[TnT]

I have an old ariens s-420 snowblower. I think that it has a 4 hp tec. motor on it. I took the carb off and cleaned it and made sure the float and bowl were cleaned and working. I can get gas through the line and into the bowl when I take the bowl off and see gas running through. When I try to prime, I can feel the vacum but when I put the primer hose on the carb I can't see any gas shooting into the carb and it won't start. When I put gas into the cab it will run till it runs out of what i put into it. I am assuming that there is a primer type issue because it will run when i put gas into the bowl. Its almost like I can't get gas into the bowl. and the prime seems to work up to the carb.Is there some kind of diaphram inside the carb for the primer that might have gone bad?
Any suggestions or places to start looking would be appreciated, I'm running out of ideas and am starting to go crazy.
Thanks

 

[justin3]

Sounds like your main jet is plugged up,

 

[geogrubb]

As justin said, it sounds like the main jet(bowl nut) is clogged. There are several different types and can have from 0 to 4 holes, the tiny hole near the top, on some it is almost invisible, is usually the problem, I clean it with the wire fron a twist tie. Refer to the picture below for reference only. Have a good one. Geo

 

[TnT]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I cleaned all of the jet passages again. Now a can hears the gas being primed into the carb sometimes. It will only run for a couple of seconds before it dies. Could it be a fuel line issue or something else. How important is the primer, does it effect the motor running or just it starting? I am probably missing something small or stupid.
Thanks for any other suggestions

 

[justin3]

Sounds like you still have some crud in the the bowl nut or main jet, compressed air, carb cleaner and a thin wire works great, just double check all the holes and passageways. It is also possible if you have a newer 90s carburetor with the plastic red or blue tube for a main jet, that the o rings are worn out. In that case you will need to buy a rebuild kit.

 

[TnT]

Thanks for the info guys. I finally got it running. I guess that there is a gasket that the needle valve enters. that gasket was swollen closed which cause my fuel issue. That's why a thorough cleaning didn't help my problem but it probably needed it anyways.
thanks for all of the help