Briggs and Stratton mower (b&q)

[elcaro]

hi all, how are you?
I've got a b&q mower which has a copy of a Briggs & Stratton engine. It was left her by the previous bloke who lived here. It has run once - for a short time, but now no go.
I've taken the carb off and there is as you'd expect a float which lifts a valve to stop the flow at a certain level of petrol. This valve was stuck in the up i.e. closed position, so no fuel could enter the carb. Couldn't get the float valve out so I drilled it out. After a bit of drilling it popped out, prob the vibration or torque from the drill loosened it. So I've released a silver-coloured pin about 10mil by 3 or 4 mil diameter. Prior to my drilling it had a conical end at the lower end. Around this is a bronze-coloured collar say 6 or 7 mil diameter. Does anyone know, does this needs to come out too? You can buy these float valves for £1.15 or so but it's not clear what you are trying to replace, the inner pin or the collar as well.
It would be great if it could get this thing going again for a quid or so!
Failing that there are carbs advertised but there seem to be lots of different types.
Any advice please if anyone has been through this.
Regards, Terry.

 

[Burnerman]

Terry, do you think you could get some pics of this?
The float should pull down a needle, that slides into a housing.....at the top of this housing ( brass usually) there could be a rubber seal for the needle to bear onto.
I'm wondering if you have drilled the entire housing out? If so, I'd recommend a replacement carb, and GHS Ltd will probably be able to fix you up.
I've never had to drill in this area!
John

 

[elcaro]

John thanks, I'll get some pics tomorrow. Complete carb would be good if I can identify the right one as I put the float somewhere safe and now can't find it immediately! But yeah, the pointy end was down. Maybe someone removed it and re-fitted it upside down .
As regards the drilling I screwed the carb body through its bolt holes to a bit of wood and clamped that under my drill stand. It's a Draper drill stand holding a corded drill. I could wind the drill down to the work without the drill running to get lined up, but I still didn't it would stay true to within a mil or so to cut into the point without skidding off. But it did. Good old Draper drill stand.
Regards Terry

 

[elcaro]

John, found some photos I took earlier. Woo, I might have managed to enclose one! Will try to add some more
- Terry

 

[elcaro]

Valve which was stuck - top of carb upside down

 

[elcaro]

To the centre right (in line with the side of the gate in the background) shows the pointy bit, you can see the marks on it where I tried to remove it with pliers before drilling it out. Tomorrow I'll try to post a pic of where I am now.
Cheers,
Terry.

 

[Burnerman]

Wow, that's a new one even to me!
From what I can see, the float needle is in the right way up, as the exposed bit has a sort of flange on it that hooks into the float - so the float actually pulls the valve open rather than waiting for gravity.
I'd guess the needle has stuck in place due to corrosion....the inside of the carb is furred up too.
You'll not get a new needle housing, and personally I'd start the hunt for a carb replacement as soon as you like. Its not a Briggs carb, but there are equivalents to be had.
Can you identify the engine....Sovereign, maybe?
John

 

[elcaro]

Hi John,
Couple more pics
The collar, the bronze or brass bit is still in. You can see the drilling, the hole in the brass pipe coming in fron the bottom of the pics, at the top of the hole.
The bit I drilled out had a pointy end sticking downwards but no flange at the other end.
Still can't find the float ( I started this malarkey back before Christmas) so it looks like a replacement carb. I'll try contacting the firm you mentioned.
Regards, Terry

 

[Burnerman]

By hell, you sure are an ace with the drilling machine
Yep, a new carb is the way to go, but for info, some genuine Briggs carbs have a red rubber seal tucked up in there......the one that comes flying out when you apply the air line
John

 

[elcaro]

Hi John, yes I'll phone GHS tomorrow. Looking round, carbs seem to be around the £20 mark.
Don't want to spend too much cos B&Q are (or were) knocking out - I think it was McCulloch - self-propelled mowers for £180-ish t'other day.
I have another mower, a Honda IZY, starts no prob but the deck has corroded to looking like a lace curtain and a new deck is about £90. I like that Honda doesn't have a primer bulb cos the B&Q / B&S copy we're talking about, the primer bulb got eaten by some rodent and I've had to replace it. I guess it was the only bit of the machine that the mouse could get its teeth into!
Regards, Terry.

 

[lostinthelight]

I would rather re deck the izy than have a Mccullock sitting on my lawn .or even stick the honda engine on the deck with the duff carb.
litl

 

[Nige F]

+1to litl. Also , you talk about a B+S copy - do you mean a Yuk-Fu copy from China ? Re decking the Izzy less the carb cost gives you a good mower for £70

 

[Diver Fred]

Always give my Honda Izy deck underside a 'Waxoyling' every Autum. Wash the crap off first then Waxoyl.
Like the way every part of the Izy deck is bolt on. Doesn't look like new but is still solid - taken on a black patina.
Seems to work on all steel decked mowers - some last longer than others.

 

[elcaro]

Thanks all. Right then, John, GHS ended up not able to supply a carb but they said there should be something written on the carb. There is, it's "Keruidi". When I searched on that I turned up a picture which looks exactly like what I've got, it's for a Cobra mower, the site was Jungle Busters up in Gateshead, £29, so that's one option.
litl, yes I wondered about transferring the Honda engine to the mower with the duff carb, or re-decking as you and Nige mention.
wgt52, I'd heard pf the waxoyl trick - you used to do it to cars when they were built to rust away
Hmm - I'm leaning towards the carb replacement at the moment cos that mower is 2011 and the Izy is 2000/2001. But I'll keep the Izy or if I chuck it I'll pull all the bits off and keep them and just throw the deck away, maybe re-deck it later.
Regards,
Terry.

 

[Nige F]

Chinese carb/engine . I personally would keep a 16 year old Honda engine over a 6 year old Chinese one any day.