# Briggs & Stratton 22HP flooding



## Clydesdale

*I have a B&S 22hp, Intek V-twin, model 40777, type: 0131 E1, Code: 041202YG; only about 4 years old

I start the engine no problem, runs smooth fast, slow etc... but when I engage the snowblower (electric switch), it floods to a point where it's hardly running. I have to pinch the fuel line to cut the fuel supply and then it eventually runs smooth again.

I changed the fuel filter and new fuel pump; same thing. I installed a carb kit and still the same. I didn't see anything wrong with the carb while dismantling & while installing the kit.

The float is good; no leaks. 

Definitely runs on both cylinders. Remove one plug wire off at one time while running and big difference. Did a compression test; one cyl is @ 155 lbs, the other @ 130 lbs. Could that be causing the problem?

Now if I throttle up fast, it floods ... with or without the air breather; makes no difference. This is without engaging the blower. I'm convinced the carb is a piece of ---t. lol With the new carb kit, it hasn't made a difference at all. Not much to rebuilding those carbs. Float is not even adjustable. 

HELP! I don't know what to try next.

Thanks in advance.

Clyde*


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## 30yearTech

Make sure the plugs are the correct type and properly gaped.

Are you getting a lot of black smoke when the engine bogs?


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## Clydesdale

*Plugs are new OEM & lots of spark. 

I'm thinking the 25 psi difference between both cylenders?

Thanks*


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## 30yearTech

Clydesdale said:


> *Plugs are new OEM & lots of spark.
> 
> I'm thinking the 25 psi difference between both cylenders?
> 
> Thanks*


That should not cause the problem you are describing.

Have you checked your valve clearances?


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## Clydesdale

30yearTech said:


> That should not cause the problem you are describing.
> 
> Have you checked your valve clearances?


*Not yet; that's my next step from the looks of it.
*


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## mutineer

Did you ever get this fixed? I have the same engine with the same problem. It will Idle fine and power up fine but when I engage the blades it starts to smoke and chug. If I back off the throttle down to idle and then very slowly run it back up to full throttle sometimes it's ok and will be fine other times it starts to chug. If I run the throttle up to full fast it will always chug. I've replaced plugs cleaned carb, replaced fuel filter,
The other question I had was on the bottom of the carb there is some kind of jet with two wires going to it, would this be suspect?


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## Clydesdale

mutineer said:


> Did you ever get this fixed? I have the same engine with the same problem. It will Idle fine and power up fine but when I engage the blades it starts to smoke and chug. If I back off the throttle down to idle and then very slowly run it back up to full throttle sometimes it's ok and will be fine other times it starts to chug. If I run the throttle up to full fast it will always chug. I've replaced plugs cleaned carb, replaced fuel filter,
> The other question I had was on the bottom of the carb there is some kind of jet with two wires going to it, would this be suspect?


*Yes I did fix it. I had posted this problem on several forums and when I was about to give up, I decided to take a video and uploaded it on youtube. Here's the video I took.* 



*After several people saw this video, 2 of them told me it was my carb. Both told me that I needed to change the carb to fix this problem. So I bought a new carb @ approx. $225. or so. I noticed the new carb is slightly different.... the bowl on the bottom is different; the solenoid switch on the bowl is on the side instead of underneath. Bottom line is, the engine is running pretty good. Matter of fact, it runs better then when I bought it new. I think B&S should of had a recall and replaced these carbs for free but ......... nope.

Buy a new carb mutineer; it will solve your problem.

I will never buy another B&S again, Kohler will be my next one.*


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## 30yearTech

mutineer said:


> Did you ever get this fixed? I have the same engine with the same problem. It will Idle fine and power up fine but when I engage the blades it starts to smoke and chug. If I back off the throttle down to idle and then very slowly run it back up to full throttle sometimes it's ok and will be fine other times it starts to chug. If I run the throttle up to full fast it will always chug. I've replaced plugs cleaned carb, replaced fuel filter,
> The other question I had was on the bottom of the carb there is some kind of jet with two wires going to it, would this be suspect?


The piece with the wires going to it is an after fire solenoid and is not the cause of your issue. Chances are the seals at the jets where they are inserted into the fuel tube are not sealing good, or the seals to the fuel tube where it attaches to the carburetor body could be leaking. 

When you cleaned the carburetor, did you replace any parts or install a rebuild kit?


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## mutineer

no I didn't replace anything I took it apart and cleaned every thing and then it ran good for a week or so. Then my wife ran it out of fuel and when I refilled the tank the problem started again. I really didn't want to spend a couple of hundred buck on a carb


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## 30yearTech

mutineer said:


> no I didn't replace anything I took it apart and cleaned every thing and then it ran good for a week or so. Then my wife ran it out of fuel and when I refilled the tank the problem started again. I really didn't want to spend a couple of hundred buck on a carb


It should not be necessary to spend money on a new carburetor. Unless the carburetor body is damaged, then there should be no need to replace. Locate the problem and correct it.


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## mutineer

30yearTech said:


> It should not be necessary to spend money on a new carburetor. Unless the carburetor body is damaged, then there should be no need to replace. Locate the problem and correct it.


Do you think maybe just a carb kit then?

Thanks


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## 30yearTech

Very possibly a carburetor kit will take care of it. It sounds like your getting too much fuel and bad seals around the jets could be the cause.


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## Clydesdale

30yearTech said:


> Very possibly a carburetor kit will take care of it. It sounds like your getting too much fuel and bad seals around the jets could be the cause.


*I did a carb kit in mine and it didn't make a difference at all.*


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## 30yearTech

Clydesdale said:


> *I did a carb kit in mine and it didn't make a difference at all.*


*Not all problems are the same. Carburetors can be tricky, you need to trace the fuel delivery all the way through and pay real close attention to how it's delivered and take extra time to make sure potential problem areas are working properly. Did you ever identify the issue with your old carburetor?*


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## Clydesdale

*No, I've never identified the issue with my old carburetor. 

I've had that carb apart 4 times and have gone through it with a fine tooth comb. I've analyzed how the fuel starts and makes its way through the ports up the the motor heads. I can't see any flaws. I've cleaned it with carb cleaner and then tried Brake Degreaser & Cleaner and still no luck. .... checked everything. I've talked with 4 certified B&S senior techs and none could figure it out. In the end, I don't know what's wrong with the carb. 

I use to think B&S was the Cadillac of small engines but not any more. I don't want to sound negative but yes, I am bitter towards B&S.

mutineer, I hope you can fix yours without having to buy a new carb. I've spent hours on the internet researching this problem and it is a very common problem.*


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## 30yearTech

Clydesdale said:


> * I've spent hours on the internet researching this problem and it is a very common problem.*


I do see this issue listed a lot on the internet. I work on average of around 400 units a year from many different manufactures (Briggs probably the most popular) but I have only run across this type of problem in the field 3 times, and everyone of them was due to loose jets in the fuel tube. While the symptoms can be very similar the cause may be different.


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## mutineer

*Update*

OK I took the carb apart again to try and clean it one more time, because no one around here had a carb kit in stock. Took it apart and cleaned it with an ultra sonic cleaner and put it back together and.............. 
same problem


I decided to try and unplug the jet at the bottom of the carb and problem was fixed. I'm not sure what this does it looks like it cuts the fuel when that motor isn't running maybe? Should I try and order that part of just run with out it?


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## 30yearTech

mutineer said:


> OK I took the carb apart again to try and clean it one more time, because no one around here had a carb kit in stock. Took it apart and cleaned it with an ultra sonic cleaner and put it back together and..............
> same problem
> 
> 
> I decided to try and unplug the jet at the bottom of the carb and problem was fixed. I'm not sure what this does it looks like it cuts the fuel when that motor isn't running maybe? Should I try and order that part of just run with out it?


That's the after fire solenoid when you unplug it you restrict fuel to the jets. 

Have you tried to use the mower like this?

Did you check the jets in the bottom of the fuel tube to see if they were tightly in place?


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## mutineer

I'm not sure what the fuel tube is is that the black plastic piece that screws to the bottom of the carb? with the two jets that extend from the carb in to it? those were tight the only other thing I could see was there is an O ring that is on the jet in the bottom of the float bowel that gos into that black plastic piece. I did try and mow with it and it seemed fine ran good and no flooding out.


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## 30yearTech

mutineer said:


> I'm not sure what the fuel tube is is that the black plastic piece that screws to the bottom of the carb? with the two jets that extend from the carb in to it? those were tight the only other thing I could see was there is an O ring that is on the jet in the bottom of the float bowel that gos into that black plastic piece. I did try and mow with it and it seemed fine ran good and no flooding out.


Well if it runs ok that way, I guess you have nothing to loose by using it like that if it runs good. Since this is restricting fuel to the jets, then fuel must somehow be bypassing the jets in order for it to run too rich with the solenoid activated.


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## mutineer

I used it for about 2 hrs today and it worked good, I think that I will still order a carb kit to see if I can fix it right.


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