Replace the lines and o/h the carb. It is a simple unit, remove it along with the insulator block and disassemble. Give it a good cleaning with carb and choke cleaner, install the kit and you should be good. Tecumseh has a reasonably priced manual for that engine that will be a big help.

Thanks, I'll look into a kit next week. As it is Sunday and everything closed, thought I'd take a look anyway. Cleaned tank and lines with gumout. Took off bowl, lots of varnish. Main jet plugged with tar. Cleaned up the three holes and needle, plus bowl and bottom of carb, as well as the float and float needle. Took out other mixture screw (idle?) and cleaned. Removed soft metal plug, but can't see any passages inside. A narrow hose is attached to this part of the carb body. What is it? Also, there is a sheet metal plate on the motor between the carb with an elbow and short hose to nowhere. Looks like it is broken at the end. Is this a crankcase breather? Where does it go?

I guess I should get the manual and full kit, but wanted to take a look.

You are right, the hose is attached to the crankcase breather. If the engine had an air filter, the hose would be connected to it. There should be two small holes in the back of the chamber behind the welch plug, they need to be clean.

I brought many curb finds back to life over the years. I also remove head and decarbonize the combustion chamber, includes the head, top of the piston (in the UP position) and around the valves, clean the old head gasket and reuse it.

After you wire brushed or wire wheeled off the combustion chamber wash is off with carb clean. Now move the flywheel so the piston move down the bore and clean out the piston bore. You can also inspect the piston to bore clearance and the bore itself.

put it back togather along with you fuel system clean up. Check compression, clean and gap the plug, change the oil, and spray a short blast of carb cleaner down the spark plug hole.

Should fire right off.

Ok finished with a carb kit, new lines and filter, new shutoff and clean tank.

The thing runs awful. Backfires runs rough, throttle has no effect. Leaks through bottom of bowl. I was thinking of putting the original main and idle jets back in as they look different.

Don't know about the linkages though. The spring attached to the throttle sags and looks like its not effective. Should it be taught?

Anyone know what the basic idle and main mixture settings are? I used 1.5 turns on each.

Looks like the carb has been off before, as some screws are different.

Oh, and the flywheel gears are chewed up too, but only on about 1/3rd around.

Any help is appreciated, of course.

Basiclly if somebody has screwed up the carb. and you really don't have the knowledge to figure it out especially if it's an OHV model I would suggest just buying a new tec. engine they are cheap if you shop around providing the rest of the unit is serviceable. Unless your knowledge and engine manual would provide you with the knowledge to get it running, but you still have an old engine in the end.

I never dump money in an old engine unless I know the compression and ignition systems are good after cleanup. I have taken many carbs. apart and rarely have had to buy a carb. kit.

If you are determined to get it running you will have to see whats going on in the comb. chamber. Plus go through the ignition system. OHV engines are more likely to have valve adjustment problems and to keep one running for years requires occassional adjustments.

Once you a sure every thing else is in working order and adjusted right now you still have the carb. to deal with.

Overall it takes years of experience to get a neglected engine running right. IMO sometimes it's just not worth it unless you have parts available and knowledge to hold down the cost.

A replacemnt Honda engine would be great a proven design that would last for years Honda's run around $500 to $600 bucks, Briggs run around $350 to $450, and TEC $250 to $350 if you shop around. A cheaper china clone would probably go for around $200 to $300. Good luck in what ever you deside...