As part of a pile of DOA equipment I was given, was an MTD edger. The 3.5 B&S engine spun over with absolutely no compression. Shortly after receiving the machine, I removed the spark plug and discovered the exhaust valve sticking open. I filled the cylinder with an atf/oil mix and let it sit for a few weeks.
Not wanting to spend money on a free piece of OPE that had spent years in the rain, I reached through the spark plug hole and successfully attempted to push the valve closed with a screwdriver. Now the valve would open and close while pulling the starter cord.
A splash of gasoline down the throat of the carburetor and a pull of the starter cord and the machine would reward me with a few seconds of strong running. I stored the edger in the garage for a few months and ignored it, thinking I would need to clean and rebuild the carburetor.
Fast forward to next week, wanting to hear it run again i sprayed some brake cleaner into the carburetor and started it a few times, each time running a little longer. Then I removed the mixture needle and liberally sprayed brake cleaner into it. A few more sprays into the throat of the carburetor to clean out the passages there and I was able to get it to run very good.
After adjusting the a/f mix, and idle speed, It starts on the first pull, full choke, and will idle down to a very slow putt, putt, putt. Amazingly the little Briggs never offers to smoke.
I've now used it on my lawn and the neighbor ladies and it has performed flawlessly.
Not wanting to spend money on a free piece of OPE that had spent years in the rain, I reached through the spark plug hole and successfully attempted to push the valve closed with a screwdriver. Now the valve would open and close while pulling the starter cord.
A splash of gasoline down the throat of the carburetor and a pull of the starter cord and the machine would reward me with a few seconds of strong running. I stored the edger in the garage for a few months and ignored it, thinking I would need to clean and rebuild the carburetor.
Fast forward to next week, wanting to hear it run again i sprayed some brake cleaner into the carburetor and started it a few times, each time running a little longer. Then I removed the mixture needle and liberally sprayed brake cleaner into it. A few more sprays into the throat of the carburetor to clean out the passages there and I was able to get it to run very good.
After adjusting the a/f mix, and idle speed, It starts on the first pull, full choke, and will idle down to a very slow putt, putt, putt. Amazingly the little Briggs never offers to smoke.
I've now used it on my lawn and the neighbor ladies and it has performed flawlessly.
