Monday, December 5, 2022

Tuesday Torque: Fired Up The Briggs And Tilled


We had a great garden this year in spite of Susan's hip surgeries. She kept up on canning, too! We still have turnips, but we will get a hard freeze soon, and then the turnips will be done. The soil works better every year because of the mushroom compost that we are piling on.

We bought the tiller in 1980, and it had an Tecumseh motor on it. It ran well, but the carburetor would not stay adjusted. It would go rich while running, and you would have to walk alongside the tiller and adjust the mixture while it worked. We did that for years, and then one day the engine busted the rod. So now we have a Briggs engine. It evidently is a green engine, and the non-adjustable carburetor jet is set for well below sea level. You have to leave the choke on part way until it is totally warmed up, and then it sputters a bit from being lean. Aggravating!

2 comments:

les said...

I have a tiller just like it, Troy Built Horse from the 80's, inherited from my dad. The tecumseh dies maybe 20 years ago, replaced with a Briggs from a "freight salvage" type place. Carb is also squirrely, but it still tills, 40 years later. New tires and new tines a couple of years ago.

David aka True Blue Sam said...

If the carburetor ever needs to be cleaned out, I will be reaming that jet just a tiny bit bigger! You shouldn't have to run with the choke partially closed. I am growing tired of the "green" things being forced on us!