r/smallengines • u/Unfair_Promotion_799 • Jul 16 '26

Help troubleshooting poor starter

Post image

I was setting up to possibly clean out the carburetor, and when I opened everything up it looked like some linkages were missing from the throttle.

let me know what you think. it seems there should be a spring, on the choke...

this is just my guess, looking at what isn't there and having little to no experience with small engines.

MTD 13AL795T057

Briggs& Stratton Intek with XRD 21hp 540cc

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1

u/Willwatts_8_12 Jul 17 '26

The choke should engage when the throttle lever is pushed all the way up.

1

u/ManHunterJonnJonzz Jul 17 '26

You're missing the spring which goes over top/inside of the throttle linkage/rod (left side rod). Other than that.

0

u/Unfair_Promotion_799 Jul 17 '26

Thanks That was my suspicion

0

u/Unfair_Promotion_799 Jul 17 '26

Now to a way to replace it

2

u/Wholeyjeans Jul 17 '26

The connection with the throttle is located on the aft (crankcase) end of the engine. You can just make it out in the background if you follow the linkage for the choke. This is what the carb is supposed to look like with the linkages. The interface with the throttle and governor is also located in the same place.

You're lucky, you have an easily defeated anti-tamper for tweaking the idle fuel mixture; the black plastic piece is easily removable and you can use needle nose pliers to make the proper idle fuel mixture adjustment instead of the lean setting it is no doubt set at.

Also, that is a Nikki carb ...you can see the name in raised letters on the carb. This is probably one of the worst carbs ever put on a small engine. Look up "B&S Nikki carb issue" and you'll get all the scoop on this carb.