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Jamie Edwards
New member
Username: Jamie642
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 12.77.64.99
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 24, 2005 - 11:15 am: | 
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I have a 2003 Bigfoot with about 50 hrs on it. It has a Briggs and Stratton 18hp engine. Today, I was about three miles into a 10 mile trip when it stalled. I got it started again, but it would not stay going unless I held the choke out. Repeated attempts to get it to run without the choke did not work so I limped home with one hand on the accelerator and one hand holding the choke just right. Anyone know why thie might have happened and what I can do to make sure it does not happen again? Thanks, JE |
Jerry R. Nuss, Max Dealer in Illinois
Advanced Member
Username: Jerrynuss
Post Number: 183
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 71.124.0.236
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 24, 2005 - 04:28 pm: |
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I'd say start with the basics:
Is the fuel old or have you been driving it regularly? Check for moisture in the tank.
Have you replaced the fuel filter?
Is there any dirt in the fuel tank or visible in the fuel filter?
Is the fuel hose patent? Check for loose connections, cracks, or kinks in the fuel hose.
Does it have an electric pump added to it, normally by the tank? Is it working?
If everything up to the carb checks out remove the air filter and air filter box off the carb. Remove the top of the carb. Gently lift off the gasket and remove the float being careful not to lose the inlet needle and float pin. Now look down into the float bowls and look for dirt or some red or brown colored gummy stuff. If gas is still flowing into the bowls clamp the fuel line hose with a pair of vise grips or hemostat.
Dry out the bowls. At the front of the carb on the right side of the machine there is a screwed in plug remove it. This will allow access to the fixed main jet to be removed. Now use a can of carb cleaner with the nozzle tube on it. Spray into where you removed the fixed main jet, cover the top of the carb with a clean rag or watch your eyes because the carb cleaner should blow out through the top portion of the carb body through several channels and the pilot jet. Spray into all the holes and tunnels you can find.
Wipe up any excess carb cleaner and reasseble the carb. Remove the clamp from the fuel hose and turn it over. It may take a little bit. See if it runs.
At no point have you had to make any adjustments to the mixture screw or idle screw or govenor.
Try this and report back what happens. A dirty carb is a very very common problem and is easily fixed. If this fixes it you may have to repeat several times over the next couple of months.
With the few hours you have the card won't normally go out of adjustment or have any worn pieces. |
Jerry R. Nuss, Max Dealer in Illinois
Advanced Member
Username: Jerrynuss
Post Number: 184
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 71.124.0.236
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 24, 2005 - 04:32 pm: |
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I forgot to mention while you are back at the tank to loosen the gas cap. Sometimes the cap will not vent and will cause the machine to starve for fuel.
Of course do these things one at a time before getting into the carb.
I just want to reiterate don't make any adjustments to the carb until everything else has been checked. It is a headache trying to get the primary problem fixed with the carb out of adjustment then takes a while to get the carb dialed back in. |
Missouri's Max Dealer (Brandon Price)
Intermediate Member
Username: Brandon_price
Post Number: 71
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 69.27.205.94
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 24, 2005 - 04:58 pm: |
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The engine running only with the choke on is a classic case of a clogged carb. It is usually the pilot jet plugged up by dirt. Remove the air box and then the top of the carb by removing the four phillips screws. The pilot jet is a screw that is set down in one of the holes near the float. Unscrew it with a small screwdriver and clean it out. You'll probably also want to clean the bowl (under the floats). Be careful not to drop any little pieces like the needle valve hooked to the floats. It's not easy finding parts that fall into the engine area of the Bigfoot!
It's a good idea to install an inline fuel filter about 4" from the pump on the engine. I just fixed an Argo Vangaurd with this exact problem. |
Dave Keeso
Intermediate Member
Username: Argomag
Post Number: 59
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 204.50.180.111
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, December 24, 2005 - 05:53 pm: |
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I had the same problem a couple years ago, turned out to be that their was water in the carb.
Sounds like carb problems to me.
Have a very Merry Christmas everyone! |
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