MerryMac Wood Chipper / B&S 5hp engine issues - Help, no runs

 
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davidmcbeth3
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Fri. May. 12, 2023 8:41 pm

Pulled out my wood chipper to do some chipping. Have not used in 18 mos.

Had no spark on the 5 hp Briggs and Stratton engine on the 20 yr old chipper....ordered coil, installed and got spark OK

Now you pull the starting cord, no start.

But a small billow of black smoke comes out of the air cleaner (ie carb) when pulled so it looks like it might have fired up for one revolution.

Take out the plug and pull, one smells gas getting into the engine but does not turn over.

Put the plug in and its as one expects the pull force needed so it has compression.

Changing the carb is not easy. Shown in youtube vid

Why would the carb expel black smoke ? Only thing I can think of is that the cam is worn so that the exhaust value is not opening all the way and leaves pressurized exhaust still in the cylinder and when the intake value opens then the exhaust gas goes out via the carb.

Anyone have any other ideas or experience ?

Vid of machine here

It chops like a champ .. only time I could not start it. The wifey's arms are tired from pulling it..soooo


 
waytomany?s
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Post by waytomany?s » Fri. May. 12, 2023 8:44 pm

Replace motor. Or new wife with bigger arms.

 
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Post by warminmn » Fri. May. 12, 2023 10:08 pm

Or find new wife (or husband) who owns a new engine or a chipper that will start.

 
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Post by nut » Sat. May. 13, 2023 7:56 am

Drop the bowl and check for dirt. Blow air up the center jet. New plug. If you haven't been using ethanol free gas, a new carb.

 
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Post by waytomany?s » Sat. May. 13, 2023 8:45 am

So if you feed it some gas will it fire and run? Most of those style.of carbs are obsolete. Was.gas.tank empty when you started? Or did you add.gas to the stuff that was in there?

 
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carlherrnstein
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Post by carlherrnstein » Sat. May. 13, 2023 11:12 am

Don't fire the parts cannon at it that gets expensive and eats up time waiting on parts. If you need it right now and money isn't an object buy another one.

Engines big and small need 3 things to run, fuel, compression, and spark at the correct time.

You replaced the coil so you should have spark although it might not be at the right time.

Spray starting fluid or flammable break parts cleaner or carb an choke cleaner or map sensor cleaner or anything that burns in the carb and try again. If it starts and dies it's a fuel problem. (If it snaps and pops out the carb go to the end of the post) Don't replace the carb yet, take the bowl off the carb. Take the bolt out that holds it on and gently knock it with a screwdriver handle to loosen it and try no to tear the gasket, once that's off take the float off(pull the pin an it sides down) the needle float will be clipped to it. MAKE NOTE OF WHAT SIDE IS UP AND DOWN now turn the fuel valve on, gas should pour out of it( if it doesn't you have to take the carb off and clear the fuel line/carb inlet. Now take a Q tip and tear some fluff off it and clean the needle seat with it. Now clean the needle wipe it with a paper towel, check it for roughness on the ridges that guide it in it's hole it must be smooth. Now reassemble the carb. If you damaged the gasket get another one. It should run now.

If it snaps out the carb it has fuel and compression and spark that's at the wrong time, it's too far advanced. This happens when the engine is violently stopped usually by a rock or large branch on a push mower, I'v only seen this once but it can happen. You have to replace a shear key that positions the flywheel to the crankshaft.

 
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Sat. May. 13, 2023 11:57 am

nut wrote:
Sat. May. 13, 2023 7:56 am
Drop the bowl and check for dirt. Blow air up the center jet. New plug. If you haven't been using ethanol free gas, a new carb.
There is no bowl. To blow air one has to remove the carb...in which case replacing is the course of action due to labor involved & carb is 20 bucks.


 
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Post by freetown fred » Sat. May. 13, 2023 12:48 pm

Sounds like ya got everything covered FOR NOW. Good luck.

 
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Post by Sunny Boy » Sat. May. 13, 2023 1:50 pm

nut wrote:
Sat. May. 13, 2023 7:56 am
Drop the bowl and check for dirt. Blow air up the center jet. New plug. If you haven't been using ethanol free gas, a new carb.
I have the exact same 5hp B&S motor on my chipper/shredder. The carb is compact for the size engine because it does not have a conventional fuel bowl or float and needle. Just a small fuel chamber in the side of the carb body with a spring-loaded diaphragm to inject fuel.

Now mine will only run by spraying fuel in through the air filter housing on top.

It was used before we could get e-free gas, so the carb got screwed up. It's on my to-be-repaired list. :roll:

Paul

 
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Post by franco b » Sat. May. 13, 2023 2:43 pm

As suggested, carefully inspect the flywheel key. A tiny bit off and no run.

 
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Post by ColdHouse » Sat. May. 13, 2023 2:55 pm

I spent the entire day or more troubleshooting a generator. In the end I replaced the plug and it ran great.

 
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Sat. May. 13, 2023 3:58 pm

Sunny Boy wrote:
Sat. May. 13, 2023 1:50 pm
I have the exact same 5hp B&S motor on my chipper/shredder. The carb is compact for the size engine because it does not have a conventional fuel bowl or float and needle. Just a small fuel chamber in the side of the carb body with a spring-loaded diaphragm to inject fuel.

Now mine will only run by spraying fuel in through the air filter housing on top.

It was used before we could get e-free gas, so the carb got screwed up. It's on my to-be-repaired list. :roll:

Paul
I got some starter fluid...added 8 oz of fresh gas in the tank. I will add starter fluid into the cylinder tomorrow and see how it goes.

 
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Post by Sunny Boy » Sat. May. 13, 2023 4:16 pm

BTW, small engines that don't use two-stroke oil and are run on ethonol gas can make valve stems sticky. Then over the winter that sticky burnt oil/carbon mix thickens up and can hangup an intake valve. I've had it happen with lawn mowers. And if the intake valve is not closing completely, it spits back through the carb.

You may buy a new carb only to see how well it also spits back. :roll:

If there is a cover plate over the valve springs on the side of the motor, you might want to unbolt it, or unbolt the head, and make sure the valves are closing while pulling the starter cord.

Paul

 
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Sun. May. 14, 2023 2:47 pm

Qapla’

Got it running. Added 4 oz of gas and used starter fluid.

First I sprayed fluid into the cylinder .. it went through 1-2 cycles, still having exhaust out of carb.

Took off muffler to see if was an issue, it looked good so I put it back on.

I loosened all the bolts holding the blade(s) cover slightly to minimize drag of blades.

Then starter fluid into carb. Again fired over 1-2 times. Adj. carb settings via regular knobs to the lower than "choke" and it ran for 10 min, I re-tightened blade cover bolts and chipped a few branches. Working good.

I did remove the ground wire from the coil so I'll re-start again later after I take out an ounce or two of oil (it smoked a little while running). I do let the unit run out of gas after every job use.

I previously tried with brake cleaner, no go, no cycling at all. Starter fluid did the trick.

Will take out some oil and restart w/o starter fluid and see how it goes. Will post back.

And the neutral wire will be re-connected at some point. Or an on-off switch installed to replace original system grounding method. Its possible that this is the reason why the unit did not fire up but given that disconnected it required starter fluid its likely not. Still thinking on this issue. Maybe do some ohm testing with my multimeter for further guidance.

About 20 pulls to get it to fully run as normal. See how may back is later. Coffee is the cure.

 
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Mon. May. 15, 2023 5:21 pm

UPDATE

I re-connected the ground to kill the motor.

Still would not start w/o starting fluid however.

The unit clanked clanked clanked extremely loud. Took the chipper portion apart, a washer that the bolt uses in connecting to the engine shaft cracked and the chipper blade wobbled, likely cause of loud clanking. Pic shown.

I'll put back on the chipper 1/2 and keep the blade out .. to test the start-up again w/o the blade in to see if it starts easier and without starter fluid. Its possible that the wonky cutting blade causes problems with the engine startup, having extra added resistance to the crankshaft's rotation.
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