Morning all. My 2007ish 17.5hp Craftsman mower was running perfect. Died on me once, took awhile to get started, and finished the lawn. Last time, it died, and would not restart at all.
Checked the fuel lines and the filter, up until the carb bowl. I empty it, try to start, and it does fill up.
I add an ounce or 2 of gas into the carb and it starts up until the fuel is used, and dies.
I check the carb solenoid, and it does switch (sounds like it at least when all assembled.
I can't figure out how the hell to take off the carb linkages, so I can't pull it OFF the engine and check if there are any blocks in the jet/etc.

Is that the one thing I should do next? Obviously the fuel gets to the bowl, and the engine starts when fuel is poured in the carb... but I can't figure out past that.

What exactly should I look at in the carb? Where is the jet? How the heck do you take off the 2 valve linkages!!

Thanks. I can't stand cutting my entire lawn with a 20yr old almost dead push mower (cracked body, reinforced with carbon fiber plate, but is still cracking!! Digs into the ground if I push it wrong)

Hi,
If fuel get to the carb, it is not there. If the solenoid works, it should get to the jets. That leaves only trash in the jets.
Generally the carb is on studs and held on by nuts. Remove the nuts and air cleaner base, slide the carb out off the studs (it is a tight/close fit) and rotate clockwise to loosen the throttle link, a pair of pliers will unhook the lash spring, rotate again (usually bowl toward engine) to loosen the choke link.
Picture attached and jet is above solenoid. Try the manual at:
http://www.asberry.net/files/TP-2339-D.pdf
Peace,
Clarke

THANK YOU!! I hope that is all what is wrong with it.

So, after taking all apart as I could, I noticed at one point, there was no gas in the filter, and the bowl didn't refill itself like it did before. This was after I blew fuel from the filter into the carb... it started! I saw gas come out of the jet!! But it stopped, and died...
So I started blowing all the lines out, including from the filter to the tank... which pressurized it... and then sprayed fuel all over me. Yay. Wait... that shouldn't happen.
After the bowl was filled, it ran... and then died. As a stroke of luck, I ended up just opening the tank... and fuel flowed into the filter, out of the tube, yadda yadd yadda

ALL THIS... and it was a blocked freaking gas tank cap.

*sigh*

So kids, no fuel getting to engine? Open the cap and see if that helps!

riff42

You may have gone the long way about it but it is useful knowledge to the rest of us.

I have been having a similar problem that grew progressively worse over the past few weeks. It began with my John Deere L110 losing power and almost quitting while I was mowing. Stopping briefly allowed the RPM to climb back to normal. Over a few weeks (I use the machine once a week) the stalling increased and eventually I could only operate the tractor with the choke partially engaged. Finally, yesterday, the engine barely started and it would not keep running. I had previously replaced the fuel filter. To correct the problem, I did the following: Clamped the fuel line. 2. carefully removed the anti-backfire solenoid from the bottom of the float bowl by disconnecting the wire and unscrewing the solenoid. 3. Removed the float bowl, float and needle valve. 4. Tested the anti-backfire solenoid using 12 volts. 5. Cleaned the float bowl, valve and valve seat using brake cleaner (does not leave a residue). 6. Reassembled the valve, float, bowl and solenoid.

The engine started without difficulty and ran flawlessly while I mowed my 1.2 acres.