# Leaking Rototiller Carburator - Please Help



## 45n5 (Jun 9, 2008)

*Summary - My rototiller leaks every drop of gas I put into it onto the ground, I replaced the obvious part that would cause this, the carburator, and it does the exact same thing.
*

This rototiller was given to me last year by my inlaws. It worked great. 

Then one day for no reason it starts pouring gas out of the air filter and the carburator won't shut off. I read and tinkered for ages with the carburater with no success so I bought a NEW one.

I got the new one in the mail, installed it yesterday and started pouring gas in the tank. Almost instantly it started leaking gas again in the same spot out of the air filter side of the carburator.

A brand spanking new carburator and the exact same problem as the old one.

Here is a picture. I'm clueless what to try to make this rototiller work. 










Some notes: 

It's a troy built versatiller. I've browsed the owners manual with no luck.

http://www.manualslib.com/manual/183837/Troy-Bilt-12168.html

It won't start unless the gas runs competely out, then it will start and run for a few seconds and die, obviously because there is no gas in it. Point is it won't start with the gas leaking, only when it's done leaking out all the gas it will start.

I'm not very knowledgebale with small engines.

Thanks for you help and suggestions.


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## logbuilder (Jan 31, 2006)

The obvious answer would be that the needle valve is stuck open. However, since you have replaced the carb, that is unlikely. Nothing else comes to mind other than you have some dirt in the gas tank that is creating problems for the needle valve. I think I'd clean out the tank real good.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

New or not the problem is in the little bowl directly above the fender. You should be able to remove the bowl with the carb still mounted. In the bowl will be a float and a small valve that is actuated by the floats movement up and down. With the float down the small aforementioned valve open and the gas is permitted to enter the bowl. As the gas level rises the float will rise and shut off the flow of gas into the bowl. You either have trash preventing the needle to seat in the valve thus allowing gas to continue to enter and thus overflowing and coming out the air intake filter or the needle is stuck in the open position which creates the same problem. Have you allowed gas to remain in the machine for any length of time since replacing the carb?


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## 45n5 (Jun 9, 2008)

@logbuilder, I haven't flushed the tank but it seems clean, there is no debris in the tank and the old carb looked brand new on the inside (i'd read to check for a dirty float etc), thanks for the comment

@agmantoo - I got the new carb yesterday. Bought fresh gas yesterday. I haven't been able to let it sit with gas in it because every drop I put in the tank leaks out of the carb. I physically can't stop it. thanks for the help


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

45n5

Were there any small gas lines that could have gotten incorrectly positioned? I did see an ATV that leaked gas as you indicated but there were a number of small gas lines on the carb and one was in the wrong location. The lines on the ATV were seemingly for some type of gas vapor scavenging. If your machine does not have a gas cutoff valve coming from the tank I suggest you install an inline one. The cutoff valve will allow you to do some investigation without wasting gas.


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## 45n5 (Jun 9, 2008)

thanks again agmantoo. i've been wasting gas so a shutoff would be a nice addition

UPDATE - it works, eureka literally.

I have no idea what did the trick and that's the frustrating part, I can see how easy it would be for people to become superstitious when things randomly work or don't lol

after reading random junk on the net.

1. removed spark plug and pulled rip cord a bunch to get any crap out of there, then reinstalled the rip cord

2. tried starting it with gas cap off

I'm not sure if either of these things did the trick but I walked out from typing the last note, put gas in it, and it started like nothing ever happened

I immedietly started tilling and went about it for a few hours straight, never turning it off, 

my wife asked if i wanted to stop for dinner i said "no way, this might be the only shot I got at using it this spring"

anyway thanks for looking at this thread and taking time to offer suggestions.


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## logbuilder (Jan 31, 2006)

45n5 said:


> thanks again agmantoo. i've been wasting gas so a shutoff would be a nice addition
> 
> UPDATE - it works, eureka literally.
> 
> ...


I'm happy it started working but I am doubtful about whether they fixed it. But if it happens again, try the same procedure. Sometimes we just have to take things at face value even though it might not make obvious sense.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

How much did the new carb cost??????
Any good sources??


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Thanks for letting us know how it worked out!

Measure the ID of your gas line leaving the gas tank and go here and get a shut off valve
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/inline-fuel-valve


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## MattyD (Nov 22, 2010)

Looks like a Tecumseh carb. Probably cost around $20 - $30. The new one may have had the float hanging up from sitting, letting the fuel flow freely. Then the flow of fuel finally got it working. Just a possibility. Tecumseh carbs are some of the simplest carbs to work on, yet can leave you pulling your hair out! 

L8R,
Matt


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## bikehealer1 (Oct 8, 2009)

see the little black rubber cap below the throttle plate? remove it. thats the air vent for the bowl. if the bowl cant breathe as gas comes in, it pressurizes and pushes gas out of the bowl up the main jet and out of the carb.


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## 45n5 (Jun 9, 2008)

the new carb came from an ebay seller, i just typed in my engine type (found in the manual) and the word "carburator" after it

the only place i could find it was on ebay

it cost $52, soooo hard to pay that, and that was the reason we almost cried when we installed it and it did the same leaking thing

thanks for all the comments, too bad i can't give an exact answer what fixed things because it would be useful for the next person to follow along, but hopefully someone can learn from my adventures and your great feedback


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## bbbjoe50 (May 15, 2014)

Most carb leafs are from floats set to high it is adjustable or the seat is bad


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