Here is my 1989 Troy-Bilt mulching mower, model 8654R builtin 1989 by Troy-Bilt Mfg. Co., Troy, New York. I bought it new and have owned and operated it for 32 years. It is a front wheel drive mower. The engine is a 4 HP Quantum Power. This is close to the first run of Quantum engines by Briggs and Stratton. Raising the wheels is done with a crank handle on the mower deck, and it raises all four wheels.
It ran fine and started on one pull first tank of the season. I store it with tank empty and run it until it runs out of gas. It ran fine on the first tank of fresh gas of the season. Second tank: not so good. Must have got some bad gas. I drained it but with fresh gas would not start.
The carb on this model has been out of production for many years and is unobtainable. There are still rebuild kits (expensive) but no original carbs and no aftermarket ones either. I did the whole repair with the carb still on the engine, after removing the air cleaner.
Here is the carb bowl. It needed a good cleaning, and got one.
On mine unlike most Briggs and Stratton mower engines, the bowl nut is not also the main jet. On mine the main jets are separate. I took a picture from underneath. I removed and cleaned the float with detergent and a soft brush.:
Here it is in a short video you can see the jets. I had to work on it from underneath and not much clearance between the mower deck and the bottom of the carb.
Working like a surgeon from underneath, using a hand mirror, I cleaned both jets. I used wire from twist ties.
I also used Gumout on the jets, the float bowl and the carb. I drained the gas and put in fresh gas. Oil was low and dirty, I changed it
Here it is back in action. With fresh gas and some Sea Foam in it, the mower started on the first pull no starting fluid needed, and have been running it again ever since.
It ran fine and started on one pull first tank of the season. I store it with tank empty and run it until it runs out of gas. It ran fine on the first tank of fresh gas of the season. Second tank: not so good. Must have got some bad gas. I drained it but with fresh gas would not start.
The carb on this model has been out of production for many years and is unobtainable. There are still rebuild kits (expensive) but no original carbs and no aftermarket ones either. I did the whole repair with the carb still on the engine, after removing the air cleaner.
Here is the carb bowl. It needed a good cleaning, and got one.
On mine unlike most Briggs and Stratton mower engines, the bowl nut is not also the main jet. On mine the main jets are separate. I took a picture from underneath. I removed and cleaned the float with detergent and a soft brush.:
Here it is in a short video you can see the jets. I had to work on it from underneath and not much clearance between the mower deck and the bottom of the carb.
Working like a surgeon from underneath, using a hand mirror, I cleaned both jets. I used wire from twist ties.
I also used Gumout on the jets, the float bowl and the carb. I drained the gas and put in fresh gas. Oil was low and dirty, I changed it
Here it is back in action. With fresh gas and some Sea Foam in it, the mower started on the first pull no starting fluid needed, and have been running it again ever since.
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