Mantis tiller carb adjustment problem

   / Mantis tiller carb adjustment problem #1  

citytransplant

Silver Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2006
Messages
209
Location
Central New York
Tractor
Farmtrac 270DTC
A neighbor mentioned he couldn't get his Mantis tiller to start. I told him I'd look at it:cry:. Good spark, no fuel. The tank was dirtier than a pig in mud. The fuel filter blocked entirely and the carb looked as if it had just been dug out of the ground. I cleaned out the tank as best I could and installed new lines, filter, and a carb that I happened to have lying around. Fired up first pull. Problem is that it runs fine with the choke fully closed, but as soon as I open it, she stalls. I have both the low and high adjustment screws opened about 1 and 1/3 from dead closed. Shall I try adjusting one or both of these?

Thanks in advance.
 
   / Mantis tiller carb adjustment problem #2  
You've got options. My first thing to try would be Sea Foam. Drain the tank and make a 50-50 mix of fuel and Sea Foam (using the appropriate amount of oil if two stroke). Start the engine any way you can and let it run for a bit to be sure this mixture has run through the carburetor. Shut it off and let is sit for a day. Start it again and check results. If no joy let it sit another day and try again. It can take s few days for Sea Foam to work its magic but I've had really good luck with it. It sounds like one or more clogged passages in the carburetor so you're welcome to try the adjustments but if passages aren't clear you'll likely not succeed. From there my next step would be to replace the carburetor: mantis tiller carburetor: Search Result | eBay
 
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   / Mantis tiller carb adjustment problem #3  
Time to take the carb apart and give it a good soak in Berryman's Chem Tool or Gunk carb cleaner and blow out all the passages and jets and re assemble. You have crud (or jelled e-gas) in the idle circuit.

I do mine like Mustie on You Tube. I use a heated ultrasonic cleaner with Chem Tool in it.
 
   / Mantis tiller carb adjustment problem #4  
Both the seafoam and carb cleaner/soak are right on. I might also open the low speed jet another 1/3rd and see what happens.
 
   / Mantis tiller carb adjustment problem #5  
Only running with the chock on typically means it's not getting enough fuel--Choke lowers air supply to run on what fuel it is getting. I'd be looking at the main Jet or the mixing tube. If was as dirty as you say, I bet the bypass ports are also clogged.
 
   / Mantis tiller carb adjustment problem #6  
installed new lines, filter, and a carb that I happened to have lying around.
Carb may fit the mounting on the Mantis but how do you know the jet sizes etc. are correct?
 
 
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