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broski123

Carburetor on a Craftsman Eager 1 20' cut 4HP

broski123
12 years ago

Hi,

I have a Craftsman Eager 1, 20" Cut 4HP Model Number: 917.383241, that I got off Craigslist as a project and I am having some trouble with the carburetor.

After taking it out today to give it a nice cleaning, it was literally the most dirty carburetor I have ever seen in my life. Anyways I got it cleaned out and I literally had to pry the float needle out with all my strength.. it was that bad.

So while I was taking a look at the main jet (the bolt that is attached to the underside of the carburetor), I noticed there is no holes in it. Have you guys ever heard of this.. am I not looking hard enough? I don't want to put it back together until I am positive there is no hole in it.

Also if you know what type of carburetor this is, where can I find a rebuild kit for it?

Comments (35)

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    Get the 143. number off the engine. A dealer will be able to determine what carb parts it needs.

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Where is the 143. number on the engine I could not seem to find it? I found the Serial number and the Model number but that was it.

    Also I found a jet in the circular cylinder around the main jet itself. Do you think there is more jets, I still can't find one in the bolt on the underside of the float bowl?

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    Maybe it's a Briggs engine. Look for the model number on the shroud. The entire number......type, code, model, serial, etc.

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Okay so I noticed on the shroud that there looks to be the info embedded into it, but it all got unpainted over the years.

    Anyways here's all the information available, maybe you can help me find it from this:

    Model: 917.383241
    Serial: 070193M 048624
    Craftsman II Eager-1 4.0HP 20" Cut 3one convertible.

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago
  • baymee
    12 years ago

    It looks like the old style Tecumseh main jet. Set the jet on the table with the hex nut facing down and threads up. Midway between the bottom of the threads and the hex nut will be a single hole drilled in from the side through to the center of the jet. Find it and clean it. It will be about 1/64" in diameter. No need to buy a new one, these clean up well.

    Do not enlarge the jet hole; clean carefully.

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thats what I thought as well, but I have looked as hard as I can and I cannot place the hole, will it be big enough to clearly see?

    When I spray some carb cleaner will that open up the hole?

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    It's probably plugged and invisible. Clean the area with a pad and you'll see it.

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Sounds good i just shot some carburetor cleaner on it, so I will let it sit for a bit then try to locate a jet. Have you ever seen a bolt without a jet in it?

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Also I just realized I have holes in my float bowl, so I will need to replace that too, it doesn't matter if I get a float bowl without a drain plug does it, even though the stock float bowl came with one?

    It is still tecumseh and looks the same just doesn't have a drain plug.

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    The bowl replacement is fine. Some carbs have non-jetted bolts, but not yours.

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Great I ordered it. So I found a thing that looks like a decently big hole, but it literally looks like straight brass. I don't understand how if it was a real jet it would look like that. Is there a better way to open up the jet than a pad and carb cleaner.

    I don't want to poke at the hole with something sharp just incase I break through and its not a jet.

    Heres a picture of the "possible" jet..
    http://i53.tinypic.com/34nrzw0.jpg

    Yes bad quality my camera sucks haha.

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Also I forgot to mention.. the carburetor doesn't have a primer bulb like all the other Craftsman Eager 1 Carburetors.

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    There should be a hole drilled straight through to the inside in that jet. Use a small wire like from a garbage bag tie. You must have a manual choke on the carb.

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I have been looking for a hole that would have been drilled previously and I tried cleaning it the best I can, but I can't see any hole. There is one thing that could be it like I mentioned, but it literally looks like a possible circle of straight brass.

    Also the carburetor does not have a manual choke as I expected, it only has a throttle valve.

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    Here is what I assume your jet looks like.

    {{gwi:127778}}

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thats what I thought as well, but to be honest I think my bolt is a bit shorter and wider between the threads and bottom of the bolt. Also there is only 4 threads on my bolt, not 5. Any ideas?

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    [IMG]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z120/geogrubb/BriggsMainJet.jpg[/IMG] It looks like this one, but it is completely open in the top.

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    The jet hole is down in the center of the bottom of the jet. It's there!!

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    So this is the jet on the actual tube surrounding the emulsion tube. It is about 1/2" from the bottom and is in the center. Do you think that is the fuel pick up, and then when it goes into that tube, the bottom of the bolt acts as a main jet?

    {{gwi:131118}}

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    Yes

  • rustyj14
    12 years ago

    Checck also in the smooth section of the bolt that holds the float bowl in place! A lot of them had a teeny hole in the smooth section of the bolt (The end that goes in first to hold the bowl in place!) That hole is not readily seen, in the shank of the bolt, but it must be open for the engine to run. That hole is worth $35 in a non-running Tecumseh repair job!

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    When you say the flat part are you talking about the actual nut on the bottom of the bolt? Or the part between the threads and the nut? Or the very top flat part?

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    These are the typical Tecumseh jets, but I think he has the last one.

    {{gwi:126850}}

    {{gwi:126851}}

    {{gwi:126852}}

    {{gwi:127778}}

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Yeah there doesn't seem to be a jet on the side of the bolt, (it is much thicker and shorter than the last one, and only has 4 threads.) And also it doesn't have the hole in the bottom like the 2nd to last one. It has a little bit of a circle drop at the bottom but not a solid deep hole like that.

    Many it is not traditional?

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    Post a picture of the carburetor and engine.

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Here is some pictures of it.. I noticed the carburetors on some Briggs and Stratton Quantoms do not have jets in the bolt at all, do you think this is possible?

    {{gwi:131122}}

    {{gwi:131123}}

    {{gwi:131124}}

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    Haven't come across a carb that looks like that. No idea what it is. Some Briggs do not have a jet in the bowl nut, but they are just under the bowl nut.

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Don't you think it wouldn't run well if the hole in the cylinder surrounding the emulsion tube, was the only jet. Wouldn't that be an idle jet, not a main jet, it is not very large?

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    The main jet on a lawnmower is tiny, maybe .006 in.

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Okay,

    So I have all the parts for the repair kit now and am putting the carburetor together. While doing this I put a needle seat in (grooved side down). And now I tried to put the float in and set it to the right level, but it is set extremely lean. I can't get it to go any lower. Any ideas?

    The seat is as far down as it will go.

    {{gwi:131125}}

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    If the float is that far off, I have to wonder if you removed the old seat?

  • rustyj14
    12 years ago

    From the looks of the last pic, i'd say he didn't!
    Also, most of the carbs i have worked on in the last ten years, have had the bowl bolt similar to the one in the first picture. There have been a few different, but not many.
    And, just be glad he doesn't have the type with the plastic bowl! I just threw one of them out into the woods last week, and junked the engine! such an awful idea by their engineers. I refuse to work on that type carb!

  • broski123
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    There isn't another seat in there from what I can see just looks like straight metal and feels like it as well. Any ideas? Is it possible they didn't bend the float enough from the factory?

  • baymee
    12 years ago

    What did the float look like when you took the carb apart?