4 stroke rototiller engine problems

[Vortechtral]

So got this rototiller that seems to start with choke on, but as soon as you move it to "run" or really do nothing it shuts itself off. It runs for maybe 2sec max before shutting off. Cant even start it out of choke. Changed the gas to fresh gas, but it actually starting tells me everything should be working fine just no actual idea whats going on.

[DRbillZ]

A jet is clogged in carb

[Vortechtral]

Thanks, I pulled the carb off this morning cleaned it up, put it back on and it works. Thing is it works in full choke but if I move to run it kills it. Something got reversed at some point, not sure how. The stem that's connected to the choke/run butterfly valve has a mesh, a real loose gear so to speak, and it didn't slip at all. Oh well it works and I don't care if its in full choke, it runs fine and that's who knows how much money you and I saved my parents from either going to a shop to fix or buy a new one!

[enigma-2]

Jets are smaller on modern carbs. Jet still clogged do to Ethanol gas ( most likeky). Pour in "Sea Foam",run it until it get into the carb,shut off and let it sit for a few hours/day (let Sea Foam disolve the clog) and the start again. Should run without choke. If not, you will need to disassemble and clean with carb cleaner.

[seville009]

Local gas station sells non-ethanol premium grade gas (lower grades have ethanol). Starting using that in all of my gas engine tools a few years ago. Ethanol can really be an engine killer.

[DRbillZ]

Never had SeaFoam unclog a jet. In fact I've never had Sea Foam do anything special. Get inside it and clean it out.

[enigma-2]

Never had SeaFoam unclog a jet. In fact I've never had Sea Foam do anything special. Get inside it and clean it out.

I've had excellent results with it clearing carbs (not always, sometimes I've had to throw the carb in the ultrasonic parts cleaner and sometimes even have to disassemble and rod out the jets with calibrated wires. In last few years, the jets have gotten much smaller for emissions requirements.)

 

But it does work and also serves to prevent Ethanol from breaking down (up to a point of course, all gas breaks down over time). I put it in my empty 5 gal gas cans before I get gas. The sooner it's mixed with gas, the longer the gas lasts. Adding it to gas already 30 days old is already too late.

 

Not everyone is confortable disassembling a carb with so many small pieces and exact tolarances. This may be an easy way to open the Jets without disassembling or paying a service shop to clean it.

[IWRBB]

Lawn and garden equipment does not have complicated carbs with a bunch of small parts. Watch a few Youtube vids and tear into it. It's not difficult. You are typically just cleaning out jets/needles/orifices and replacing rubber seals and jets. I've done Tecumseh and Briggs carbs from my tiller and snowblower. No problems, both run perfect now. The tiller had a rusty gas tank. I used rust evaporator to kill the rust in the tank an re-built the carb. Runs like new with it's 40 year old points ignition.

Edited May 23, 2016 by IWRBB

[enigma-2]

I've got a gas blower carb that would prove you wrong, lol.

 

My point was, not everyone is confortable in tearing a carb apart. Using SeaFoam could disolve the gum and get the engine running without using choke. If the OP is asking, probably not wanting to tear down carb like we would.

[DRbillZ]

Snake oil

[Brian K]

I've fought with some 4 stroke engines and cleaned the carbs out and they work fine. I have tried Seafoam but can't really say I thought it made a difference. Other engines I cleaned out and they have not worked very well afterwards and I attribute it to the linkages that attach to the governor or maybe I did a lousy job cleaning - who knows. I've had lots of luck with the cheapy engines from Harbour Freight as replacements. On all engines I have, I put in a filter and a shut off valve. When I want to put them away, I run them dry - either by closing the valve or just running it out of gas. Keeps the fuel from coating the carb and causing problems. I have a 25 year old craftsman lawnmower and have done that run dry thing since new and it still starts on the first pull.

[enigma-2]

It took me awhile but with SeaFoam, you have to run it into the carb and let it sit. It works slowly and will eventually disolve the gum if at all posdible. (Snowblower took a week to clear). Echo blower never did clear, had to tear it apart and clean the jets manually.

 

But if you can get the chemical to work and have the time to wait, it saves having to tear it down. When I do tear a small carb down, I use a small ultrasonic cleaner, works so much faster.