Craftsman 23hp garden tractor trouble

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Chrisg

Member
Sep 6, 2007
76
NEK VT
I have a Craftsman 23 hp Garden Tractor that I bought new in 2000 that seems to be loading up bad with gas while running and when it sits. I have taken the carb apart several times cleaned and reinstalled and it will run fine for a bit but then will do the same thing especially once I start to get on any type of angle or go up or down a hill.
I was told I might be be having an ethanol issue so I cleaned the fuel lines replaced most with new, put in new gas with stabil treatment, installed fuel shutoff, and did a complete tune up to rule out any other issues. The tractor still starts up and runs perfect for a bit until it starts to flood. I now need to drain the oil as it is overfull and stinkin with gas.
Could the needle and seat just be spent? It appears to be fine when I take the carb apart maybe I’am missing something. Anyone have links to rebuild kits? Haven’t had much luck searching one online.
This tractor has always been taken care of and has started right up every season with no problem kinda at my wits end and sick of tearing the carb apart everytime I need to mow the lawn, any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.
Chris
 
I would think if gas is in the oil there is a head gasket Issue or rings are bad
 
I have a John Deere with a 23 horse Kolher that would act up and stall after running a while. I found that the vent in the gas cap was not operating properly causing a vacumm in the tank. Open the cap to check gas and it would start and run fine for a while than act up again. Changed the gas cap and solved the problem.
 
So lets assume that the needle and seat are fine in the carb and they probably are. Then you are getting an overpressure situation in the fuel supply line. There are only two ways that this can happen and that is the fuel pump overpumping and the tank pressurizing. Try running without the fuel cap on or at least very loose. The fuel pump is a cheezy deal on teh side of the engine that works off of crankcase pulses.

If the engine is flooding out while just setting there then I'm betting on the cap vent. Easy to check.
 
Thanks good points about the cap I read that while searching another forum today and I am going to try it first when I get home today.
I actually put a different pump on it, one of those metal universal type cause I thought maybe the original was riuned from the ethanol but put the old one back on because the new one acted like it pumped to much fuel. You will have to bear with me I have been round and round trying to trouble shoot this deal.
 
The cap vent can sure do goofy things. Check it out. Just throwing it out there, but is there a chance that the choke is being vibrated or activated into a partial "on" position?? Sometimes a loose choke cable can cause this.
 
darn sure wouldnt of thought of anything like a "gas cap" causing gas to mix in the oil learn somthing new everyday!
 
I had the same problem with a 8hp briggs. It the needle valve. Take the carb off and bring to a repair shop with the serial and model numbers off the engine and see if they can get you a new needle valve.
 
Took apart the carb, but did you replace the (failing maybe) float?
Seen it on older engines with fuel problems.
Seems too new for it, but with all the talk about ethanol....just an idea.
 
Well went home friday and got it figured out it runs perfect now. I punched a small nail thru the vent cap hole to rule that out and I also bent the tab up a little where the needle rides on the float to make sure it would seal against the seat better. It has been so long since it ran right I almost forgot how good it runs.
Thanks again for all the help with this problem. Chris
 
You just lowererd the fuel level in the fuel bowl. This is a specific adjustment and doing what you did will lean the mixture out across the RPM range. Woops.

Glad its running good.
 
Do you think it will be alright?
 
That depends on how much you bent it. Most modern small equipment comes painfully lean from the factory so leaning it out further could be damaging. Pull the plug and check for color, if it is chalky white then I would try and find a way to undo it. If it is brown or black then run it.
 
if you haven't changed the oil since the last time that it loaded up do so. the gas in the oil will prevent the oil from sticking to the bearing and parts that need to be oiled, and in time will blow the motor. for the next few time you use it take a sniff of your oil stick. if it smells like gas keep a eye on the level and if it goes up your still having the problem, it just hasn't got bad enough to make it run bad. and if it does happen again change the needle the seat and the float. even the best floats take on gas after a while. the metal one's are easy you take it out and shake it. if you hear fluid shaking inside it's junk.
 
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