Need help BY TOMORROW please!

Hey everyone, I've got a late 80's B&S 12hp motor, and it will randomly cut out at times. It suddenly starts to stall out, lacks power, surges and dies. I had no exhaust on this engine up until this week, which it now has a straight pipe that curves out and upwards, I don't know if that might be a problem. The carb leaks slightly but other than that it's fine. I don't think its electrical.
I really wanna get this going for tomorrow's 50+ degree weather!

Thanks! I can post pics if needed.

have you tried Seafoam? Half in the fuel and half down the carb?
note: when putting it in the fuel only have 1/4 of a tank so it is a rich mix of fuel and seafoam.

I havent! I am going to try carb cleaner tho.

ok, I would still recomend getting a bottle of seafoam though..

Ok thanks.

yea try to clean the carb that sounds like the problem, by any possible chance, does it have good compression?

my snapper had a bad coil it would run for a while and just loose power and die if i let it set for a while it would start again

I haven't checked the compression yet, I usually just put my thumb over the spark plug hole and turn it over.

The coil is from a 18hp twin, but I can put the original back on.

BlackMountian88 wrote:

I haven't checked the compression yet, I usually just put my thumb over the spark plug hole and turn it over.

The coil is from a 18hp twin, but I can put the original back on.

just turn the motor over by your hand and does it have comression or just turn over no problem? Or do you have a compression tester?
Just a thought.

Oh ya it has PLENTY of compression! I can barley turn it over.

I would check you electrical for frayed or exposed wires. Gap your coils, etc.

Ya I have been working on that recently. It's just one wore to the kill switch, then to ground and the wire is brand new.

maybe play around with your choke

I have a manual choke right now (no cable, I just reach and pul l the lever) and I did hook a spring up to that. If it doesn't start this morning I'm going to change the coil, and check the fuel filter.