Briggs 5hp carb/gas tank connected, gas tank is shot.

[Young One With A Manco]

Please view pictures here;
http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/album.php?albumid=1200

Hi again all! Long time no see.
I am trying to get another race kart going. I have the motor running, but can only get it to start for no longer than 10 seconds. I'm assuming this is because i can't submerge the bottom of the float bowl on the carb. I've been running it with the gas tube (white off bottom of carb) in a jerry rigged temporary water bottle gas tank. The time i had it running the longest, gas was filled all the way up to the float bowl.
Now, clearly my gas tank is rusted beyond use inside. I can't find a new one for less than $75 online. Here's an amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/Briggs-Stratton-694315-Replacement-Models/dp/B002WNUA76

I can't justify the cost of a whole predator on a single gas tank. I can't even be sure it runs well, never has run for more than 10 seconds. That being said, where do i go from here? I need to use the tank to have the float bowl submerged. I can't use another tank. That tank is shot. I don't want to spend the money on a new tank. Any temporary tank i can make to just to see how it runs? Should i buy another carb for a briggs, then run a fuel line to a separate tank on the frame?
Any thoughts appreciated! Thanks!

 

[mckutzy]

Well keep looking then...
I think a running out of the box, brand new, tested and a little more powerfull engine.....for a $100... Is a pretty good deal...

 

[Young One With A Manco]

Probably. But i don't want to spend $100 regardless. It's not like spend it on this or spend it on that, i'm looking for the neither option.
Also, one of the reasons carb is brand new because it used to run an alcohol/methanol and the carb was tuned for that, it's a full blown motor supposedly. (Got the kart from a friend who ran it that way 10 years ago). I would rather run what is supposedly a briggs race motor then a stock predator.

 

[mckutzy]

That's an alcohol carb.....
It's not jetted for gas...
You'll need a gas carb... Cause you can't easily rejet those for what fuels you want on the fly...

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

If I was to run alcohol I sure wouldn't use the stock tank/carb set up.

Just saying.

 

[Young One With A Manco]

Clearly my woding was unclear. The carb on it is new. I bought a new one because it was cheaper than rebuilding the old one, and the old one was apparently set up for alcohol. I'll be running regular gas now. It ran on regular gas today, albeit not for long.

 

[Texan]

Is it rusted thru? You can clean up most of rust and scale very cheaply with household products.

Maybe find a cheap non runner Briggs engine on CL and swap the tank. I picked up 2 for $40 and have been using them for parts, way cheaper than buying new.

 

[jandj]

How about a complete motor for
$40?
https://hartford.craigslist.org/grd/d/briggs-stratton-5-hp-side/6393680736.html

 

[Nosandwich]

Yeah, Sam. You can clean up the old gas tank rather cheaply and easily. (Google is your friend. )

Or buy that Briggs for $40.

 

[mckutzy]

Could go Bronda... you'll have all the ajustability with a non CARB/EPA carb and be able to tune with the right jets..... just need to make an intake to match....
And keep the motor.....???? ...

Which brings me to think about..... If the motor was originally setup for alky... Then im guessing the cam and timing is also set for that.....??? What about the compression ratio???? will that be able to run regular gas....????

I dont know much about alcohol engines..... but to shelve it for now and take an easier route..... might be worth it.....

 

[zogthegreat]

I'm in the process of restoring a couple of tanks in the following manner:

Note - I learned the vinegar trick from CobraKing

I sanded and prepped the exterior of the tanks.

Then I loaded loose nut's and bolts into the tank and shook them well to dislodge as much rust as possible.

I plugged the bottom of the tank and filled it with vinegar, (CobraKing says in his post that you can use muriatic acid to remove the rust, I'm not that bold!) and let it soak for 24 + hours, (1 hour for the acid).

I drained the tanks well and I will be using a tank sealer on them whenever it arrives with the other stuff that I ordered:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-POR-15...123203&hash=item3f26f7eba0:g:2DEAAOSwSQFaC3V-

Et voilà, C'est fini!

(Like that, it finished )

If you have any holes, use JB Weld before you sand and paint and use the tank liner, (more senior/experienced members might have a better method)

 

[jandj]

Then there's this.
https://m.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OEM-VINT...hash=item2a283f4ca1:m:miOJN1Wta0yE--5Dc40jkeg

 

[Hellion]

Hey man, I’ve got the POR 15 tank rehabilitation set that comes with all the chemicals to de-rust, degrease, and coat the insides with a fuel-impervious coating. Works a charm and I intend to eventually do the scooter and a few other Briggs tanks.

Anyway, if the tank is just completely ratty and has loose rust and other muck lying in the bottom, chances are the fuel pickup tube is clogged or partially clogged with debris.

You call it float bowl but I call it a fuel reservoir — the small bowl that is welded to the top of the fuel tank. Make sure it is intact and not rusted through or riddled with pin holes.

Or your fuel pump could be weak or inoperative on the carb...but you said it was new.

This is a Pulsa-Jet carb, right?

 

[landuse]

Those pick up tubes can get blocked so easily. I would do the nuts in the tank shake up to try clean it out. Post some picks of the tank so we can see how bad it is

 

[chancer]

Hi Sam merry Christmas

 

[Denny]

Yay! Chancer's back!


Denny

 

[Chevyman1987]

You can always get the adapter so you can change your carb set-up to like a predator carb but the only problem you will run into doing this is governor set up. But here is the part number to look up briggs part # 691922