16 hp Vanguard stalling

[Cannuck]

Hello everyone!
Just wondering if someone could help me out.
I bought an 80's (I think) Argo 6x6 a few months ago, which had the engine replaced with a 16 hp Briggs Vanguard four years ago. When I bought it, we had to pull start it, but other than that it ran fine.
I replaced the battery & it would start and run great while I moved it around the yard to work on the body.
I then installed a cheap (free, actually) winch & took it for its maiden voyage (same day). I got it stuck & was happy I had the winch, but it started stalling at idle right after that episode. I don't have a great deal of experience with motors, but I want to learn & I would rather not take the Argo to the shop.
Can anyone suggest where I should start looking for a solution?
It starts great, but unless I give it gas, it will eventually stall, regardless of the choke setting. Ditto even after it's warmed up.
Should I be looking into adjusting the carb? Could it have anything to do with the winch installation? Maybe I fouled the plugs with all the puttering around before that maiden voyage?
Any help would be appreciated.

[Mike]

The winch shouldn't have an effect on it at all. Fouling the plugs isn't likely but it wouldn't hurt to just pull them out and check them or even replace them while you are in there since they are pretty cheap.

Other than having to give it gas to keep it running, does it act normally through the rest of the powerband? Does it drive normally and seem to have full power?

[Cannuck]

Thanks for the reply.
I don't have much to compare it to, but, to me, the engine behaves fine throughout the powerband and responds to throttle changes without noticeable hesitation.
Idles for a few seconds but, eventually, stalls.
It has always seemed to me like it idled slow, but at least it wouldn't stall.
Fresh gas with stabilizer too.
Any thoughts are welcome.

[lewis]

One,.... has the machine been setting a long time prior to your purchase? If so, the first thing i would do is clean the gas tank and replace all fuel hose lines. If it is a 80's model the fuel line is probably rotten. People do do think to change this and the filter out every now and then. Just think how old the fuel line could be. This may be the root of the problem. Change out the fuel lines and filter first and then work with the carb. If you do not, debris can continually get back in the card. Remember there are plenty of line in the fuel system after the filter. Just a starting point.

[Cannuck]

Thanks Lewis,
Yes...the machine was sitting for quite a while before I bought it. It looks like all the fuel lines and in-line filter were replaced along with the motor four years ago. I don't doubt there could have been crud in the tank though. My father had a number of tractors and it's amazing how quickly gasoline can go funny if not treated.
So then, if there's crud in the carburetor, how do I go about giving it a cleaning? (at least a quick cleaning to see if there's any improvement)
Would the idle ever get out of whack or am I on the wrong path with that idea?

[Mike]

You can pull the breather off of the carb and take the upper four bolts off. That will let you remove the top of the carb and get all the way to the float and bowl. There you can usually see some of the crud. You can wipe it clean and then spray carb cleaner in all of the holes to make sure they are all clean. Use the straw that comes with the can of carb cleaner to get into the hard-to-reach ports. Don't miss the main one in the bottom of the bowl.

[thebuggyman1]

You can pull the breather off of the carb and take the upper four bolts off. That will let you remove the top of the carb and get all the way to the float and bowl. There you can usually see some of the crud. You can wipe it clean and then spray carb cleaner in all of the holes to make sure they are all clean. Use the straw that comes with the can of carb cleaner to get into the hard-to-reach ports. Don't miss the main one in the bottom of the bowl.

Mike forgot one very important step....safety,safety,safety! As the poster child for bonehead moves, I can tell you carb cleaner in the eyes is not pleasant. While cleaning out the small holes it will often splash back at you.

[Mike]

Mike forgot one very important step....safety,safety,safety! As the poster child for bonehead moves, I can tell you carb cleaner in the eyes is not pleasant. While cleaning out the small holes it will often splash back at you.

Too true.