Fuel leaking from Carb

[RodTag]

my 48 8n is leaking fuel constantly when I turn the fuel valve on.
I was mowing when it began to spit and sputter. I looked down at the carb and saw it leaking out of the joint connecting it to the air breather.

I turned the valve off, and it stopped leaking. I went back an hour later to try again, and it began leaking just after I opened the valve. It is like the fuel is running straight through the carb.

Help!

 

[HCooke]

Needle valve has dirt in it or float is stuck. Some people report succes by tapping on the body of the carb with the wooden handle of a screw driver. If that doesn't do it, then you are going to have to disassemble the carb and replace the needle valve.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

As HCooke said, it could be the needle valve. Or it could be the seat. Or it could be trash under the needle valve. Or it could be a stuck or leaking float. Regardless, if tapping it doesn't work, you will need to pull the carb down. Do not blow air into the carb. That will collapse the float.
50 Tips

 

[RodTag]

Thanks for the direction. Will try as soon as there is daylight!

 

[souNdguy]

ditto what the others said. you might be lucky and it is some dirt.

pull the fuel line and open the bowl drain and shoot some carb cleaner in there.. see what it gets you..

soundguy

 

[RodTag]

Thanks for the added info!

 

[barnboy]

have you or prior owner had the carb apart before? if you cant correct the gas overflowing problem as described by the others by tapping on the fuel bowl, and have to dissasemble the carb to check for dirt between the carburetor float needle and seat, and find that there is no dirt, then check the carburetor float for pin holes by putting it in boiling water, any holes will be shown by air bubbles coming out in the water, if the float is not leaking and there is no dirt between the needle and seat, then check the torque on the seat itself with a large screwdriver that covers both the slot width and length of the seat, these must be very tight to stop any fuel from leaking past the seat gasket and the upper carb assembly when the float is closed.

 

[RodTag]

Will try that before I pull the seat. Thanks!