Today, 5-22-2017, was a banner day for me as I finally got my GT 18 a [917.255916] with Briggs & Stratton engine running again after it sat idle for about 7 years due to various things that came about.
1st. The first thing that happened was that the starting gear on the bendix need to be replaced which I got around to doing earlier this year only to have it go out again in fairly short order due to too much play in the front armature shaft bearing causing it to wobble too much.
2nd. I discovered I had a very poor cable connection from the starter solinoid at the battery so I needed to get another end to crimp on the cleaned battery cable.
3rd. Then I thought I had carburator problems but upon checking it all seemed fine.
4th. So I thought I had the numbers matched up correctly according to the info on the web an my tractor manual. Well, while it looked the same with only a slight difference in the front casting, the new starter would not fit, I tried about 5 times, yet it matched up number wise. Finally I talked with a the owner of a large power equipment repair shop in Frenso, Calif., who said he didn't want the numbers in the tractor manual but rather directly off the cowling of the engine. He needed 3 different numbers; 1st. the model 917.255916, the model # of the B&S engine, 422437, and a Code # of 88122112. I gave him those and he ordered the starter for me but it was three times the cost of the other one but it fit in place just as it was supposed to. So that's resolved.
5th. So I was able to get the engine to run if I put a bit of gas down the carburetor so it didn't seem to be a problem there. But when I was checking the carburetor and had the top off it I was working along side the tractor parked in low weeds and sure enough the pin holding the float slipped out and fell in the low weeds. I found that, thank God only to drop the needle valve. OMG what was I going to do now? Well I found it too.
6th. Then I tried again to get the engine started, which I did by squirting some gas down the carburetor but it wouldn't start on it's own?
7th. So I figured it was the little Walbro Vacuum fuel pump which I took off and brought it into the garage and sat at my hobby desk and took it apart thinking that one of the two diaphragms might have a hole in it. But fortunately they both looked fine yet the inside of the little pump was dry yet there was a considerable amount of fine fiberous looking dirt in several parts of it. I used a small stiff bristled hobby brush to clean all the junk out from inside the pump. Disaster strikes again. Part of the fuel pump is a small plastic disk that fits in the middle of a spring that pushes against the Diaphragm and in brushing the dirt that had collected on it I somehow lost my grip on it and into the waste basket, that was full of other junk, it went or so I thought. I looked through that junk twice as well as the surround area amongst the cans etc., I had on the floor only to turn up empty handed. Then as I was walking away disgruntled I looked about three feet behind my chair and there it was was laying on a piece of old rug runner and blended in so perfectly I almost didn't bend over to pick it up.
8th. So, anyway, today was very rewarding as after a couple of tries after pressurizing the fuel tank to try and force some gas into the fuel pump the engine started just as it should. And after I started and ran it for a while I adjusted the mixture screw on the carburetor so now everything seems to be just fantastic! As, Thorton Wilder said, 'Happiness is success, and success is a matter of circumstances'!
1st. The first thing that happened was that the starting gear on the bendix need to be replaced which I got around to doing earlier this year only to have it go out again in fairly short order due to too much play in the front armature shaft bearing causing it to wobble too much.
2nd. I discovered I had a very poor cable connection from the starter solinoid at the battery so I needed to get another end to crimp on the cleaned battery cable.
3rd. Then I thought I had carburator problems but upon checking it all seemed fine.
4th. So I thought I had the numbers matched up correctly according to the info on the web an my tractor manual. Well, while it looked the same with only a slight difference in the front casting, the new starter would not fit, I tried about 5 times, yet it matched up number wise. Finally I talked with a the owner of a large power equipment repair shop in Frenso, Calif., who said he didn't want the numbers in the tractor manual but rather directly off the cowling of the engine. He needed 3 different numbers; 1st. the model 917.255916, the model # of the B&S engine, 422437, and a Code # of 88122112. I gave him those and he ordered the starter for me but it was three times the cost of the other one but it fit in place just as it was supposed to. So that's resolved.
5th. So I was able to get the engine to run if I put a bit of gas down the carburetor so it didn't seem to be a problem there. But when I was checking the carburetor and had the top off it I was working along side the tractor parked in low weeds and sure enough the pin holding the float slipped out and fell in the low weeds. I found that, thank God only to drop the needle valve. OMG what was I going to do now? Well I found it too.
6th. Then I tried again to get the engine started, which I did by squirting some gas down the carburetor but it wouldn't start on it's own?
7th. So I figured it was the little Walbro Vacuum fuel pump which I took off and brought it into the garage and sat at my hobby desk and took it apart thinking that one of the two diaphragms might have a hole in it. But fortunately they both looked fine yet the inside of the little pump was dry yet there was a considerable amount of fine fiberous looking dirt in several parts of it. I used a small stiff bristled hobby brush to clean all the junk out from inside the pump. Disaster strikes again. Part of the fuel pump is a small plastic disk that fits in the middle of a spring that pushes against the Diaphragm and in brushing the dirt that had collected on it I somehow lost my grip on it and into the waste basket, that was full of other junk, it went or so I thought. I looked through that junk twice as well as the surround area amongst the cans etc., I had on the floor only to turn up empty handed. Then as I was walking away disgruntled I looked about three feet behind my chair and there it was was laying on a piece of old rug runner and blended in so perfectly I almost didn't bend over to pick it up.
8th. So, anyway, today was very rewarding as after a couple of tries after pressurizing the fuel tank to try and force some gas into the fuel pump the engine started just as it should. And after I started and ran it for a while I adjusted the mixture screw on the carburetor so now everything seems to be just fantastic! As, Thorton Wilder said, 'Happiness is success, and success is a matter of circumstances'!