Need some help with Swisher 22 ton splitter

[kendon]

We've had this splitter for about 5 years or so. A couple of months ago the ram cylinder blew out on some big wood. We had it rebuilt and since the re-install nothing but trouble. Mostly the engine won't start now. It's a Briggs and Stratton 6 hp Quantum. Never had engine trouble with it before. First it started bogging down when splitting, then went to dying, now won't start.
We've cleaned the carb, replaced air filters and unhooked kill switch. It seems to have spark but can't really tell if it might be intermittent. It started yesterday with starting fluid but not until after lots of pulls on the rope. Today we checked under the flywheel to make sure key had not sheared. It was okay.
Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated! We don't have alot of money to work with and really need this splitter to run.

 

[ScotO]

I have tje exact same splitter and havent had any problems with it. Your carburetor may need an overhaul, sounds like the classic symptoms of ethanol poisoning.......this modern pump gas is hell on OPE.....

 

[MasterMech]

If it's ignition trouble then it wouldn't fire with the starting fluid. Have you checkedor water in the fuel? Pull the carb bowl and give it a whiff. You'll know if there's water in it by the musty damp smell. Sometimes the water is visble as "bubble" in the fuel. (think oil & water) If you have any suspicons of water in the fuel then remove the tank and clean it out thoroughly. Let it sit open unitl it is bone dry inside. New fuel line & filter is a good idea if you can.

Any corrosion in the carb? Usually shows up as a white power when dry. Carb should look like new inside.

 

[kendon]

The carb appears to be clean as a whistle inside. We did buy the rebuild kit because there was a torn gasket where the primer bulb attaches. The gas smells fine to me but I will drain the tank and replace lines to be sure. Thanks so much for the replies. I'm going to go again and do the rebuild and clean out the tank and will come back here and post results. Thanks again

 

[Jags]

Sounds like water or dirty carb to me (dirty as in a spec of dirty, not icky). While rebuilding, use carb cleaner with the long red straw and shoot into EVERY little hole you can find.

 

[kendon]

Hey thanks for the support here! It's running!! Not sure what did it but something did. It still bogged down when splitting and am not sure if that's going to be an issue yet. We had a piece of wood stuck on the wedge and the saw didn't really want to go through it either, so we may be good for now. Thanks so much!

 

[blades]

Might want to check the governor assembly something could be blocking the sail fin or a broken return spring ect.