6.5 hp Briggs & Stratton won't run

[<Frank>]

Just got under 10 hours on my plate vibrator/compactor and the Briggs & Stratton 6.5 hp I/C Industrial OHV motor won&#39;t run. Model 122432, Type 0113, Code E8. Put it in storage two months ago, shut off the fuel line and ran it until dry. Got it out of storage, put fresh gas in, open the fuel line, choke it, ran it for about 30 seconds, unchoke it and give it more gas and than it dies. Seems like it lacks power. Clean the filter, check the plug ( was running rich) restart it again and dies again when giving it a little throttle every time. Don&#39;t think carburetor is adjustable. Too soon for a four cycle engine to die, my Honda engine lasted well over 20 years. Any ideas?

[DanG]

I would remove the sediment bowl, remove the float and needle. The bowl is probably gunked up, wipe it out. While it&#39;s open, give every hole you see a spritz of carburetor cleaner. Make sure you get fuel through the needle seat into the carb throat. Look over the bolt that holds the sediment bowl on, see if it has a large hole down the center with a small cross hole near the head - make sure these are open if you have them. Reassemble. Should fire up and run. A breath of carb cleaner in the air intake will help it fire. A dose of Stabil will help next time.

[Stormin Mormon]

Did it run OK right before you put it in storage? Runs rich means either it&#39;s feeding too much gas, or too little air. Yah, basic stuff. How did you know too rich? Black spark plug?

Try it with part choke. If it&#39;s running lean, then it will run better with part choke. What comes to mind, is that on B & S Engines, sometimes the gasket dries out, between the carb and the engine. That makes it nearly impossible to start (have to use ether or some gas in the air intake).

[<Frank>]

Oh yes, ran really well.

Runs rich means either

Black plug, fliter was full of dirt.

Couldn&#39;t even get it started now, flush out the "new" regular gas and replace fresh premium gas and clean the plug.

With the exception oh Honda, don&#39;t have luck with new engines (4 or 2 cycle), my old engines will start within 3 pulls.

[Stormin Mormon]

Sorry to hear it&#39;s giving you so much trouble. When an engine floods like that, sometimes I take the plug out, and then yank the start rope a couple times. Blow a bunch of fresh air into the chamber.

Isn&#39;t the quality of everything going down? Seems that way to me.

[<Frank>]

Hey thanks Stormin and DanG. Got it starter this morning, it wasn&#39;t the fuel. Took the carb apart and blow compressed air through every hole. Seem like the needle seat may have gotten stuck. One pull and fired right away, runs great and lots of power.

[Stormin Mormon]

Thank you. Will remember that, when I&#39;m working on small engines. I had a similar thing a couple winters ago, working on a friend&#39;s Dad&#39;s snow blower. Tecumseh, with a bowl carb. Ran a couple seconds on ether. Finally took the carb bowl off, and freed up the needle and seat.

That day was bitter cold. I got to the end of their street, and got stuck in the snow the plow had folded onto their side street. Lucky me, palm it up into neutral. Punch the 4-high button, and give it a couple seconds. Slide the shift back into drive, and give er some gas. Pulled me right over the snow. Couple feet later, palm it into neutral and back to 2-high.