argo vanguard 2

[djhdog]

I have a Vanguard 2 and I am having some troubles with it running. She will start and run for a little and then she will stop. I have cleaned the fuel tank, fuel line as well I have changed the carb. It seems like I can't turn my choke off. When she is running she will pop (loud bang) and what smells like gas will shoot out of the top of the carb. I bought it used and she ran great the past 5 years. I use a lot of seafoam in my tanks to keep the fuel well. Also when we cleaned the tank all of the fuel was changed with fresh fuel. I only run it with # 1 gas. I noticed some varnish starting in the filters when I pulled it all off. Just wondering if any one has any ideas on how to fix her.

[guyfox]

You say you changed the carb....Did you take the carb apart and clean it first and make sure all the jets are open. As well check your fuel pump...

I am sure others will chime in as well with more knowledge......

[PlumCrazy]

Same issue at Busco last week.
Running ok but needed choke, Brian and Mike had the carb apart in minutes and we found a little piece of s^(t was in my primary jet.
And I run two filters in the B&S Vanguard.
Love Seafoam also....

[djhdog]

Yes he cleaned the carb and I believe he cleaned the jets. (sorry I am his nephew writing for him as he is out at the farm trying to fix the argo)

[ARGOJIM]

Is there any chance that there is some diesel fuel in it? Otherwise may want to clean the carb again, pop cleaned his carb. on a ride once and got a piece of rag in it during assy.

[PlumCrazy]

Also at Busco I got some water in the gas.
Had to keep the choke open until it ran out, Brian was following me back to camp when it finally ran through.
They said I had 12inch flames coming out of both mufflers.
Since water is heavier than gas, the water was picked up in the tank outlet and sent to the engine, I could actually see some in the clear filter at the carb.
It took about 10minutes to run it out.
.
Did he clean both jets?
Take them out and run a piece of stranded copper wire through the holes, then carb cleaner.
I used a piece of wire I stripped from some 16g THHN I had in the tool box.

[djhdog]

talked with him last night as he phones every day to let us know how the farm is, he said he has replaced the jets as well but noticed that this trip their is no gas making it to the filter, he believes that is the fuel pump, now he just needs to get one and replace it. he also wanted me to thank all of you guys for the help so far.

[PlumCrazy]

Over Labor Day weekend this year, we (son/Toy4Me and I) pulled my neighbors 16hp Argo Vanguard over to our place.
He couldn't get it to start/run at all.
-----------------------------------
First we pulled the gas line at the carb to check for fuel, none.
One filter back by the tank, didn't look good, replaced it with our spare.
Still no gas, pulled the line off the 12v electric NAPA fuel pump, hit switch, zero, replaced pump it with our spare.
Check for fuel at pump, good.
Put fuel line back on and check for fuel at carb, none.
Looked in the Neopreme fuel line and it was completely disintegrated and swelled shut, damn ethonal.
Sent neighbor to town for 10ft of fuel line, my spare line is at the other house.
New fuel lines back on, gas flow good.
Attached line to carb, sputter, sputter.... %$(@#$@
Off comes the carb top and it is full of black s%i^t (deteriorated hose).
Soaked up the s^$t in the carb body and cleaned out with carb cleaner.
Pulled jets and found more black s#^t.
Cleaned jets with more carb cleaner and small wire.
Put everything back together and pull the rope, VROOOOM
Run it a bit, check the plugs, brown, too lean.
Out comes the main jet again, turn, turn, turn a few times with some bigger drill sizes.
Put it back together, VROOOOM and the plugs are now black.
.
I would check all these things on your Argo.

[ARGOJIM]

Did you by chance check the valve adjustment?

This is a long shot but did happen to me, took a while to find it as it was an sporatic problem. In my case on my V2 after the ethanol came into play it cleaned my tank of some of the varnish in it and deposited in the fuel pick up tube, that turned into a small ball which would suck up to the 90 in the pick up and shut it down, after a while the ball would roll down the tube and stick to the side til it decided to do it again. Since you had the tank out perhaps you did clean the pickup perhaps not, it is also very possible that the pick up tube may have cracked when removing the hose (common problem).

[djhdog]

by the pick up tube are you talking about the 90 off the tank? If so yes it has been checked and cleaned. We believe it is the fuel pump, as sometimes some fuel goes thru other times not, just waiting for the part to come in

[guyfox]

Were the fuel lines replaces? Sometimes they can collapse on themselves and not allow any fuel to get thru.

[ARGOJIM]

check your oil level, too much oil in the valve cover will not let fuel pump pulse.

[djhdog]

Yes the fuel line was replaced, all of the line was and I will check the oil as well. Just waiting to go pick up the parts and head down to the farm.

[Noel Woods]

I have to adjust my valves every 100 hours on the B&S 23 HP. I've got several 18 HP B&S and they go 250 hours or more before requiring adjustment.
I've also got a couple of Kohler 20hp with the hydraulic adjusters-they are perfect. I do think the problem lies with ethanol fuels. I use marina gas which I can get close by. No ethanol. I use a drop or two of sea foam every tankful.

[djhdog]

thanks guy we got it running at the farm, we bought it back to do some maintenance on the tracks and gears, even though it isn't time to oil it all, as we just did it, we are going to do it all to make it run perfect next year.