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Fix Your Rototiller - Easily!!!

Fix Your Rototiller - Easily!!!

If you have a rototiller that won't start, or stalls, runs poorly, you will love this: In 95% of the cases, it is just a simple problem that you can easily fix.

Common problems and solutions

Fuel problems (no real cost, just the gas)

1. The most common problem is old gas that has absorbed water. Draining the gas out of the tank and carb is the simple solution: Just unclip the hose from the carb and drain the fuel.  If that's too hard fro you, tip the whole tiller over to drain the fuel out of the filler opening.  There is a drain plug on the bottom of the carburetor that unscrews and drains.
2. Always use ETHANOL-FREE gasoline!  The type with ethanol absorbs water!  There is a website that will show you where to get it locally, Find Ethanol-Free Gasoline.  Most QuikTrips have it.

If it still won't start...It is probably a faulty carburetor.  Over time, especially if the tiller sits in the garage unused, the gas in the carb dries out and the residue gums up the floats the intake needle, etc.

Replace the carburetor ($20)

This is unbelievably easy to do.  If you can use a wrench and screwdriver, you can do this.

The replacement carbs are so inexpensive and it is so easy to replace one (it's actually harder to clean a carb than just replace it) , it's really almost not even worth trying to clean it, but you can try that first, if you want .

Ebay:

Here's the make I get, about $20. Of course, you need to match your tiller's engine model number.  Sears Craftsman tiller almost always use Briggs and Stratton engines. and the carb below is the most common standard for those.

Carburetor F Craftsman Sears Rototille 951-12785 951-12124 951-10797 751-10797

 

But basically, you just look for the sticker on your tiller with the model number, then google that along with "replacement carburetor".  As long as you can match the model number and check the photos that it looks pretty much the same, it shoulkd be good.  There were some minor difference between the stock carb I replaced and the new one, but it worked great.  BETTER, I think the the original. .

Sears

Don't waste your time on the Sears website - they charge about $77 plus shipping for the Sears tiller carbs.  That's about 4 times the cost of one that works perfectly as well from eBay!