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Engine repair (?) mystery

The patient is a Homelite generator with an 8hp Briggs engine. From the number of repair shop stickers on it, one would guess that it had been professionally maintained. I removed the carburetor to clean it, and discovered that the choke had been disabled by cutting off the lever arm, center punching the shaft to deform metal to fix the choke in the open position, and filing the shaft flush with the carbruetor body. The remaining shaft on the lever arm was also filed flat, and the tension screw on the arm was used to attach the lever arm to the carb body to give the appearance of the choke being operational. The workmanship on what was done is good. But why would anyone do it? There would be many other ways to lock the choke open without sawing anything.

All I can imagine is an old guy putting it back together saying "this'll make em scratch their heads".

I'm down to to the basement to make up a choke extention.

Kevin Gallimore

Reply to
axolotl
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IF the engine has a priming pump button with a rubber cover, etc. then it doesn't need the choke. The carb may be a replacement unit that doesn't quite measure up.

Paul

Reply to
co_farmer

Were you the gent looking for manuals? If so I have them. Greg

Reply to
Greg O

It was I. It is very kind of you to dig them out. My address is real.

Thanks again,

Kevin Gallimore

Reply to
axolotl

Possibly vibration was a problem, making the choke go closed - and a fix would be to lock the chock open and simply close off the air intake for starting.?? ?? ?? Ken.

Reply to
Ken Sterling

Well , I don't know Jack about Homelite's , but my MAXA is dead . For now , at least . Old unit , that I got when my dad passed . It has never idled down properly, always surged under light/no load . It uses a Tecumseh 8hp motor , and I always figured it was a blocked idle/low speed passage .It's never been an issue , since it is usually under at least 50% load when in use . Last time I tested it (too long ago ...) it pissed the gas out almost as fast as I poured it in . Turns out the float is holed , so I went ahead and put the kit I bought (also too long ago ...) in the carb. Fer sure there's no blocked passages now ! Too bad that in a city this size (Memphis Tn.) you can't buy a replacement float after noon on a Saturday . Assuming I can make it to the small engine place before they close Monday ... -- Snag , now why did I feel the need to fix that genset TODAY ?

Reply to
Terry Coombs

Old enough unit to have a brass float??? If so, a little dab of solder fixes it (after ya get the gas out first, of course). Ken.

Reply to
Ken Sterling

Yeah , I did solder the hole , I thought . Actually it looks like a fatigue crack from vibration . Cleaned it and the rest of the parts up in my gallon can of carb cleaner . Got it all ready to reassemble and there's liquid in the float again . They only cost a few bucks , so I'll wait until tomorrow . I don't feel so bad about it , this is the first service it's got since I got it in '98 . And it was very well used before I got it . Dad carried it on his refrigeration service truck for several years ... -- Snag

Reply to
Terry Coombs

Old time mechanics would boil the float in water to drive out any leftover fuel. Use a hotplate and work outdoors.

-Carl (rapidly becoming an old time mechanic)

Reply to
Carl Byrns

Oh , I had all the fuel out , yup , sure did . Heated it until all the fuel was gone . I just ain't as good a solderer as I usetabe . Not such a big deal , I wasn't really expecting to seal the leak , but I had to try . In fact , since it was a fatigue crack , I wasn't trying all that hard . Cuz next thing ya know , I'm halfway thru a power outage and it develops another crack ... for six bucks or so , a new float is cheap peace of mind . -- Snag , cuz when ya really NEED a generator ...

Reply to
Terry Coombs

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