Help please. "rookie" here

[williambogner]

Hello all, Im thankful to be apart of this forum and have helpful sources like you all to help me. Now this is my first amphibious and im totally new to them. Shes a 1994 or 1995 Max IV. It has a 14 hp Briggs and Stratton. Shes been acting up lately. about a month ago it ran great then it started to turn off at random times in the trail. It varied from time to time.(it usually occured going over a big bump or rock ect). usually if i let it sit for about 10 min it will fire up and go again until the next die. I was riding through a field the other day and she completely died. It turned over and ran for about 2 seconds. This time it didnt start after 10 min or an hour. I trailored it home and its been sitting in the garage for about 1 week. I try to fire it up tonite and she doesnt want to go....I cleaned the jets and inside of the carb, replaced the plugs. For some reason its only running off of starting fluid now. I know the fuel pump is good and everything....what can it be. BTW i replaced the battery before it died due to the other battery holding 4v on a load. All the help would be appreciated. THANKS!!

[racerone3]

if your sure that the fuel pump and carb are ok, start working back toward the gas tank. inspect the fuel line for cracks, it will pull air easier than fuel. replace the filter. check to be sure the gas cap is venting. then with the cap off blow a little compressed air back through the line to the tank. some have a screen on the pickup line that can get plugged. how are you checking the fuel pump? also inspect the pulse line that "powers" the pump for cracks/ dry rot.

[williambogner]

I will do that tomorrow. I took the line that goes to the carb from the fuel pump and its pumping fuel. The pulse line is ok. Im not sure if the carb is good or not. Its only running off of starting fluid. Im guessing thats what the problem is. Ill check the lines tomorrow though.

[racerone3]

ok, if it's pumping fuel, it's likely that all the stuff i mentioned is ok (still a good idea to check while your in there). sounds like a carb issue. get the model# and code off the engine and have your local mower shop get you a rebuild kit. tear the carb down, clean it all, and blow all the ports out with compressed air. put it back together and you should be back in business

[Robinhood02]

when you cleaned the carb bowl out , did you find any grease/waxy substance in the bottom of the float bowl ?? did you check the float for freedom of movement ?? ( is the float valve opening and closeing) , it sounds like a carb problem , a galley is plugged or the float valve is stuck closed , Some of the small engines have an electric fuel shut off valve (prevents dieseling) if yours has this feature make sure it is energized when the key is in the on position . also check your oil some engines have an automatic low oil shut down switch

[williambogner]

alrite. great ideas. I know the oil is good but i havent heard of the electric fuel shut off valve??? I didnt really go deep into the carb. The main jet didnt seem to have any debris or anything. I think a rebuild kit should be the fix. Ill keep you updated.

[Amphiman1]

burn out.....

I will do that tomorrow. I took the line that goes to the carb from the fuel pump and its pumping fuel. The pulse line is ok. Im not sure if the carb is good or not. Its only running off of starting fluid. Im guessing thats what the problem is. Ill check the lines tomorrow though.

Too much starting fluid will burn valves and dry out the rings causing extreme fricton. loss of compression..

[turvuren]

gravity feed

I know you have fuel flow to carb but just to suggest an easy approach is to set up a gravity feed from a can of fresh gas to rule out problems before the carb. I take a cheap plastic siphon then shove the thin plastic siphon hose into rubber hose attached to carb. Some obvious safety concerns but a quick start. Be cautious with starting fluid!! running an engine with starting fluid can lead to ruining an engine. You can put fuel in an ordinary pump sprayer like from glass cleaner and shoot a little in carb with less risk of hurting your engine.

[Amphiman1]

fueled out?

Or put a snowmobile / tilitson primer button thing and a one way valve in the line?

[maxheadroom]

I will bet it’s the electric fuel solenoid.. Carbs don’t usually solve their problems after they cool down..

Make sure you hear a very faint "Click" right up by the carb when the key is turned just one stage,, Not the start stage , “the run stage” of the Key switch..

All that fails check for 12 volts on the wire running up to the carb when ket switch is in run stage... Not the black wire..that’s the kill wire for the coils when you shut down the key switch and is suppposed to be shorted to ground when Key is off..

Many have removed and plug this solenoid value. I havent had to as of yet.. Search fuel solenoid on the site..If you do disconnect it , you have to make sure you bring the motor down to an idle before shutting it off..

I 'm pretty sure you may have a bad connection going to the valve or a bad solenoid by everything you had said..

Max.

[williambogner]

I took a good glimpse at the carb. Im not seeing any wires or solenoids leading into it. Straight under the carb theres an intake manifold anyway soo. Either way when i turn it to RUN it wont click anyway...whats next before having to do a carb rebuild cause i dont think thats the problem.

[racerone3]

i'd dive in on the carb rebuild. probably a sticky float that finally stuck, or some trash that got sucked into a jet. if it was a bad "low oil switch" it wouldn't fire with ether. the fact that it will run with ether rules out electrical/ ignition. if it is pumping fuel to the carb, then the carb is the only thing keeping fuel from getting to the engine.

[williambogner]

thats what im thinking to go with. The reason i disagreed it because its a pain in the ass to get to. The 1 of the 2 pin bolts that hold the carb on is a really tight spot to get off from...

[maxheadroom]

I never meant the low oil shut off.

The wire runs into the front of the motor up to the carb..

What motor is it..?? A Brigs v twin??

If it runs on a spay bottle that has nothing to do with the electicals on the fuel system, they could still be faulty..

Good luck

[williambogner]

yea its a briggs v twin. Ill just tear down the carb and rebuild it and go from there. thanks for the advice guys i appreciate it!!