Briggs & Stratten won't start

[condo2d]

I've got a Brigss & Stratten 126402-0206-E1 on a Sears Tiller that refuses to start. The engine/tiller is about 9 years old. It refused to start about 4 years ago. I got tired of turning my small garden over by hand and decided to address it this spring. I installed a brand new carburetor, spark plug, and fuel line to get rid of anything that may have 'gunk' in it blocking the fuel flow. (There is no fuel filter that I know of.) I made sure that I removed any old gas and put brand new gas in the tank. Still no start.

It WILL run for a few seconds if I spray starter fuel (ether) or pour gasoline into the carburetor via the air intake but doesn't pick gas up from the carburetor to continue running. Removing the bottom bolt from the bowl shows that gas is getting there. (I drained it a couple times to verify that fuel could get there from the tank.)

There is a spring loaded screw on the carb and a valve control connected to a cable the attaches to another part of the engine which I have not touched.

Any ideas? I'm at my whits end. This back yard mechanic has done everything he can think of to get it working.

[Deere2me]

If youre certain the linkage is hooked up right, sounds like it could be a clogged main jet. Remove the bowl "nut", which is actually the main jet. The jet is located in the center and is fed from the two cross drilled big holes. Poke a very small wire thru it/ blow it out to clear out any debris, like a small bit of fuel line rubber. Look in the tank, you should see a molded in nylon screen ( filter) at the outlet. If not there then ya need to install an inline filter. A red or white Briggs filter will work. Or any small inline filter. If its got a primer bulb, could be a warped air filter/primer base. Double up on the gaskets, or use a judiciously placed dab of sealer on the plastic ribbing surrounding the channel.

[condo2d]

I'll certainly check the jet and ream it with a bread twister, but it's brand new. I can't visually see the exit from the fuel tank to check for the filter, but when I take the tank off the tiller, I can dump the gas out through the exit hole, with and without the fuel line attached. It is able to feed the fuel to the carb, but for some reason, it won't keep running after I start it with either starter fluid or by pouring gasoline into the intake.

I've got the plug gapped at .030 as spec'ed. I was thinking I was getting spark hot enough for starter fluid but not gas. That's when I tried pouring gas in the intake and saw it running that way. All the symptoms of a dirty carb but it's literally out of the box. It's pretty maddening.

[KE4AVB]

Since it refused to start 4 yrs ago and still refuses I would do compression and leak-down tests. Sounds like it got maybe a blown head gasket, a leaky valve or maybe just worn out cylinder and rings. These two tests are none invasive can help pinpoint the problem quicker.

Since the carburetor is new and the tank is clean I would also check that carburetor insulator block for missing gaskets (there is two of them) or if insulator itself is cracked.

All the symptoms of a dirty carb but it's literally out of the box. It's pretty maddening.

I have seen a small piece gas line get stuck in the main jet even on a new carburetor. It happen to me a couple years ago.

I'll certainly check the jet and ream it with a bread twister, but it's brand new.

Be careful don't want to enlarge the jet; unless, your running to lean.