BCS 735 Acme 330WB engine rough running

[Actonite]

I've been attempting to get my tiller running, but I'm having trouble. The engine runs rough and then dies, and it must be kept with the choke on to run at all. I cleaned the jets, but that didn't help. When I removed the air filter, I could get it to run smoothly for awhile. I thought maybe the fuel is bad, so I drained the fuel. I put a fuel stabilizer in the tank after I finished last year. Fuel flows very slowly out of the tank. When I inhaled on the fuel line, after the tank was empty, there is a lot of resistance. The resistance appears to be in the shutoff valve. The line isn't blocked. I cleaned the filter in the shutoff valve, as well as the filter going into the engine. I'm not sure if fuel line resistance is normal on this engine. I'd appreciate some help in diagnosing and fixing this tiller.

 

[leonz]

Fine dirt can block the fuel line to the point where it will
croak and then the vacuum will end and then it cans start
again.

I would use some alcohol to break up the fine dirt and wash
it out with hot water and dawn dish soap.

Gum deposits in the carburator will also do what is happening
to your motor.

The fuel line can also collapse. perhaps a reinforced woven
fuel line is in order as the unwoven rubber fuel lines can also collapse.

 

[Actonite]

I can blow through the line, and there is no restriction. The only restriction seems to be in the filter assembly section of the fuel shutoff valve. I just found it strange to see how little fuel gets to the carburetor. Fully choked, the engine seems to get more fuel, but it motorboats, with the governor sending it up and down. I want to know if it is normal for Acme engines to have restricted fuel flow, or if I should soak that shutoff valve in alcohol and then run hot water and Dawn through it.

I cleaned the jets. Is there something else I can do to clean the carburetor?

 

[oughtsix]

I recall my Acme engine having a pretty free flow of fuel to the carb. What you describe does not sound normal.

I use an ultrasonic cleaner for cleaning carburetors. It requires a pretty complete disassembly of the carburetor but does a good job cleaning out all the fuel and air channels. I usually put the carb pieces in a plastic zip lock bag and fill it with carburetor cleaner and put the whole bag in the ultrasonic cleaner moving the bag / pieces around occasionally so the ultrasonic waves hit from multiple directions.

I gave up on my 10hp ACME engine a few decades ago and switched to a 13hp Honda with the conversion kit that comes with an adapter and new clutch. I am very happy I made the switch. After every half dozen years or so I just replace the Honda carbs. It seems like the last time a new carb was about $40. It probably wasn't a Honda OEM carb even though it claimed to be one. It has lasted the past 4 years without any issues.

 

[Actonite]

Thank you for your response. After disassembling and soaking the fuel tank shutoff valve in alcohol, fuel flows freely to the carburetor, but the engine still runs rough. I just got a can of Berryman 0996 Chem-Dip, and I plan to disassemble and soak the carburetor in that. I don't have access to an ultrasonic cleaner. Hopefully, that solves the problem. I wish I could find a video of a carburetor tear down for the ALN 330WB, but I'll just take photos along the way, and be very careful with the gaskets. Any suggestions from anyone who has torn down this carburetor would be appreciated.

 

[Actonite]

I have it all back together again, other than the muffler, as I didn't realize till I tore it apart that the gasket was destroyed. As soon as the gasket arrives, I'll see how it runs. Everything looks beautiful. While I was at it, I refurbished the recoil starter and replaced the two bearings in the clutch. Hopefully, it works great now. I'll check back after it's running.

 

[Actonite]

All is running fine.