The Krazy Kyles

My mower was sick. It would not even run without the choke engaged. Even then it was pretty iffy. It finally got to the point that I rolled up the foam air filter and stuffed it down into the intake to the air filter. It kinda ran then... A few minutes later it just died.

After thinking hard about the problem for a few seconds and pulling the spark plug to find it in great working order, I decided I needed to clean out my carb. I started by pulling the little drain screw on the bottom of the carb. I got about a 1/2 cup of water. Problem number one. I drained the gas and proceeded with the following:

Remove fuel tank (leave hose connected) remove two screws on top with 8mm nut driver. Lift straight up to clear oil dipstick and set tank down on mower body.

Remove 1 - 10mm bolt that was hiding behind the fuel tank and 2 - 10mm nuts that fasten air cleaner to carb. Pull air cleaner out of the way. It is fastened by a breather hose of some sort.

Note which end of the carb is which. Really just remember the carb bowl faces down and the fuel hose won't be long enough if you install it backwards. The end with the adjustment screws goes toward the engine. Clamp off the fuel hose (if you didn't drain the tank) and remove. I found vicegrips worked well for removing a stubborn pinch type hose clamp. Remove the choke control arm (closest piece of metal rod) from the carb (leave the other end connected). Then disconnect spring keeper from throttle control arm (back piece of metal, carb side only). Pull the carb off of the studs and twist to disconnect throttle control arm. The carb will probably be full of fuel and twisting it is liable to pour some out, be ready.

Drain the fuel from the bowl by removing the drain screw at the bottom of the bowl. Don't be worried if a little water comes out in the form of thick blobs, that is one of the reasons there is a bowl instead of a straight pipe. Replace the screw, don't cross thread it, it's easy. Remove bowl using a 14mm wrench on the nut at the bottom of the bowl.

Remove the bolt on the end of the center post, pull off the plastic float stop. Pull pin and remove float. Remove needle valve that should have come out with the float. Don't lose the needle!

Inside the post is the jet, remove with a float blade screw driver. Remove and clean all parts throughly with something similar to B-12 Chemtool carb cleaner.

Put it back together and you're finished. Reconnect the needle valve to the float, install the float, pust the pin through and put the keeper back on the post. The float should have a half inch of travel between the body of the carb and the keeper, if not, turn float over and reinstall. Make sure screw beneath keeper is throughly cleaned, it is the first stage jet.

Reconnect linkages first (don't forget the spring on the throttle control. Reinstall the carb with washers instead of the air cleaner so that there is still easy access to adjustment screws. Some extra washers are necessary on the posts to fit the carb snugly against the cylinder. Reconnect fuel lines, remember to remove the vicegrips after connecting the fuel line. Hang the fuel tank back in place and secure, but not too well, it will be coming back off again soon.

Start the engine (it may take some encouragement), wait for the motor to warm up a few minutes, then move the engine speed control back as far as possible without killing the engine. Adjust the idle fuel screw adjustment (long screw with spring on it threaded into carb) and idle throttle position (screw with spring on top of carb)out until it will run smoothly when the control is fully in the slow position.

Also you need to adjust slow and fast engine RPM set screws on the assembly behind the carb. The top one sets the slow RPM (screw head up produces higher RPMs) adjust it so that the engine won't die on slow when the blade is engaged. The bottom is Fast RPM (head out is faster) set it for the fastest engine speed you wish to achieve (somewhat short of hovering).