adsm08 2,046 #1 Posted January 4, 2020 Does anyone know anything about these Intek engines? My grandfather has one in his mower, I think it's a Simplicity, and it acts odd. It has the Nikki Carb with that goofy fuel shut-off solenoid, and what appears to be a pulse diaphragm fuel pump that runs off the exhaust pulse rather than the intake (three hoses, one from the fuel tank, one to the carb, one to a muffler). The odd thing is that is won't start on it's own, just crank and crank and crank until the battery is dead. But if you shoot a little fuel into the intake it fires right off and runs great until you shut it down. Then it won't start again if left to sit off for more than three or four minutes, no matter how long it was run. I was up there a few weeks ago and looked at it briefly, but he'd left the key on overnight and killed the battery and my little jump pack would only turn it over so many times. I verified fuel flow to the carb, it appears that once the system is primed the carb sits low enough to either siphon feed or gravity feed the carb. The choke linkage is hooked up and runs the cam on the carb actuates, I couldn't get in to look down the throat and verify the choke plate is moving because that requires getting the grille and hood hinges off and I didn't have the tools to do that. I did get power jumped to the fuel solenoid, it appears to be working, I can hear it click and feel it thunk, but again I couldn't get at it to remove and inspect because the body was in the way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,814 #2 Posted January 4, 2020 Sounds like a pump problem. If indeed it is the fuel pump can you ditch it and install an electric pump. Worked great on a cub z turn I had the misfortune to work on with that Briggs come thru my shop. Ran the electric off the same wire that opens the bowl solenoid. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adsm08 2,046 #3 Posted January 4, 2020 8 minutes ago, WHX24 said: Sounds like a pump problem. If indeed it is the fuel pump can you ditch it and install an electric pump. Worked great on a cub z turn I had the misfortune to work on with that Briggs come thru my shop. Ran the electric off the same wire that opens the bowl solenoid. See that's what I thought too when he first told me what it was doing. The bowl doesn't have enough fuel to get it going, and the cranking speed of the engine isn't producing enough oomph to make the pump work. But once it catches the engine idles 2-3 times the cranking speed, and now the pump can work properly. He insists that can't be it because every time he takes the carb-side line off the pump there's gas there, and he's old and set in his ways. Usually once he decides something isn't the problem it is hard to get him to come around on it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,814 #4 Posted January 4, 2020 16 minutes ago, adsm08 said: he's old and set in his ways. Usually once he decides something isn't the problem it is hard to get him to come around on it. Sounds like my dad...good luck with that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stepney 2,325 #5 Posted January 4, 2020 Had nearly the same mower with the same engine, and the same problem. Fought it for nearly a year. Tried replacing all the lines, rebuilding the carb twice, 2 pumps. Verified pressure when cranking but just wouldn't hit off without a prime. Got fed up and threw a new carb on and it ran great ever since.. no rhyme or reason, and I'm not one to replace a carb for no reason. Why? Search me. But it worked here. For the insane price of the new carb.. I still had more in replacing everything else wondering if I got junk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeM 7,873 #6 Posted January 4, 2020 If there is fuel in the bowl, main jet is plugged. Those Nikki carbs are really sensitive. Maybe ethanol pearls? Like @Stepney said, replacement might be the best route. I have had little success fixing those carbs on a permanent basis. The couple I messed with would run okay for a while then the problem would show back up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adsm08 2,046 #7 Posted January 4, 2020 Ethanol issues are also a very real possibility. He lives on a very limited income and I doubt he is spending the extra money to get ethanol free fuel. I haven't even found any E0 pumps near his house except at the marina. @Cee245do you know of any E0 pump in Harbor Creek or North East? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cee245 818 #8 Posted January 4, 2020 @adsm08, There is a non-ethanol pump on route 20 Country Fair in North East. It's about 60 cents more per gallon but I still think it's worth it for smaller equipment. (Tractors/ 4 wheelers/ leaf blowers etcetera.) Cory Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adsm08 2,046 #9 Posted January 4, 2020 55 minutes ago, Cee245 said: @adsm08, There is a non-ethanol pump on route 20 Country Fair in North East. It's about 60 cents more per gallon but I still think it's worth it for smaller equipment. (Tractors/ 4 wheelers/ leaf blowers etcetera.) Cory Thanks. I might have to try getting him to run that instead. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
