tiller wont start

[eurycea12]

I own a Troy-Bilt Horse. 6 hp Tecumseh engine. Worked great last year. I cleaned it up and ran all of the gas out when I was finished.

I changed the spark plug, checked the oil and added gas. Now it wont start. It was stored under my deck covered with a tarp for the winter. I can get it to run for about 1-2 seconds after a blast of carb/choke cleaner. It has now gotten many blasts. Tonight I tried to take the carb off to try and clean it better if that is the problem. The first nut I tried to take off just turned with the post it is on.

Anyone have any experience with these machines? Any hints or advice?
I took it last year to a shop but do not want to run there every year. I should be able to do this but am very fustrated right now.

[big rockpile]

I'm thinking it might be your Diaphragm.Just off the top of my Head.

big rockpile

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

For my troy-bilt I just ordered a new carb. took 17 minutes to replace it. Here is a link:

http://www.psep.biz/index.htm

[Yvonne's hubby]

Originally Posted by eurycea12

Anyone have any experience with these machines? Any hints or advice?

Clean the crud out of the carb jets. I know I know, you ran it out before you put it away, but gunk builds up anyway over time and you prolly have a jet clogged, or possibly even the diaphram is cracked from age. These are not big issues. If yer not comfy with takin the carb apart and cleaning thoroughly, take it off and take it in to the shop. Dont worry about the stud coming out with the nut, that is not at all uncommon either. just put it back in the same hole when you put back together.

[wwubben]

The air filter may need to be replaced.I drain the gas tank every year at seasons end.When I first start mine in the spring I just adjust the needle valve at the bottom of the carb until it starts.It always needs adjustment in the beginning of the season and then is ok for the rest of the year.I bought this tiller new in 1978 and am very satisfied with it.

[Harry Chickpea]

Remove the needle valve at the base of the bowl entirely and let the first 1/4 cup of liquid run out and evaporate. It likely has been water contaminated. Then continue to drain gas into a clean can to see if gas is easily coming into the bowl. That gas can be dumped back in the tank. If no gas - new fuel filter. Once you have gas, reinsert the needle valve finger tight and back it off a couple of turns. Since it pops on starting fluid, you can probably rule out electric problems and maybe the air filter, though I would check it anyway.

My ol' Tecumseh engine likes to have the gas line wide open (high speed) then choke on for one or two pulls to get gas in the engine, then a single hard pull to start the engine, with the choke coming off on the first hit. I'm not sure the series one carbs even have a diaphragm to worry about.

[Hooligan]

Mr Chickpea gives good advice. Pay attention to what, if anything, drains from the carb bowl.

These carbs are really simple so I would just pull the carb, disassemble and clean and put it back on. I just had to replace a carb on a 25 year old Troybuilt with a B&S motor this spring. Corrosion and sediment buildup had boogered up the seats and it was beyond tuning.

[Katey]

Choke stuck shut?

[BRYAN]

Much sound advice above, sounds like no gas getting thru the carb. I would pull the bowl and make sure that the a little corrosion hasn't stuck the float or a small amount of varnish hasn't stopped up the main jet. As a side note I would go easy on the choke cleaner, after a couple tries, it will wash all the oil film off the rings and cylinder. That can lead to a lot of friction for the first few seconds of running, possibly scoring the walls (at 3600 rpm the piston makes 60 strokes a second). I am sure you will find that a small amount of fuel was left in bowl and went bad. If you are a proponent of running out the fuel vs. sta-bil, standby and apply choke when it begins to surge, then pull a couple times with choke on after it dies. Just my 2 cents, good luck.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

Replace the Carburator - its old and they are really a bugger to clean all the small orifices that make the engine run smooth. New carb costs about $75 and its well worth it to have a new one while they are still available. Tecumseh no longer makes engines.

[Oldcountryboy]

I would start with HarryChickpea's advice first. If that doesn't work try screwing the idle valves all the way in, keeping count how many turns, and then back them back out that many turns. Sometimes they get a little clogged.

If those 2 suggestions doesn't work then you might try BigRockpiles advice. Disassemble the carb and put a new kit in.