How to Rebuild a Tecumseh V60 Carburetor

[rmaynard 15,459]

I have always been a fan of Kohler engines with their Carter carbs. I could probably rebuild one blindfolded. But when it comes to Tecumseh carbs, I'm like fish out of water. I found that snowblowers with Tecumseh engines have a carb that is easily replaced with a $12.00 Chinese knock-off. So it is more cost effective to replace than to repair. But now I have a 1967 REO Lawn Skiff with a Tecumseh V60 engine. The carburetor does not have a Chinese replacement, so I am left with trying to rebuild it. The previous owner claimed to be a small engine service guy, but I'm beginning to wonder. He said the engine ran a year ago, but not good. He could not get it to run before I bought it except with a shot of starter fluid sprayed into the intake. So he told me that he rebuilt the carburetor, but it still would not continue to run after the starter fluid burned up. 

 

Here is the carburetor:

 

Carburetor number: 104 5B18

 

So I remembered that @buckrancher told me years ago that there is a metering rod that sits in a shaft along side the main jet.

 

 

In order for the engine to run properly, that rod needs to be free inside the shaft. If you can't here it rattle when you shake the carb, it has to be removed and cleaned. 

This is where the rod is located, under a small plug.

 

 

After carefully drilling out the plug, here is the rod sitting in the shaft.

 

It definitely was stuck and would not come out, So after spraying brake cleaner in the hole and letting it sit over night, the rod came loose and came out with a little prodding.

 

 

As my research has found, there are many tiny little holes or ports inside the carburetor that need to be cleaned, especially if ethanol laced gasoline has been left sitting in it.

One of those little holes goes through the side of the shaft that the rod is in, and into the main jet area. That hole is accessed by another plug on the side which I had to drill out.

 

 

Here is a .5mm wire that I inserted to clean the hole. 

 

 

Next step is to find more tiny holes to clean, then continue.

 

I removed the 9/16" Welch plug.

 

 

The vent hole on the outside goes directly to the bottom (or top as it were) of this cavity.

 

 

This hole is now cleaned and the new Welsh plug is installed.

 

 

Next step is to remove the 7/16" Welch plug on the outside, above and to the left of the idle adjustment screw.

 

 

The hole indicated by the red arrow goes to the idle screw area, and the two holes with green arrows go to the the idle and progression holes located near the throttle shutter shown in the next picture.

 

 

Holes are all cleaned and a new Welch plug will be installed later.

 

Next step is to remove the float valve seat. This is a little rubber donut.

This is removed and the new one inserted with a Tecumseh float valve tool (available from Amazon)

 

 

 

One end is a hook, the other an insertion tool. The hook is pushed through the hole in the seat and pulled out

 

 

 

Next step is to insert the new seat.

 

This carburetor, being as old as it is, does not have a replaceable emulsion tube (main jet). So the brass tube can only be cleaned.

This is the bottom of the emulsion tube.

 

 

This is the top. Notice the build-up of crusty deposits on the top.

 

This, and the inside of the tube will need to be cleaned.

 

Using a brush and rod, the emulsion tube is now clean.

 

 

The new float valve seat is prepared for installation, then inserted.

 

  

 

Both of the Welch plugs are tapped into place

 

 

Final assembly is begun.

 

Install the float with new needle, and adjust the float height to 11/64". I used a drill bit for measurement.

 

 

Install bowl with new gaskets.

 

 

Set the rough adjustments of the needle valves according to the Tecumseh book.

 

 

 

 

And now we are ready to install on engine and test.

 

MORE TO FOLLOW

 

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2021 by rmaynard

[Greentored 3,210]

Excellent detailed, correct rebuild procedure!  I think that 'jiggle rod' is the part that causes so many seemingly 'not repairable' issues that gives the Tekky carbs a bad name.

If a correct overhaul still presents troubles, I have found a simple two step 'fix' that works every time:

1. unbolt carb

2. throw it as far as you can.

[squonk 41,118]

Where are the new welch plugs sourced? 

[rmaynard 15,459]

3 hours ago, squonk said:

Where are the new welch plugs sourced? 

Amazon. They are Oregon products. 7/16" and 9/16".

[ebinmaine 67,498]

On 4/5/2021 at 11:50 AM, rmaynard said:

 

 

 

Bob where did you find this chart exactly? I've been messing around with an LME Walbro and I keep finding ONE AND THREE QUARTER on the main jet.

Your chart above makes more sense because I had to turn IN to get it to run better.

[rmaynard 15,459]

16 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Bob where did you find this chart exactly? I've been messing around with an LME Walbro and I keep finding ONE AND THREE QUARTER on the main jet.

Your chart above makes more sense because I had to turn IN to get it to run better.

 

PAGE 16

 

 

[John Wyrick 0]

New to this forum - I just rebuilt a V60 in an IH model 60. I can't seem to get the metering rod out that you described.  The carb  "shakes", but I can't see the rod move. I am soaking in carb cleaner again to see if that helps. I have tried to poke it with a pick and needle. Any suggestions?  Thanks for a great post. I didn't remove the Welch plugs when I initially cleaned it. It ran well but dies after 5 sec or so.

[ebinmaine 67,498]

1 hour ago, John Wyrick said:

New to this forum - I just rebuilt a V60 in an IH model 60. I can't seem to get the metering rod out that you described.  The carb  "shakes", but I can't see the rod move. I am soaking in carb cleaner again to see if that helps. I have tried to poke it with a pick and needle. Any suggestions?  Thanks for a great post. I didn't remove the Welch plugs when I initially cleaned it. It ran well but dies after 5 sec or so.

Welcome aboard John.  

 

 

Perhaps @Handy Don can help out.    

[Handy Don 12,227]

2 hours ago, John Wyrick said:

New to this forum - I just rebuilt a V60 in an IH model 60. I can't seem to get the metering rod out that you described.  The carb  "shakes", but I can't see the rod move. I am soaking in carb cleaner again to see if that helps. I have tried to poke it with a pick and needle. Any suggestions?  Thanks for a great post. I didn't remove the Welch plugs when I initially cleaned it. It ran well but dies after 5 sec or so.

The metering rod, at least on the Tecumseh's I've worked on, are captive and cannot be removed (at least without abnormal surgery on the carb). If it is shaking, it is fine.

To run for 5 seconds and then die does sound like fuel starvation. I would test this by opening the idle needle jet a full turn and see if the engine limps along on just that fuel. If yes, then the main jet is still not working.

[ri702bill 8,321]

@Handy Don

Funny, all the problem ones I had the idle circuit would not work - high speed and wide open was not an issue ...

Bill

[Handy Don 12,227]

29 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

@Handy Don

Funny, all the problem ones I had the idle circuit would not work - high speed and wide open was not an issue ...

Bill

The unpredictability keeps us on our toes, eh? 

[ri702bill 8,321]

8 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

keeps us on our toes, eh?

Yeah, like gas prices.

[ebinmaine 67,498]

19 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

Yeah, like gas prices.

I don't see what so unpredictable there.

They go up. Then they go up. And after that they go up.

Mehh...

Such is life.  

[Achto 27,575]

I stumbled across this post & I'm very sorry but given the title, I thought that this was going to be scene from "Office Space". 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2022 by Achto

[rmaynard 15,459]

9 hours ago, Achto said:

I stumbled across this post & I'm very sorry but given the title, I thought that this was going to be scene from "Office Space". 

 

I agree that many techy carbs deserve the sledge hammer, but not all. As to the fax machine, having been an office machine dealer for most of my life, most fax machines from that era do deserve the hammer.  

[buckrancher 2,679]

excellent job bob great thread