Mower HELP!

[typhoon]

I scored a free push mower when I bought my house..and the thing doesn't run properly(I know, big surprise). It's got a Briggs & Stratton 4 stroke on it, and most times it won't start unless you choke the carb by placing your hand over it. Then it wil run, but very slowly die, and if you remove your hand, it stops instantly.
The funny thing is, a couple of times when playing with the mixture, I have been able to get it to run for a minute or so at a time, but if you play with the throttle, it dies again. There seems to be no sweet spot with the mixture.
It runs really rich when it is running, heaps of black smoke.
I have blown out/cleaned teh carb, great spark..good compression...any suggestions?
I know get another one, but if something will run, I have to fix it, it's a sickness! And a dollar is a dollar after all!

Regards, Andrew.

[rob vaughn]

Have you dumped the old gas and put fresh in?

[JW]

I put a gasket set into the carb and it runs as sweet as new again. The set contained about 5 O-rings. I figure the air leaks caused a rich condition by not allowing the jet to work properly.

[PhastBoat]

Rebuild the carb!;)

[Doubledog]

Isn't the Austrailian $ to the US $ --- 2 of yours to 1 of ours? I was looking at buying a weedeater boat from an Aussie website and when I did the conversion, I liked to have :eek:

[Barefoot Bob]

It will have to sit in carb cleaner over night though, and then install the carb kit. Sounds like the passages are varnished and gummed up.

[bulldogdaddy]

at our shop we had alot of snowblowers sitting around for a coulple of years not doin anything,so the boss tried stating them,old gas and all,and it was the worst stench you could imagine!like evryone said,dump the old gas,lines and all,and rebuild the carb.briggs are workhorses if you change the oil,and keep the level up

[Rickracer]

It's likely that the diaphragm is ruptured inside. It will cause it to pull fuel sporadically, and run rich too.

[eautosales]

YUP THE DIAPHRAM ON A BRIGS IS LIKE GASKET & PLASTIC IF THERE IS ANY WATER IN THE GAS IT DESTROYS THE DIAPHRAM
OVERHAUL THE CARB SET THE IDLE & YOUR GOLDEN IF IT HAS POINTS IT DOESNT HURT TO PULL THE FLYWHEEL & CLEAN & ADJUST OR REPLACE
OR DO WHAT I DID BUY A NEW MOWER:)

[woodco]

Just email US 1 !!!!! I'm sure he'll be able to help ya get at least
20 hp at the blade !!!!!!!!!! :eek: :D

That boy is scary when it comes to any motor !!!!! ;)