JD B&S18HP: Ran out of gas and now won't start.

[TomBrooklyn]

JD GT235. 2002
Briggs and Stratton 18 HP V-Twin

- Filled it back up with gas.
- Fuel filter is clean
- Fuel pump is pumping
- When I spray starting fluid into the carb, it runs for a couple of seconds and then quits.

It's clearly not getting gas. Since the fuel pump is working, I'm thinking something went wrong with the carb when it ran out of gas.

Any ideas what I ought to do next?

I never took a carb off or fixed a carb, but if someone can advise what I have to do, I could probably do it. I don't have a service manual for this tractor; but I see there are some on eBay if I need to get one.

 

[Kish318420]

Check fuel shutoff solenoid, dried crap maybe be blocking flow, when you ran out of gas. I'm wondering if the fuel acts as a cooling agent on these carbs. Just like fuel pumps do in vehicles (cars/trucks/tractors)?

 

[uglyboywith11fingers]

when you say 'fuel pump is pumping', is that verified by sound, or taking the fuel hose off at the carb to verify fuel flow? Clearly, no fuel is getting into the carb/float bowl. On my TG1860G's Kawasaki, the fuel shutoff solenoid is part of the carb. Chronic problem with the carb on the Kawasaki is that the float is some kind of plastic, not brass, and it shrinks & swells due to the ethanol in gas... when the float swells, it catches on the edge of the float bowl and hangs up, sometimes with the needle valve shut, sometimes open. Hope Briggs didn't go with a plastic float.

Pete