New Carb or Clean the Carb?

[Natebeck99]

Ok. So I picked up a 2015 gas g29. Decent looking cart. Sputtering real bad and chokes out completely on full throttle. Playing the choke like a violin in and out with the right balance of throttle it moves pretty solid. Cleaned the carb and the jets, drained the tank, new gas, new fuel filter and new spark plug [which was pretty clean] made it much better but it still sputters like crazy on full throttle unless on full choke which gives it a little more power and seems happy on full throttle [which might be the reason for the backfire?]. Should I just scrap the carb and the $10 fuel pump or it is more or dialing in the air / fuel mixture screws ? I noticed the carb didn’t have any gaskets so I installed some gaskets thinking a tighter deal may help also. Not sure on this one...

[slonomo]

Factory carbs are worth keeping and rebuilding. Saying you cleaned the carb doesn't tell me much.....did you fully disassemble it and soak it in an ultrasonic cleaner? That's the only way you'll get it "truly clean" IMO. I'd definitely try that first. Ultrasonic cleaners can be purchased at HF for less than $70 with a coupon. You can clean just about anything in them. They are fantastic.

Also, if you opt to just get a new carb....GET FACTORY YAMAHA ONLY....the cheap china carbs are crap. Yes, new factory carbs are big $$$, but well worth the money.

Adjusting carbs is a lengthy conversation if you don't have any experience. I suggest reading as much as you can and watching some videos to get familiar first. Then we can have that conversation.

Story....
#1
My Toro 2 cycle snowblower (12 yrs old) started running crappy. Took the carb off, fully disassembled it, used carb spray, soaked it in ultrasonic cleaner, reassembled it with new gaskets.....still ran crappy. Ordered a $35 ebay carb. Ran even worse. Ordered the proper Briggs carb for $140 ......started first pull, purrs like a kitten!

#2
16hp Briggs Vanguard engine was running rich. Took carb off, inspected, cleaned, new gaskets, etc, the whole enchilada. No bueno. Still ran rich. A friend gave me an old crusty carb, genuine Briggs carb though, cleaned it and installed it.....purrs like a kitten. Old carb must have had a crack somewhere? Who knows.

The moral of the story is.....not every carb can be "fixed" or "rebuilt" and never ever ever buy a cheap China carb....only genuine factory carbs!

[Dave in VA]

Originally Posted by slonomo

Factory carbs are worth keeping and rebuilding. Saying you cleaned the carb doesn't tell me much.....did you fully disassemble it and soak it in an ultrasonic cleaner? That's the only way you'll get it "truly clean" IMO. I'd definitely try that first. Ultrasonic cleaners can be purchased at HF for less than $70 with a coupon. You can clean just about anything in them. They are fantastic.

Also, if you opt to just get a new carb....GET FACTORY YAMAHA ONLY....the cheap china carbs are crap. Yes, new factory carbs are big $$$, but well worth the money.

Adjusting carbs is a lengthy conversation if you don't have any experience. I suggest reading as much as you can and watching some videos to get familiar first. Then we can have that conversation.

Story....
#1
My Toro 2 cycle snowblower (12 yrs old) started running crappy. Took the carb off, fully disassembled it, used carb spray, soaked it in ultrasonic cleaner, reassembled it with new gaskets.....still ran crappy. Ordered a $35 ebay carb. Ran even worse. Ordered the proper Briggs carb for $140 ......started first pull, purrs like a kitten!

#2
16hp Briggs Vanguard engine was running rich. Took carb off, inspected, cleaned, new gaskets, etc, the whole enchilada. No bueno. Still ran rich. A friend gave me an old crusty carb, genuine Briggs carb though, cleaned it and installed it.....purrs like a kitten. Old carb must have had a crack somewhere? Who knows.

The moral of the story is.....not every carb can be "fixed" or "rebuilt" and never ever ever buy a cheap China carb....only genuine factory carbs!

I promote the usage of OEM parts, but I've had limited success with aftermarket carbs. I bought a G16 that had a china carb, and didn't have a problem with it. It ran great until I sold it.

2 yrs ago, my 26yr old MTD snowblower, Tecumseh 8hp flathead wouldn't run. $15 ebay carb, and it runs like new. I did disassembly the new carb and "cleaned" it before installation.

It's the luck of the draw, I guess.

[CP241]

My snowblower is a 1979 or 1980 toro. It’s a beast with the Briggs updraft carb. It was leaking gas when I got it. Bought a Briggs rebuild kit and Briggs Teflon washers per a tsb for fuel leaking past the emulsion tube. No more fuel leak, starts first pull and purrs like a kitten.

I did have good luck with an eBay carb on a Honda rancher 350 years back. But that’s a pretty forgiving motor... they’ll keep running great even after being submerged under water multiple times, smoking like a train, etc.

Otherwise, aside from the Honda rancher I have never had any luck with aftermarket carbs. Even my echo weed eater. I tried an Amazon carb on it, no dice. Got an OEM rebuild kit from the dealer and despite being 20 years old still starts first pull and runs like new.

I’d clean the carb really well. I also use an ultrasonic cleaner but carb cleaner and compressed air should get you pretty good. These are not super delicately balanced carbs since there is no idle circuit.

[cgtech]

I think the cheapos are totally "luck of the draw". Have I had success with a cheapo? Sure. But I've had so many bad experiences with them I just quit that lottery.

When cleaning the OEM carb, make sure to get every single thing out that you can, specifically the emulsion tube (brass piece that sticks up into the carb throat). And do a super thorough job of cleaning, a new needle is something I would recommend too.