Carburetor Problems and Solutions

The following is a chart of potential carburetor problems and possible remedies. This chart is intended to be a helpful guide when troubleshooting your carburetor. Each incident varies in accordance to individual use. Regular inspection of carburetor parts is recommended.

Always consult your owner’s manual for specific Carburetor tuning and recommendations.

Check float shaft for wear and float for leaks or dents

PROBLEM	POSSIBLE SOLUTION
Engine hunts (at idle or high speed) Carburetor Leaks	Examine idle and main mixture adjustment screws and O-Rings for cracks and damage.
Carburetor out of adjustment Engine will not start Engine will not accelerate Engine hunts (at idle or high speed) Engine will not idle Engine lacks power at high speed Engine overspeeds Engine starves for fuel at high speed (leans out)	Adjust main mixture adjustment screw; some models require finger tight adjustment
Carburetor out of adjustment Engine will not start Engine will not accelerate Engine hunts (at idle or high speed) Engine will not idle Engine lacks power at high speed Idle sped is excessive	Adjust idle mixture screw
Carburetor out of adjustment Engine will not idle Idle speed is excessive	Check for bent choke and throttle plates
Engine will not start Engine hunts (at idle or high speed) Engine will not idle Engine overspeeds Idle speed is excessive Engine starves for fuel at high speed (leans out)	Adjust control cable or linage, to assure full choke and carburetor control
Carburetor out of adjustment Engine will not start Engine overspeeds	Clean carburetor after removing all non-metallic parts that are serviceable.
Carburetor floods Engine starves for fuel at high speed (leans out)	Check inlet needle and seat for condition and proper installation
Carburtor leaks Engine overspeeds Idle speed is excessive	Check sealing of welch plugs, caps, plugs and gaskets
Carburetor out of adjustment Engine will not idle Engine lacks power at high speed Carburetor leaks Engine overspeeds	Adjust governor linkage <
Engine hunts (at idle or high speed) Engine will not idle Engine lacks power at high speed Carburtor floods Engine starves for fuel at high speed (leans out)	Adjust float settings if float type carburetor
Engine hunts (at idle or high speed) Engine will not idle Carburetor floods
Engine will not start Engine will not idle Engine lacks power at high speed Carburetor floods Idle speed is excessive	Check diaphragm for cracks or distortion and check nylon check ball for function if available
Engine hunts (at idle or high speed) Engine lacks power at high speed Carburetor floods Idle speed is excessive Engine starves for fuel at high speed (leans out)	Check sequence of gaskets and diaphragms for the particular carburetor being repaired

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About the Author

Jacks Jack's Small Engines has been providing parts for outdoor power equipment online since 1997. We also run a service center for outdoor power equipment like riding mowers, snow blowers, generators, chainsaws, and just about anything else.