the engine is sucking some air :confused:
One thing too ( before i took tank off ) the engine was running rough like an engine with a defective govenor

There is a tube that runs from the carb to the engine block , about 1/4 inch aluminum with rubber connectors. one of the rubber connectors is split and the aluminum tube has a small hole in it. What does this tube do ?

I will look at carb / floatbowl and check for dirt and get wife to check the spark for me :)

Bob
 
Last edited:
   / 5hp Briggs peoblem #4  
Sounds like your spark is ok. It sounds to me that your tank is attached directly to the bottom of your carb (my POS tiller is like that). If there is any leaks in the gasket between the tank and carb it will not run well (or at all). I recommend you get a new gasket for $10 and see if that fixes it.

While you have the tank off, check the filter screen at the bottom of the pick up tube attached to the carb.

Get the model number and type for the engine if you need more help.
 
   / 5hp Briggs peoblem
  • Thread Starter
#5  
mwb said:
Sounds like your spark is ok. It sounds to me that your tank is attached directly to the bottom of your carb (my POS tiller is like that). If there is any leaks in the gasket between the tank and carb it will not run well (or at all). I recommend you get a new gasket for $10 and see if that fixes it.

While you have the tank off, check the filter screen at the bottom of the pick up tube attached to the carb.

Get the model number and type for the engine if you need more help.

I disassembled it all and it looks like the filter was clogged up like you said it may be. I couldn't get the filter off but was able to put some air to it and I think its pretty clean now. Now my problem is getting the main tank gasket. The one that was on there is toast. I cant find a serial number on the motor anywheres so ordering a gasket will be a challenge. I could take the carb and tank in to a small engine place we have here. Think I have seen something called " liquid gasket " ... is that a good idea to use that stuff?

Thanks for all the help ! :)

Bob
 
   / 5hp Briggs peoblem
  • Thread Starter
#6  
bob_wood said:
I disassembled it all and it looks like the filter was clogged up like you said it may be. I couldn't get the filter off but was able to put some air to it and I think its pretty clean now. Now my problem is getting the main tank gasket. The one that was on there is toast. I cant find a serial number on the motor anywheres so ordering a gasket will be a challenge. I could take the carb and tank in to a small engine place we have here. Think I have seen something called " liquid gasket " ... is that a good idea to use that stuff?

Thanks for all the help ! :)

Bob[/QUOTE

I made a new gasket and cleaned the filter and she runs like a top !! Thanks so much Mike :) Its sure nice having all this expertise to draw from on TBN :) :)

Bob
 
   / 5hp Briggs peoblem #8  
[/QUOTE

I made a new gasket and cleaned the filter and she runs like a top !! Thanks so much Mike :) Its sure nice having all this expertise to draw from on TBN :) :)

Bob[/QUOTE]

Great! Glad you got it running. I hate the newer B&S engines:mad: . That particular design uses a little cup inside the gas tank as a 'float bowl' and it likes to accumulate crap. The only way to clean it is to disassemble it.

Cheers,
Mike
 
   / 5hp Briggs peoblem
  • Thread Starter
#9  
mwb said:
[/QUOTE

I made a new gasket and cleaned the filter and she runs like a top !! Thanks so much Mike :) Its sure nice having all this expertise to draw from on TBN :) :)

Bob

Great! Glad you got it running. I hate the newer B&S engines:mad: . That particular design uses a little cup inside the gas tank as a 'float bowl' and it likes to accumulate crap. The only way to clean it is to disassemble it.

Cheers,
Mike[/QUOTE]

The tank had a sponge like thing in it, which i removed so i could look inside better. Think it would be ok to Not put it back ?

Bob
 
   / 5hp Briggs peoblem #10  
the sponge thing is to reduce sloshing (sp?) in the tank; i think it is only important for rough applications like a tiller bouncing around. for a splitter it should be fine without it. I would put it back in, it will not cause you any trouble. I assume you can cram it back in through the fill cap - if you have to disassemble it again then i would leave it out.

Mike
 
 
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