Long standing fuel issue FIXED!!!

[squonk 38,965]

At least I think it's fixed! 

 

Long story. I bought my 704 at the show 4 yrs. ago. It barely ran enough to get it to the trailer. Got it home and had to put points and cleaned out the carb to get it to run. Ran decent but then it quit.No fuel. Had 1/2 tank of gas. Had to repair fuel pump. Now it runs pretty good but a bit erratic. Take of carb and install throttle shaft bushing. Runs great for a while but gets real erratic again. I think it's fuel and go through it again but find out the mag ground wire is worn thru and rubbing on steering shaft. Fix that. All is well.

 

Take it to a show 2 years ago. Starts running like crap again. I have to pull the hood to richen the mixture. A week goes by and now it wants the mixture setting back to where it was.   I figured maybe a little bit of bad gas.

 

Go to the WHCC show last year. Get 2 laps into the cruise and guess what? It wants a carb adjustment again. I 'lose" 6 laps in the pits removing the hood and adjusting it. (By the way it was so loud I couldn't hear my engine to adjust it good! )    Of course it needs it set back again later.

 

Now this summer I'm using the tractor to pull the sweeper. It act's up again and I decide to figure out what's going on. I determine it's a fuel problem. Carb is clean,screws are tight and carbs don't go in and out of adjustment by them selves so I rule that out. Tank is venting ok. Could be the pump again and I'm ready to pull it but I think IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING STUPID!!!! it is

 

I replaced the leaking fuel sediment bowl long ago. It put in an elbow,a shutoff and a filter in it's place. It hit me THE FILTER! I installed one of those clear plastic inline paper filters. I have used them for years. Every time I installed one I would have to leave the outlet side unhooked and purge out the air to get fuel to flow before connecting it. I wonder if it's getting air locked. I remove it it is not plugged but I install one of those little red B&S filters in it's place. Burned thru a gallon of gas and the problem is gone. Used to take about 15 min for the problem to show but it's been about 2 hrs. of run time. Should I put the hood back on?  

Edited May 17, 2014 by squonk

[Desko 552]

Go for it. Happy to hear you fixed the problem.

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,582]

Put the hood one....she is race ready!!!

Mike..........

[smoreau 658]

A few of us have been in your shoes before! Some will not admit it though. Glad you got it fixed!!

[AMC RULES 36,945]

I've had a pile of them lil' red suckers sitting here, I got at the  show last year...

just might hafta try one now.     Who knew?    

[oaktown1987 82]

Some fuel pumps won't pull through some filters

Oaktown

[JC 1965 1,528]

Glad to hear you found the problem Mike    . I hate it when there is a problem and you have to keep trying different fixes till you find one that works. Hopefully it won't give you any more trouble.  

[Wishin4a416 2,189]

Im glad you got it fixed and posted this. I put one of those big plastic ones on my 310 and it was acting up all Winter plowing. I will try a small one and see if that helps.

[squonk 38,965]

Ran it some more today with no issues. Except for that hood rattle. The bottom nut is loose on the hood plus some small cracks have formed. Off to my buddies Tig Welder! 

[slammer302 2,154]

I've had the same problem before the little red filters flow better because they just have screen inside them instead of paper which is fine as long as you use a clean gas can for fuel I have also tried to put the filter in between the the pump and the carb kohlers don't like that either

[Wishin4a416 2,189]

I take it them little boogers are not directional. I don't see any arrows.

[slammer302 2,154]

I don't think they are

[JackC 616]

Some fuel pumps won't pull through some filters

Oaktown

 

There you go.  Sometimes in life, the little ones work better than the big ones.

Edited May 20, 2014 by JackC

[oaktown1987 82]

I've never had a problem with big or small

But it is possible as some have found

[dodgemike 52]

It was not a kohler, but years ago

I found out you can put too large

of a fuel filter on.

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2

[specialwheelhorse 174]

I've been told the red ones are for gravity flow, thus very little restriction in the filter but keep clean fuel and change often.

2 cents. The old one in TEXAS

[tunahead72 2,343]

There you go.  Sometimes in life, the little ones work better than the big ones.

 

I'm confused -- are we still talking about filters here?

 

Personally, Mike, I would leave the hood off, at least for a while, I kind of like the hooligan look.

[Lane Ranger 10,495]

My neighbor has had a problem like this with his B-100  10 HP Kohler motor.  He has changed fuel filter, fuel line,  plastic gas tank valve,  fuel pump,  carb and still gets only small amounts of fuel to carb.  Cam looks ok -may be a little worn but still  looks good.   We are going to try one of these Briggs and Stratton 150 micron red  gas filters this am and see if that does the job!  

[coldbear 29]

I've found sludge in the on/off  valve in the 45% elbow. Sediment  collects in the corner of the elbow and restricts flow. Try blowing out the valve. It rears it's ugly face at times.

[Buckshot 1 15]

I've been told the red ones are for gravity flow, thus very little restriction in the filter but keep clean fuel and change often.

2 cents. The old one in TEXAS

​You were told right. the red one gravity flow, the white ones are to be used with a fuel pump.  As there is no arrows, I was informed that the big end goes towards the carb.

[PaulC 341]

This is interesting and got me thinking. I just picked up a package including a 417-a I've got together and running really good. I cleaned the carb, drained the tank, and replaced all fuel lines and for the first time put in an inline paper filter. Ordered it online and was shocked at how big it was when it arrived, maybe a little bigger then a shot glass. Didn't think to much about it cuz it said it was for smalle engines. I got a few mows in with it but the last time it fired right up but once I got going it was not running good like it was starving for fuel. 

This whole time I been thinking I'm gonna need to pull the carb and clean it again somehow something got to it even though I took all the steps to clean everything and even the filter looks crystal clear. But now after reading this I'm thinking I should check out that filter first? I never primed it like was mentioned above either. I'll report back what it is whenever I figure it out. 

**Update** I tested my paper filter just with gravity and it had plenty of flow so I went to the carb like I originally thought. Found some crap in the sediment bowl and cleaned everything reassembled and fired her up to still have it running like crap . After a little messing around I decided to change the points and sparks plugs and voila shes back to running like a champ!! maybe even better then before. Love the 417 with kt17 so far

Edited June 12, 2015 by PaulC
update