The carburetor on the Briggs and Stratton 500 series needs to be cleaned occasionally. You must clean the carburetor on the 500 series, like on any engine, in a certain way so you don't harm the cleaner or the carburetor.
Disassemble the carburetor completely. Remove all rubber and plastic parts. This includes the choke valves and pickup tubes.
Soak metal parts in a carburetor cleaner. Soak all metal parts for one hour in carburetor cleaner, which you can get at your local automotive store.
Remove the cleaner from the carburetor. Wash the carburetor cleaner off of the carburetor with with kerosene. Allow the carburetor to dry before putting it back together.
