# Craftsman rear engine rider, engine surging! Please help!



## skee147

Hey Everyone, so heres the deal, its a craftsman rear engine rider that was stored WITH gasoline last year and just sat. (But this surging had come about even before I put it away!) So I knew I would have to clean the carb and everything. So this year I have spent at least a 2 months, here and there working on it. I have cleaned every single inch on the carb, got all the jets and airways free and clear, it looks like a brand new carb. Governor is working fine, free and clear of anything that would stop it. I THOUGHT it was the carb that was making this engine surge, but after I cleaned it up, im not so sure anymore. What else could it be?! This is very frustrating, I have tried everything. So the engine will start, but any play with the throttle will immediatly cause the engine to surge and i choke it right away. It usually runs ok if I set the high speed adjusment screw, but I would like to have it working properly with the throttle. Oh also, its a tecumseh engine, and it has a series 10 carb, the emmision or economy version that has NO adjusment screws other than low idle and high idle, which is even worse. Here are the numbers for the tractor and engine:

Tractor - 536.270112
Engine - 143.001000 
Carb (just in case) - 640078a

ANY help is appreciated, thanks everyone. (Ill try and take a couple pics and a short vid so you its clear whats happening)


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## Live Oak

Welcome to Tractor Forum Skee! When you say surge what exactly do you mean. Could you give a little more detailed description?


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## chrpmaster

First of all Welcome to the Tractor Forum skee147! I hope you come back often and join in.

I had an 8 horse Briggs engine do the same thing and after several frustrating hours of work someone recommended adding Seafoam to the gas tank and running it. I did and after a short period of running it smoothed right out. I figured it must have been some gunk in the carb that I couldn't see or get to but whatever it was the Seafoam fixed it. You can get it at most auto parts stores. Not cheap but lots better than pulling your hair out chasing this problem. Now I add it regularly to all my engines as preventative maintainance (or peace of mind). I have also noticed less carbon buildup on top of pistons. I have several old Gravely's that are prone to carbon build up but not after I started using Seafoam.

Hope it works for you too.

Andy


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## Bill Kapaun

Also check for vacuum leaks.


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## greggh

You might want to check the air filter while you are at it. It might not be getting the proper amount of air.


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## skee147

Heres some pics of the Engine and carb, i removed the gasline when I first posted this, and didnt have time to put it on and start it up, so I will try and post a vid tom.

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## skee147

*Thanks!*

Thanks for all the resposes so fast I really appreciate it! Where would there be a vacume leak? This might be possible, because whever it surges and revs up on its own, I can clearly see the governor pulling the throttle, to close it...which SHOULD make it rev back down, to a normal speed. But if this is the case, and the throttle is completly closed by the governor and the engine still revs up, then how is the choke killing it? Could the be a vacume leak? I dont understand how a closed choke is able to kill the engine, and not a closed throttle. Thanks again, and ill hopefully fire it up tom, because its about to rain...


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## Bill Kapaun

Vacuum leaks can be anywhere between the carb, manifold & block.
Even an excessively worn throttle shaft.

Check to make sure the throttle valve moves freely.
I just had a surging issue on a Honda mower. The throttle shaft was "slightly" gummed up. Enough to stick long enough so the governor arm moved more than normal, than the butterfly "jumped" to the next position. That would be too far, so the governor arm pulled it back the other way. Kind of a full on or full off situation.


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## skee147

Ok, ill check for any vacuum leaks tomarrow, but this mower is only a few years old, 2002 ish? Im ot sure exactly, but i thought the engine had to be alot older to get all these sorts of problems. Oh well thanks, Ill check it out.


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## Bill Kapaun

The engine should be a TVM220

You can down load a service manual at the link if you don't have it.-
http://www.cpdonline.com/692509.pdf

The manual seems to be a bit "dated", but should still be useful.

From the series 10 description-
"A ball plug is visible from the bottom, which seals the
metering passage. This carburetor also has a serviceable
main nozzle emulsion tube"

Is the plug sealing?

Also, the brass bowl nut should be the Main Jet. Have you cleaned out the holes thoroughly? Sometimes, a tiny hole is missed.

Also- On the governor-
Did you get it into the correct hole on the linkage?
You might try moving the rod to a hole a bit farther from the throttle shaft. This would make the shaft move a little slower, giving the ehgine a bit more time to respond to the movement.


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## skee147

I took a few more pictures of the carb just for the heck of it. On the picture with the pink emulsion tube, one of the rubber washer rings ripped of when I took it out, so im going to have to get another one of those, but i have a couple questions, could the rubber seal between the float and the card be causeing any air to flow in through there? I have never reaplaced it, but dosnt look that bad of shape. Also, on the third picture you see the Idle Restrictor, now i noticed two holes at the end of the screw, but then it looked like a hole went up the middle, lengthwise of the screw but i tried putting a pin up there to clear it out, but either its really stuck up or I was hitting metal, meaning its not sposed to connect wih the other two holes? Ohh, and I have no idea where the ball plug would be, could you help me to identify it? Thanks
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## Bill Kapaun

On pic 5-
Is there another TINY hole you might have missed?


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## okenadie

Having worked on several that had the same kind of problem. Take the carb off. Remove the bowl. Turn the carb upside down. Look at the float. It should be sitting level. If it isn't. The little plate that holds the needle valve in place can be adjusted so it will sit level. Also, check the two tubes you removed. The brass one, if it go's up thur the bowl. Should have a clear hole down to where the two small holes are.


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## wjjones

This thread is from 2008.


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