305cc B&S small engine issues

[Marfa Low Crown 2562]

I've got a Hobart Champion 145 pull start engine welder with fewer than 60 hours on it that seems to be experiencing fuel flow issues. 

The unit wants to 'gallop'. It doesn't maintain a stable idle and will sometimes bog down all the way to choking out and stopping. 
It's unpredictable. It will run fine and purr for a minute, then sputter unreliably the next. Placing it under load seems to exacerbate the problem. 

History on the machine :  previous owner ran about two tanks of gas (14-16 hours) through it and that was it. I put probably 50 hours on it and the 
machine ran with no problems whatsoever. I'm an active welder, there has never been a tank of gas that has sat longer than a week in it. Then it was
like one day it just didn't run right. I've run Seafoam, B12, and VP 4 cycle engine fuel through it. The VP was suggested by a mechanic who told me to run the
machine for a few minutes and then kill it, allowing the VP to stay in the lines for a day or so.. then repeat the process. I've done this and the machine still
doesn't run right. 

I'm perfectly ready to join the University of YouTube and try to teach myself how to fix this but I thought I'd ask teh surl for suggestions first. I need this machine to run.

[deadshank 24654]

It ain’t got no gas in it.   Mmm hmm. 

[Marfa Low Crown 2562]

Alright then.... mmmmh 

[DCA_HORN 725]

Change the fuel filter and put non ethanol gas in it. Check the spark plug as it may be fouled. After all that change the fuel line.

[Jerry Callo 8960]

Don't want to be simple, but since you've been focused on the fuel side, have you checked the air filter?

[Marfa Low Crown 2562]

1 hour ago, Jerry Callo said:

Don't want to be simple, but since you've been focused on the fuel side, have you checked the air filter?

Simple is always good. First thing I did when it started acting up was check oil level and the air filter. Oil in on par, clean, and the machine has a shutdown mode if it gets too low anyways. Pulled the air filter and although it looked pretty clean I hit it with some compressed air anyways. Machine's mostly been used in a clean, concrete floor shop, and very little dust came out of the filer. 

Was able to replace the inline fuel filter today and although the engine still doesn't sound exactly right and is revving/ galloping a bit, it did let me burn two rods with a good stable arc and no issues. Unfortunately this doesn't really mean anything. Tomorrow it might refuse to idle properly let alone run a bead. I'll inspect the spark plug tomorrow & probably just replace it anyways. 

Re: Ethanol -- Currently shopping a good container / spigot & then I'll get that crap out of the gas from here on out. 

Edited May 28, 2020 by Marfa Low Crown

[Jkwellborn 7036]

See if you can find some mechanic in a bottle at Home Depot. You can buy the concentrated stuff or VP ethanol free gas with it in it. I used some in a mower that did that and it cleared up.

A new carb for that thing probably isn’t $50. Will it run correctly if you spray something into it? Might have trash at the fuel shut off.

[ROFL BOX 6655]

You've obviously got the basic down; all I was gonna recite is "SS, BB".

[markstanco 12788]

My son's four wheeler was doing similar.  With a google on 'burping' I found out it was running to lean.  Half to 3/4 turn on the screw fixed it. 

[Marfa Low Crown 2562]

I appreciate the responses. 

With the weekend to consider things, I think I'm prepared to just walk away from the machine. I'm pretty pissed off to be sidelined after so few hours of operation on this welder 
and I've got a buddy who's much better with small engines than I am. He's looking for a machine just like this and I'm doing far more shop work than mobile stuff anyways.
Works better with my goals to sell this and reinvest the money into a more versatile 230v shop machine. I appreciate all the help 🤘

[Ths71 472]

Clean the carb and make sure the jets aren’t clogged.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ROFL BOX 6655]

That's a $ 1,500+ welder & you're just gonna walk away from what could be a $ 5.00 fix?

[Jkwellborn 7036]

I’ll give you $50 for the welder.

[Marfa Low Crown 2562]

1 hour ago, ROFL BOX said:

That's a $ 1,500+ welder & you're just gonna walk away from what could be a $ 5.00 fix?

I'm going to sell it to my buddy and let him fart around with the $5 repair or whatever the fuck it needs. I'll put the money towards 
an ESAB 205ic which is far more of what I need right now anyways. I'll drop the money on a red or blue engine welder down the road
when I'm doing more mobile stuff.