Small engine repair - roto tiller

[Basscaster]

Get the serial numbers off the carb then get on e-bay and find a new or rebuilt one. Probably get one for less than $30. Bought one for my 35 year old tiller last year for less than $20.

Same here, bought a few rebuilts from big companies for about $20. Ebay >your friend- don't go cheapest- just find a good seller that has a bunch for sale.

[Tabassco]

Got a carb on Amazon for $17 , was " Amazon Choice " with 25 positive reviews .

[Walkabout7781]

My late FIL let me have his old one back in 1980. The flathead B&S had poor compression because it had some broken rings and a gouged cylinder bore. Oiled the sparkplug up and needed to be wire-brushed every tank of gas. After I was done suffering with it, I gave it to a friend who put a set of rings in it, and said it ran good for him.

[RazorCat]

I have a 15 year old Honda cultivator that was doing the same thing. Took it to my small engines guy. New carb, new plug, flush the lines. Runs like new. Cost $85.00. Not worth my time.

[vatreefarmer]

I'm surprised you haven't received more comments on the 25 year old fuel line, especially at pickup in the tank. Cheap and easy thing to try initially

[mark-o]

Carb or valve adjustment. Hard starting hints at valves but carb could also be the cause.

^^^^THIS^^^^

[gonefishin555]

Check and clean the exhaust screen.

[Nova Kaw 650]

At 25 years does it have points?

Good question right there ^^^^

[Nova Kaw 650]

I just started the tiller on the first pull. Its not been ran since yesterday. But it's still missing, not running smooth.

Lets do some basic trouble shooting...... try turning the choke on a tiny bit at a time to see if it gets better/worse.

[billnorman1]

The mount bolts and pattern on a B&S and a Honda are the same. I stuck a Honda motor off a pressure washer on my old front tine tiller. It runs great, you don't really need a throttle. A cut up stop sign or speed limit sign can be trimmed and put under it to keep it from throwing dirt up onto the motor and you.

[bilgerat]

Lets do some basic trouble shooting...... try turning the choke on a tiny bit at a time to see if it gets better/worse.

Good call. Could be as simple as the main carb jet partially blocked with varnish.

[Crankinstick]

This^^^. The carb will make or break those engines. Rebuild and flush all the ports. You’ll be amazed.

I have my dad's 1960's mdl. Hadto change gas lines, gaskets and rebuild carb, plus clean out the steel gas tank. new gas is cleaner than 1960's gas

[Tabassco]

I believe Autozone will rent compression gauges then refund the $$ when you return it.

Got the test gauge from Autozone, and as typical for me, it never goes like ya think it will.

I take out spark plug, put on test gauge, crank it 10 times ...........and I get no reading , its still on zero.

What am I doing wrong ?

OHMAUw6.jpg

[Axkiker]

Got the test gauge from Autozone, and as typical for me, it never goes like ya think it will.

I take out spark plug, put on test gauge, crank it 10 times ...........and I get no reading , its still on zero.

What am I doing wrong ?

OHMAUw6.jpg

Well you might not have compression. Do you have another small engine you can check ? Another lawn mower maybe ?

[Tabassco]

Well you might not have compression. Do you have another small engine you can check ? Another lawn mower maybe ?

Right now, that's not an option.

How could it run without compression ? It runs well enough to till.

The spark plug was heavily fouled, and its new plug , doesn't have two hours run time on it.

[Axkiker]

Right now, that's not an option.

How could it run without compression ? It runs well enough to till.

The spark plug was heavily fouled, and its new plug , doesn't have two hours run time on it.

Well being its a loaner gauge I was trying to figure out a way to rule out the gauge as bad.

[Tabassco]

Well being its a loaner gauge I was trying to figure out a way to rule out the gauge as bad.

Yep , Ill run over to my FIL's , I'm wondering that also.

Thanks

[billnorman1]

Must have compression since it runs. Is there an O ring on the plug screw in piece? Put the gauge on your shop air hose to see if it works. Only thing left is if the gauge isn't fully plugged in to the short hose or you just aren't pulling the motor through fast enough.
Put your finger in the hole and pull it through it will tell you if you have compression.

[billnorman1]

That's a 200 psi. gauge I wouldn't expect but maybe 50 on a pull start flathead. The push button on the side is supposed to automatically store the pressure until you push it to release.

[Nova Kaw 650]

Lets do some basic trouble shooting...... try turning the choke on a tiny bit at a time to see if it gets better/worse.

I'll bring this up again.......