Expert advice needed on a #26 Carb
 

My 124 has never idled well since I bought it...3-4 years ago.
My 122 runs like a top....I can get it to idle so low that i have to bump it up so it doesn't get too hot.
Back to the 124.
I took the carb apart, removed the plug in the side, and the small one in the top. Tanked it for two days, blew it out, went through all the passages with reamers I use on my paint guns. then gave it a light polish.
It even looks new.
installed a new throttle shaft bushing, and even found a rubber seal to top it off.
rebuilt flawlessly.
still won't idle. So I just pulled the tank and carb off the 122, and put them on it...voala! it started instantly on idle, and then idled at about 800.
Is there another passage I don't know about...or something stupid that I am missing?
I don't believe that a carb can just "Go Bad".

Did you check the vent tube to make sure it was clear and clean? And before you ask if I have a pic, no, I am looking for one now. :biggrin2:

Attachment 22277
Pic borrowed from http://************************.com/carbfuel.htm

carb repair
 

you might want to check for a vacuum leak ,around the base of the carb,did you check the base of the carb for being flat .if not remove carb and placeit on a flast surface ,,with some sand paper ,and rotate it on the paper ,till it is flat ,then reinstall do not over tigthen ,hope this helps . David

ALL passages have been thoroughly reamed with small flexible round files and pipe cleaner style brushes.
It even has new mixture screws.
I sanded the base on a flat steel table....I use adhesive backed fine emery glued down when I true up heads or carbs.

Problem solved....purrs like a kitten at a very low idle.
I drilled the main mixture screw out with a #57 drill at the bottom two holes....and soldered the middle ones up.
Thanks for your input.
-Richard

Glad you got it running smooth..:beerchug:

Great news! Glad you got it running good.

The issue I have now is it seems to run out of gas during wide open throttle. But, I need to check the rpm....see if it's above 3800.
I did also change the fuel line. My 122 has a 3/16" copper tube, and the 124 had a rubber 1/4" line with clamps, so I installed new hardware with 3/16 copper and flared ends ( the 122 is an immaculate well maintained machine, always serviced by CC, so it must be correct). Looks much neater now....but I'm not sure if the line is just too thin.
Ofcourse. it is low on gas also, so today I fill up the tank, the change back to 1/4"....see if it solves the starvation issue.

Then I'm thinking another possibility....can it have the wrong main mixture screw? or are they all the same?
I'll swap screws with the 122 to see if it still idles and has top end power.
Junkyard tractors can be a pain.

The 3/16" line is still larger than the hole in the seat in the carb, so changing it to something larger will do nothing. Why did you solder up the holes in the main needle? They are there for a reason, you know...

it was a tip on a pulling engine page. He says they are not needed under 4000rpm, and increase draw for the idle circuit at idle.
Any info about whether the main needles are all the same or not? I'm assuming drilling the bottom holes fixed the problem, so I could rmove the solder and see if it will still idle low.
But it's all trial and error from here without knowing if the needle is wrong.

You have to be careful on pulling tip page.. some info to read over is ok.

Kohler, Cub Cadet etc both went through a tone of research, and R&D to set the standards for these carbs, and they kept that standard for a LONG time lol... I just wanted to try and help you, and I'm sure it's late now as you have already done it...but maybe in the future. Most of the time OEM/stock works best for me for my use around the house etc...

At least you have the problem isolated, if all else fails you can pick up a carb at a decent price.
Now all that said above I myself do some updates on several things on my garden tractors... However when I redesign a part so to speak it's because it has wore, I broke something, or I wanted to add a bushing in place of a piece of metal/frame etc...

I would say that the #26 carb needles should all be the same, and the #30 needles should all be the same, but they might not both be the same.

At any rate, if that's Brian Miller's site you're referring to, a lot of the info on there is just plain wrong.

There are different needles,you have knitting,sewing and pins and needles,

A while back I rebuilt 3 carbs at once,one was on a 149,somehow I thought they were all the same,put it back on and it would only idle but would die when I throttled it up.Checked all three needles an one only had two holes on the top section,the others had 4.Made the switch and it ran great after that.

Lew, your a trip! :biggrin2:

Yea a trip to the funny farm...