Need a new carb for 18 horse Vangaurd

[rickf]

I just bought a 2001Max II and it was supposed to run with no issues but when I got it home that was not the case. The seller is just as unhappy as I am but since it was bought 130 miles away and I have already made two trips I am not going back up and he is fully supporting me on any repairs I need to make. It will idle great if I play with the carb idle mixture and after a good cleaning it has great acceleration but as soon as I let off the gas the trouble starts. It goes lean and stays that way. It will not stay running without throttle input and it backfires as I get back on the gas since the exhaust is hot and I am putting raw gas in after having nothing during deceleration. I have checked and cleaned the plugs, I have taken the carb as far apart as I can on the machine and cleaned it out with carb cleaner and air pressure. I have reset the governor according to the book. This is an 18 horse Briggs supposedly. According to the decals on the shroud it is but someone has removed the data tag and apparently there is no other way to tell. The carb is the type with the floats attached to the top of the carb, not down in the body. I cannot find this carb anywhere!!! Did they update to a different carb and does anyone have a number for the carb I need? I know the first thing someone is going to say is that I need the numbers from the engine, I simply do not have them unless somebody can tell me another place to find ID numbers. None on the face of the shroud nor on the valve covers, I can see where the tag was, there is still a piece of a rivet in one of the holes.

Rick

[rickf]

I see a LOT of people have looked at this thread but no suggestions so I am guessing this is one of those problems that has no answers. I have been through the entire system now and the ignition system is good, Compression is 120 and 95, not real consistent but plenty high enough so as not to cause the issue of fuel starvation. I have replaced the fuel pump with no change. I have replaced all of the lines and verified all are clear. I soaked the carb in cleaner all night and then blew it out with carb cleaner and air pressure. It was disassembled down to the bare body with the exception of the emulsion tube which I could not get out without damaging it. This was flushed and blown out many times in both directions. I had it running today and pulled it outside to test it and it died, no gas. None coming out of the pump. Tried both pumps, nothing. Checked the pulses while cranking and more push than pull but it is pulsing. I picked up an electric pump that will go in tomorrow. I am open to ANY ideas here!

[dave phelps]

Have any pics of how the pumps are hooked up?? pick up tube in tank ok? can you suck fuel through the lines outta tank??

[ARGOJIM]

I see a LOT of people have looked at this thread but no suggestions so I am guessing this is one of those problems that has no answers. I have been through the entire system now and the ignition system is good, Compression is 120 and 95, not real consistent but plenty high enough so as not to cause the issue of fuel starvation. I have replaced the fuel pump with no change. I have replaced all of the lines and verified all are clear. I soaked the carb in cleaner all night and then blew it out with carb cleaner and air pressure. It was disassembled down to the bare body with the exception of the emulsion tube which I could not get out without damaging it. This was flushed and blown out many times in both directions. I had it running today and pulled it outside to test it and it died, no gas. None coming out of the pump. Tried both pumps, nothing. Checked the pulses while cranking and more push than pull but it is pulsing. I picked up an electric pump that will go in tomorrow. I am open to ANY ideas here!

IS your oil overfull?
Is it a steel tank?
Do you have free flow from the tank?
Does the fuel line have a shut off? Did you replace the short line?
Is tank Plastic? white? Black? Did you remove fitting to clean when you had the line off?
Are you pinching the fuel line when dropping the body?
Is your fuel filter facing the correct direction?
Is there something in the tank such as a leaf or a bug?
Did you replace the needle and seat in carb?

If you remove the fuel line and hang towards the floor fuel should run freely, I'd suggest clear plastic bottle.
Perhaps remove valve cover and clean out pulse port.
Perhaps blown head gasket ( got to put it out there).

Electric fuel pump is good just be certain to use very low psi pump . At the very least it's a good test point to find if your issue is in engine or machine supply related.

[rickf]

Well, I came back to say I found the problem And I see a couple of replies. I am not getting e-mail notifications. Argojim wins the door prize! The body was smashing a large loop in the line that someone had added in. It was looping from the roll bar forward and getting squished between the upper body and lower tub. The way it was happening it was very hard to see once the body was lifted up. I had put an electric pump on it back by the carb and I heard the sound of either air leaking in or fuel squeezing by the restriction. I suspected that line several times but every time I checked it the body was up and it flowed very freely. Too freely since once it dropped down without my seeing it and siphoned a gallon plus into the tub!! Boy am I glad I had the salamander heater off!!!!!

But to answer the other questions just in case there is something I should know for future reference.
Oil is good
Plastic tank
very free flow now that I have a new and rerouted line.
No shut off, Short line? There is only one line from tank to carb with a filter close to carb.
White plastic, did not remove fitting. Fitting looks like it is not original. It is a 90 degree fitting facing up and may be threaded in but also has a hose clamp around it. So I did not want to wake a sleeping dog.
Body was pinching the line, that was the problem.
Filter is right direction.
Tank is clean.
Cleaned needle and seat but did not remove.
Line ran quite freely into tub when I was not looking!!!!
Will clean out pulse port when I adjust the valves.
Electric pump is how I found the problem.

It runs great now, the bog after idle is gone and it drops right back to idle with no trying to die out even after a long shot against the governor.
Thanks for the replies and if there is anything else I should know or do don't hesitate to let me know.