Power washer issues

Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
6,289
Location
North Texas
My craftsman with the Briggs and Stratton will not start unless I use starting fluid. It stays running afterwards. Granted it gets used a handful of times a year. I run my home brew ethanol free fuel since there are no stations around me that offer E0. Took the carb apart and everything was clean. Got it all back together and the same issue. During the winter I spray Amsoil power foam inside the carb as much as I could. The gap is good on the plug. There was slight rust on the fly wheel so i sanded it down. The gap is good for the coil. Is there anything else to check? Thanks.
 
Do you have a good hot spark? Tested either with a spark plug tester, or the plug grounded against the block?

Have you done a compression test? How many PSI?

Is this a model with a choke? Have you taken off the air cleaner and visually confirmed that the choke is closing properly?
 
Originally Posted by ripcord
Do you have a good hot spark? Tested either with a spark plug tester, or the plug grounded against the block?

Have you done a compression test? How many PSI?

Is this a model with a choke? Have you taken off the air cleaner and visually confirmed that the choke is closing properly?


I did bend the arm that opens and closes the choke. I opened it a little more since it was closed before starting. It has the on off switch...easy start, lol. No compression test. I'll try testing the plug. If the spark is bad why would it run with very little starting fluid? Thanks.
 
Gravity fed float type carb? Or carb sitting over fuel tank using a fuel diaphragm type pump? Either way it sounds like your not getting fuel into carb, then after it starts, the engine vacuum sucks in the fuel. Is tank vented properly? Does it have a clean fuel filter? Just a couple of things to throw out there. Good Luck!!!
 
Originally Posted by oldhp
Gravity fed float type carb? Or carb sitting over fuel tank using a fuel diaphragm type pump? Either way it sounds like your not getting fuel into carb, then after it starts, the engine vacuum sucks in the fuel. Is tank vented properly? Does it have a clean fuel filter? Just a couple of things to throw out there. Good Luck!!!

There's a big hose that attaches i believe from the tank to the back of the air filter housing. That hose is the case breather. The fuel line is at the bottom to the carb. There is no fuel filter.
 
Last edited:
Make sure the choke is closing. The Easy Start Briggs is a decent setup. You might have old fuel and that can duplicate all kinds of weird symptoms and you'll be chasing your tail trying to find the issue. Also, for as cheap as a spark plug is I would get a new one and make sure the air filter is clear.
 
Like said, if it's running and starting perfectly aside from the cold start, I'd look into the operation of the choke.
 
Originally Posted by Silverado12
Make sure the choke is closing. The Easy Start Briggs is a decent setup. You might have old fuel and that can duplicate all kinds of weird symptoms and you'll be chasing your tail trying to find the issue. Also, for as cheap as a spark plug is I would get a new one and make sure the air filter is clear.

I'll check those out. I ordered a new needle valve just to rule that out. Before storing it for the winter I dumped the gas that was in there.
 
Originally Posted by JTK
Like said, if it's running and starting perfectly aside from the cold start, I'd look into the operation of the choke.

I'll double check the choke. I ordered a new needle valve. Just glad the carb is easy to take a part.
 
Originally Posted by ethnix
If it has an auto choke check out this video by Taryl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAqVcdZOZE4 Sometimes critters get in there and and make a nest. Sometimes a spring will rust and break. Sometimes the thermostat which influences the air vane fails (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0153DMWEU)

Awesome bud, thank you. Just checked the thermostat and it's springing back like it should.
 
Last edited:
After changing the needle valve and tweaking the adjusting screw it's running great again. I did make a boo boo getting carried away on adjusting the choke arm. The lever on the carb side was on the wrong side which made things worse. After taking the top cover off and seeing the operation sure enough.

The next day it started but was running bad and way too rich. I adjusted the carb and it smoothed itself out.
 
Back
Top