QuestionQUESTION: Tom,
I have an Ariens Zoom 1640 with a Briggs 16 HP Intek engine. It started, ran fine for a few feet, then quit. A little digging showed the fuel filter is dry. In the past, this unit dropped a pickup tube into the fuel tank. It is not that, and yes, there is gas in it. I have not done anything significant with a small engine in years. When I did, they were the 3 HP types. How does this engine pump fuel from the tank? I took the filter line apart and it is dry. Where should I be looking for the problem?
The engine is a model 31H777, Type 0110e1 CODE 0211212A.
ANSWER: Not sure what your referring to as a pick up tube. The only reference to pick-up tubes are with the smaller engines that have a pick-up tube on the bottom of the carb drawing fuel directly from the tank they are mounted on. This engine is fitted with one of two carbs either a Walbro, or a Nikki carb. Neither have a pick-up tube. This engine also does not pump fuel from the tank, the model 31h777 is a gravity feed system. It has no fuel pump. If the filter is dry you should have a easy time fixing this one. First check that there is nothing in the tank obstructing the fuel from flowing down the line. Check the small elbow coming out of the tank that the fuel line attaches to. I'm not sure if this is the model or not that we got a repair notice on, but some engines where having this problem due to small pieces of plastic clogging this elbow because they were not cleaned correctly at the manufacturing plant. Second, make sure the vent holes on the cap are not blocked or clogged, this will cause a vacuum lock of fuel within the line. Remove the line at the fuel filter on the tank side and blow a small amount of air into the tank with the cap off, does it pass into the tank? I had a John Deere drive me NUTS once with a tiny leave in the fuel tank the size smaller than a dime. A portion of the tank went under the seat, and I couldn't see the leave on inspection, same symptoms as yours. Each time I blew air in the line the filter would fill again, and be fine for a time, then it would find it's way to the end of the fuel hose in the tank and lock the line closed solid again. It finally floated to where I could see it in the other end. Simple, but it went to 3 shops, and had over $600.00 of work done to it before I got the mower and found it. .........Tom
If this did in fact not correct your problem then it can only be because you did not provide me with the correct information. If your filter is dry, and there is no fuel in the line, then your engine has other problems as well. There are only 4 components between the filter and fuel tank, 1. Fuel line 2. line connector 3. Fuel tank 4. Fuel cap
It's cut and dry.........Tom
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Actually, There is a fuel pump on this engine. I paid $50 for it and it was not the problem either. The problem was a disintegrating fuel line in the tank. It appeared to be intact, but upon closer examination, I found it to be leaking. It was much like trying to suck through a straw with a hole near the top. The fuel was simply not moving. This appears to be a common problem on this mower. It is a poor design, accentuated by reformulated gas. While the mower was still under warranty, I was told that one of the tubes fell off. (There are two gas tanks.) My guess is that the tubing was rotting then too.
Thanks for your help anyhow.
P.S. My information was correct!
Answeri do stand corrected on the fuel pump, it is then a Nikki carb which does have one. I was looking at the more common Walbro carb that is usually installed on this model engine. The Nikki is usually installed on Honda engines, the unit could have come with either carb. And just as I mention it was in fact between the filter, and tank exactly where I said you should be concentrating your efforts.......Tom
