[HydroHarold]

Brand new appearing 6+yo Sears tiller, 5.5hp B&S... Foam rubber in the fuel tank? Is it supposed to be in there? I think this stuff degrading is what has the carb gummed up. I drained the gas and stuff appearing like strings of fine "tissue paper" were suspended in the gas...

Any info on clearing out this "gas tank padding" and the rest of the carb would be appreciated other than usual carb cleaner routine.

MBG (my best guess) on this foam is to keep the sloshing fuel from coming out of a poorly designed filler opening/cap?

 

[mla2ofus]

Yeah, I had one the foam started deteriorating and I cleaned it all out. Has run fine ever since. I don't really know why it's put in.
Mike

 

[themidniteryder]

I have recently found the fine "tissue paper" for lack of a better description in a couple of Plastic Briggs tanks on push mowers. It's not a foam filled tank, but there is a fine mesh screen at the outlet that you cant get to to clean. The gas was fresh, so that wasn't the issue. sure wish I knew what it was and how to cure it. The foam is usually in metal tanks subject to high vibration, such as tillers and chippers to help prevent sloshing and leakage of gas from the tank cap. I usually fish it out as it looks like a stupid design gone bad.

 

[HydroHarold]

Thanks guys, out the foam goes. It's a wonder how the B&S engineers can figure foam won't degrade under the very same heavy vibration that will slosh out gas. Wouldn't a removable baffle tube stuck under the gas cap be easier to install and last longer? Got this tiller in a trade for my 3Kw generator... the paint isn't even worn off the tines yet!

 

[themidniteryder]

Love the Sears counter rotating tine tillers! Downside is the chain drive in the gearbox. Got mine for $7.50 and it had less than a 1/2 hour on it. The guy didn't put oil in it when he bought it, rod through the block. Traded him repairs on a 2 cycle Earthquake drill for his tiller, thus the $7.50 I was out on parts for the drill. Put a HF 6.5 on it and life in the tilling world was good.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Ive had 3 of those CRT MTD/Craftsman tillers...Im convinced they are a ticking time bomb.

One was an 8hp model, 24" wide, neighbor bought it new, used it 2 times, and had to move...sold it to me for like 50 bucks, I used it 2 times and it caught on fire. The input shaft bushing failed and caught the grease on fire, made a mess and ruined the case.

Next one was a 6.5hp Intek Pro craftsman model, paid 75 for it, ran perfectly, had a little difficulty shifting it but it worked well for about 2 hours of tilling, then one of the chains snapped inside...screw it, pulled the engine off and sold it for 150, scrapped the tiller.

Last and most recent was a 5hp model with a Briggs flathead, bought it not running, rebuilt the carb and it ran great. Wouldnt shift out of neutral, I heated and pried, the shift lever was not stuck, im guessing the splines on the shifter internally were tweaked and blocking it...sold the engine for 150 and scrapped the tiller frame.

No more Tillers for me that arent Troy Bilt Tuffy, Pony or Horse.....ive never understood the purpose of the elaborate multi chain reductions, an external multi-belt reduction with a single gear drive would work just as well, and be less prone to break catastrophically.

 

[mla2ofus]

I think if they'd spent the money for better seals and a more "liquid" lube system they'd last a lot longer. The thinking was probably" Hey, let's build something that will self destruct, then we can sell more of the same".
Mike

 

[rscurtis]

I've owned many Briggs engines with the plastic baffle in the tank, never had an issue with one. If you want a real tiller, here's where you go: www.barretomfg.com