Carter "N" carburetor & rebuild

[stevasaurus 22,738]

I was running my 876 auto mowing the lawn the other day, when it started to throw out some black smoke from the exhaust. I got it into the garage just as it was about to quit and left it sit over night.  In the morning, I went out into the garage and smelled gas. The gas was dripping out of the carburetor.  I shut off the gas from the tank, and pulled off the carburetor.  I'm wondering what would have gone wrong to make it do that.

    I just rebuilt the K 181 S, but I did not rebuild the carburetor or the fuel pump.  Any thoughts?? 

 

Edit...pictures of rebuild are down a bit in the thread. 

[pfrederi 17,739]

Hole in the float and it filled with gas then sank opening the needle valve???

[rmaynard 15,458]

My first thought is that you have a stuck float valve and you are over gasing the carburetor.

[oldlineman 1,481]

I think ether would be a good starting point.

[JPWH 6,033]

I had an 8 hp do the same thing. The float had a pin hole.

[stevasaurus 22,738]

I just opened the carb and checked the float...no gas in float and no holes.  The valve seemed to be working properly...was not sticking.  The bowl gasket was OK...the gas was mainly leaking from the low adjustment screw above the bowl.  Would a stuck ball in the fuel pump cause this...the fuel tank is above the carburetor. 

[pfrederi 17,739]

if the float valve is working correctly fuel shouldn't get that high, even if the fuel pump check valve was bad.  Maybe the seat or needle valve tip has been compromised.  Ethanol and time can ruin even viton valve tips.

 

Edit: two other thoughts.  The full inlet seat gasket could be leaking or the splash baffle gasket is interfering???

Edited May 5, 2017 by pfrederi

[953 nut 55,223]

Could be a rogue piece of junk in the system that held the needle open and came out when you inspected it. I would clean it and put a kit in it since it is off the engine. The pressure exerted by the fuel in the elevated tank would be less than 1/2 PSI per foot of height so that is negligible.

[stevasaurus 22,738]

I ordered a Kohler carb kit for the Carter "N".  Might get it Monday.  Thanks guys. 

[slim67 2,735]

3 hours ago, stevasaurus said:

I was running my 876 auto mowing the lawn the other day, when it started to throw out some black smoke from the exhaust. I got it into the garage just as it was about to quit and left it sit over night.  In the morning, I went out into the garage and smelled gas. The gas was dripping out of the carburetor.  I shut off the gas from the tank, and pulled off the carburetor.  I'm wondering what would have gone wrong to make it do that.

    I just rebuilt the K 181 S, but I did not rebuild the carburetor or the fuel pump.  Any thoughts?? 

Steve check your oil afterwards as mine did that. It could drip through the intake valve guide and down into the crankcase thinning your oil to the point it doesnt lubricate. 

[WHX?? 48,815]

Sounds like the guys got you covered Steve so I'll just sit back down and have another beverage.....whew this helping guys with their tractors stuff is a lotta work!  

[squonk 41,104]

I have had that happen often. Never see anything wrong. As Paul and Richard suggested a kit should fix it.An old tip gets hard and sometimes doesn't seat. Is there a fuel filter on the tractor? I have had trouble with the clear paper filters air locking. I use the red Briggs filters on everything and hadn't had a problem "since" 

[stevasaurus 22,738]

I am going to check and change the oil.  I was thinking some gas could have gotten in the crank case.  I now have a few hours on this newly rebuilt engine that it should be changed anyway.  Thanks Slim.   

   Mike, I just bought this horse from SmokinJoe two falls ago.  I have not put an inline filter on this horse yet.  This is something I was going to do with the 1st oil change.  One will be inline before the carburetor goes back on. 

   BTW, I got my new stickers for this horse from Terry on Wednesday and I put them on the 876 yesterday.  Here is a shot.  It is a 5' paint job.  I have to paint the rims yet also.

 

BEFORE::

AFTER::

[squonk 41,104]

Short Frames Rule! I hope to fine a nice round or square hood shorty at the show!   

[stevasaurus 22,738]

Well gentlemen, rebuilding that carburetor solved the problem.  She runs like brand new now and even with a load.  I did change the oil also...we do think it had some gas in it.  I've rebuilt single, double and 4 barrel carburetors before, but these Carter "N"s are way to easy to not do one yourself.  Here are the pictures.  

 

Actually, I had bought a spare K181 8hp from @Shynon last year for parts, and it turns out to be a good thing I did.  It also had a Carter "N" on it that looked pretty dirty, so I decided to rebuild both of them.  That is why in the 1st picture, you are seeing double.

Yep, that is all the parts in one of these carburetors. 

Here are some pictures of all the sides of this carb so it is easy to identify.

 

The fuel idle screw (long one), the low idle screw (top right), the needle sut off valve and the brass fitting the shut off goes into.  There are some holes in the long screw that you should poke a wire through along with some carb clean to make sure they are open.  If you have a throttle that is hunting, one of these holes clogged could be the reason. 

 

Here is what comes in the kit.  The needle shut off and brass fitting, the gasket for this brass fitting, the bar that holds the float in the carb, the gasket for the little bolt that holds the bowl on the carb, and the 2 gaskets that go between the carb and the bowl.  The kits are Kohler and cost about $13 apiece on E-Bay.

 

Here are the instructions, according to Mr. Chilton, 

 

Put in the brass piece that holds the seat...and the seat.

 

Next is the float and check the measurement.

 

Place the round gasket in the carb groove.

 

Next is the bowl gasket baffle.

 

Place bowl on and place and tighten holding bolt.

 

Last, place the main fuel adjusting needle...gently turn in until it bottoms out...then back out 2 turns.

 

Now the idle fuel adjusting needle...again, bottom out and then back out 1 1/4 turns.

 

There you have it...mount on horse...start her up, and when warm do the final adjustments.  Mine wanted to hunt when I 1st started it...turning out the main fuel adjusting needle about another 1/2 turn fixed that. 

 

2 good carburetors.

[WHX?? 48,815]

No soaking Body in Berryman's to clean up.?? Good post Steve

Here is one very similar I have found in files suitable  for printout for the shop. Courtesy of @T-Mo 

How To - Carburetor Rebuild.pdf

Also some other carb tidbits for those who need to know more.

Carburator Reference Manual TP-2377-E.pdf

Carburator adjustments.docx

[slammer302 2,155]

If I'm not mistaken that rebuild kit will work with most K seires carbs too. 

[WHX?? 48,815]

@Rp.wh you should be tuned into this channel.

[stevasaurus 22,738]

I had a bottle of Carb Cleaner Gas Treatment that I soaked everything in.  Used a wire tooth brush, rinsed with water and blew out with air hose.    They are clean.

 

[buckrancher 2,679]

The one thing I would add is that the long needle is hollow and there is a small hole in the tapered end not just the holes in the side you should blow air up thru the body of the needle as I have found these clogged

between the tapered end and the side holes

 

Brian

 

[stevasaurus 22,738]

Brian is absolutely correct.  I tried to show that, but my camera could not focus it without blurring.  Thanks Brian. 

[rmaynard 15,458]

On 5/9/2017 at 9:55 PM, buckrancher said:

The one thing I would add is that the long needle is hollow and there is a small hole in the tapered end not just the holes in the side you should blow air up thru the body of the needle as I have found these clogged between the tapered end and the side holes

 

While sitting here recovering from Covid, I decided to continue with rebuilding some old Carter carburetors that have been sitting around for years.

I know that this is an old thread, but what Brian said above is probably the most important, and most missed part of cleaning or rebuilding a Carter carburetor.

 

[WHX?? 48,815]

[Wheelhorse#1 1,657]

Nice work ! I like to use use a 50\50 mix of transmission fluid and Acetone on the external of the carb and bowl it will shine em up like bran new.

It also makes a great penetrating fluid.

Don't want to get it on any gaskets or plastics though. 

Edited August 25, 2022 by Wheelhorse#1