Fullboogie
King of the Ski - OG Jr.
I've got a Craftsman 5.5hp push lawnmower that I bought about 3 1/2 years ago. It's been a real work horse, but last year started experiencing a problem. While running, the rpm would surge up and down nonstop, and would try to die whenever I changed directions abruptly. For example, pushing the mower towards the fence and then pulling it back to me - it sounded like it wanted to die.
Despite the yearly oil, air filter, and plug change, the surging continued. After reading something on a DIY website, I decided to rebuild the carb. It appears that nearly all Briggs & Stratton mower engines use the same carb rebuild kit, Model #: 5083D, which you can buy at Lowes for $5.
The rebuild is dirt simple. The gas tank and carb come off in one piece. Three bolts hold the tank onto the engine, and five small screws hold the carb onto the tank. Separate the carb from the tank, spray it with carb cleaner, and set it aside. Both gaskets go between the tank and carb.
The rebuild kit comes with a rubber diaphragm gasket and a paper gasket. The rubber gasket is the fuel pump diaphragm - much like 2 stoke jetski engines, the fuel pump operates off of pulses from the engine. After replacing the rubber and paper gaskets, reassemble everything.
The engine purrs like a kitten now. I even figured out how to up the idle a little for when the summer grass gets really high and causes the engine to want to bog.
In any event, if your mower engine starts surging up and down, a $5 carb kit and about 30 minutes of time will have it running like new again.
Despite the yearly oil, air filter, and plug change, the surging continued. After reading something on a DIY website, I decided to rebuild the carb. It appears that nearly all Briggs & Stratton mower engines use the same carb rebuild kit, Model #: 5083D, which you can buy at Lowes for $5.
The rebuild is dirt simple. The gas tank and carb come off in one piece. Three bolts hold the tank onto the engine, and five small screws hold the carb onto the tank. Separate the carb from the tank, spray it with carb cleaner, and set it aside. Both gaskets go between the tank and carb.
The rebuild kit comes with a rubber diaphragm gasket and a paper gasket. The rubber gasket is the fuel pump diaphragm - much like 2 stoke jetski engines, the fuel pump operates off of pulses from the engine. After replacing the rubber and paper gaskets, reassemble everything.
The engine purrs like a kitten now. I even figured out how to up the idle a little for when the summer grass gets really high and causes the engine to want to bog.
In any event, if your mower engine starts surging up and down, a $5 carb kit and about 30 minutes of time will have it running like new again.
