Check pickup lines in tank for air leaks and all hoses for cracks!

 

10-4 on the fuel and vent lines above the tank, below the fender pan. Sounds like they bit the dust.

 

Wouldn't running it with the gas tank cap off rule out the tank vent being plugged? I also thought about the tank pickup but that's going to be more work to check. He said the fuel pump was pushing (some) gas with the hose disconnected which is why I leaned toward a carb float problem.

 

Or a clogged main jet. If it's only getting gas into the engine via the idle jet, then it's going to be running way lean and need the choke to run.

 

Gets my vote.

 

He pulled the float bowl, no obvious issues. Sprayed down both top and bottom of the carb with carb cleaner and reassembled. Fired up and runs as it should. Probably schputz in the carb jet as suggested. Another trip to the dealer averted by forum members. Thanks for your help :fing32:

 

Dang, there goes my stock in fuel lines back down!!!!! Glad you got it up and running properly!!!

 

just went thru the same thing with my lx176 I took the carb off tore it all apart spay carb cleaner in it blowed it all out runs fine now

 

I have read plenty about this problem, including people who brought it to the dealer 5 times and it was still not fixed. This is what I did about it:

When it ran poorly, I drove it up to my garage and took an air hose to the top vent on my gas tank and pressurized the tank. It ran better. It already had a new fuel pump and carburetor on it.

I looked at the fuel pump and found that it is a diagram that relied on the fluctuating engine vacuum to activate it. That is a very poor design.

After discovering the poor design of the fuel pump, I eliminated the whole pump assembly and threw it in the garbage. Then I wired a universal electric fuel pump to the ignition switch power. The electric pump was rated for 2.5-4psi.
After putting that pump on, I made 5 swipes that were 1/4 miles long mowing out the ditches on my dirt road, then I put it to the ultimate test by mowing down 3 foot tall weeds to expand my parking area. It held up. This was my confirmation that the problem is fixed.

Rodney Calmes