Briggs & Stratton engine carburettor gasket?

[RrogerD]

R484TR
How important is the paper gasket between carb and air filter?
My mower will not start. If I squirt fuel directly into the carb it fires smoking like hell, burning that fuel only but then cuts out. I've removed the carb, cleaned and blown through everything but no joy. The only thing I can see that may be amiss is the gasket between the carb body and plastic air filter housing. It appears to have been cut out from an old cardboard box (previous owner). I assume if not the exact shape and size, with holes and blanks in the right places then it will be a problem? Or not? I'm aware that these carbs are a very clever bit of engineering of just the right vacuum etc.
Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

If it's the gasket I'm thinking of ( in Spain just now) then the primer bulb won't work, making a cold start difficult.
GHS Ltd have what you need, including a helpful picture.
John

 

[RrogerD]

If it's the gasket I'm thinking of ( in Spain just now) then the primer bulb won't work, making a cold start difficult.
GHS Ltd have what you need, including a helpful picture.
John

It doesn't have a primer bulb, just the lever with choke at one end, run in the middle and idle at the other.
The fact that it runs with fuel squirted into the carb but then nothing would suggest fuel starvation or perhaps (talking to my son), poor compression not producing enough 'suck' maybe.

 

[Burnerman]

Aye ok, is the choke flap going to the end of it's travel, closing the venturi?
Ignore the gasket issue if there's no primer bulb.
John

 

[RrogerD]

Aye ok, is the choke flap going to the end of it's travel, closing the venturi?
Ignore the gasket issue if there's no primer bulb.
John

Thanks for your thoughts. I think so. I will check again at the weekend.
It's gravity fed from the tank and the carb bowl has fuel in it so it's not fuel starvation up until that point.

 

[Burnerman]

When you took the carb off, did you inspect the emulsion tube above the main jet?
Ideally you'll need an aerosol of carb cleaner to do this.
John

 

[Old Salt]

Watch mick the mowerman on youtube, he is forever cleaning carburettors to the point of boredom. It wont need to be the exact same model as yours as he gives instructions on how to clean a carb.

 

[RrogerD]

Watch mick the mowerman on youtube, he is forever cleaning carburettors to the point of boredom. It wont need to be the exact same model as yours as he gives instructions on how to clean a carb.

My other mower, also a Briggs & Stratton, I also had carb issues and he (I think) was very good with his explanations. A very clever set-up those carbs. I don't think he covers my model. I will have a look as Burnerman says above. I did give it a blow but possibly not hard enough.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

A jet clearing tip, I learned long ago, if you can get the engine to run, that is...

Get the engine revving as hard as you can, then slab you hand tight over the air intake, of the carb. That causes masses of suction on the carb, and through the jets. It will be so rich, it can stall the engine, but release your hand, before it does.