No BS! Simple NIKKI Carburetor Rebuild

Simple how to fix common flooding and surging problems with the Nikki carburetor. These carbs can be challenging to troubleshoot and fix, but they will perform well once you understand them better. This carburetor is from the Craftsman YTS3000, on which I made the video with the hydro-locked engine this carb came from. In the end, it was returned to where it started.
#Surging #hydrolock #leaking #Stratton #baldeagle242

See the full story on this mower here. (What happens when these carbs fail? Click here to find out!)

When removing the plastic cap from the mixture screw, exercise caution and care. Be mindful not to bend or twist the mixture screw, as excessive pressure can cause it to break in half. To ensure a smooth and safe removal process, gently pull on the cap without applying undue force. Your attention to this precautionary measure will help prevent any unwanted damage and ensure a successful maintenance experience. Happy repairing!

See the Complete Baldeagle242 video history here. A true trip down memory lane of all past videos I have posted on YouTube.

Links to parts used in this video:

Aftermarket (Chinese) Carburetor Repair Kit for Briggs & Stratton Nikki Carbs

Briggs and Stratton brand Nikki Float bowl gasket (O-Ring style)

Briggs and Stratton brand Nikki Float bowl gasket (NON-Ring style)

Briggs and Stratton brand Nikki needle

Inline fuel shut-off valve

Inline fuel filters

Below are tools and parts I use in my shop and daily adventures.

Mini Tire Changer for the mower, go-kart, and most small tires.

The drill bits I use are lifetime-warranted Molybdenum from Drill Hog. If you break one or wear it to nothing, you send it back, and they send a new one!

Hand crank trailer winch with strap with safety hook

Titanium MIG 140 Welder Works with Flux Core (No Gas needed - 110 volts)
Titanium MIG 170 Welder Works with Flux Core or Gas (110 or 220 volts)

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As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. These links are provided to help you find the products I've used in this video. Clicking these links will take you straight to the products on Amazon and help support this channel without costing you anything extra.

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00:00 Welcome to the Baldeagle242 YouTube channel
00:04 Today I have the Nikki Carb off of the Craftsman YTS3000 Hydrolock Mower
00:21 Let's get started!
01:00 Carbs off. Let's review the parts and tear them apart!
02:30 The first thing you need to do when tearing the carbs down!
03:47 The First reason these carbs will leak and hydro lock your engine!
04:20 The Second reason these carbs will leak and hydro lock your engine! This one is not very common!
04:28 One reason your engine may surge while running.

[IndianHemlock]

Enjoyed the video, very well done, well edited !! Very knowledgeable !

[stefkraaijeveld]

Thank you for the clear instructional video. After cleaning my carburetor, the lawnmower was running very poorly until I realized I had put the jet in the carburetor the wrong way around. This video saved me.

[urnchy]

The detail is greatly appreciated. One of the best repair videos I haver ever seen!

[charlesbates]

Had taken my carb apart and cleaned. Mower had problems. Watching your video showed me what I did wrong. Thanks for your video and explainations.

[philliphall]

The close ups are extremely good and I think you did a great job of teaching and showing how to put it together the right way 😊😊😊
Thank you

[henrymurawskibigdogrepair]

Fantastic video Steve you are a mechanic and not a rip out and replace person

[mrbrock]

I have the exact same Craftsman YTS3000 that I bought new from Sears in 2010. Mine got hydrolocked too and I ended up replacing the carb about 5 years ago. We'll now it's surging so not sure if I'll just get another new carb or rebuild kit. Amazon Carbs are just a little more $$ vs a rebuild kit.

Thanks to videos like this I have kept that mower mowing my 2 acre lot for 14 years! I have also had to replace the spindles. Drain/replace the transmission fluid. Repair the deck with welding and repaint to protect from further rusting. New tires. New high back seat. Replace the blade cable. Repair wiring harness from rats eating it up!

[stevenpatch]

Just wanted to say thank you for making this video! A fellow redditor sent me your link and I realized I put the jet in backwards, causing all of my problems. Thank you for saving me time and money on more parts!

[Talltrees]

I worked on a John Deere, with the Briggs engine today. And your video just confirmed what I thought was wrong. I have ordered a repair kit for the carby now. Thanks

[bertdiver]

You are a great instructor, concise and thorough. Thank you for your expertise.

[davidlutton]

Been looking for some time for details about my carb, you hit them all! Thanks for a great video. 😀

[timgarvey]

Outstanding, all good info without the excessive jabber, one of the best I have ever seen, great work.

[VikingShipExplorer]

Excellent video on that Nikki carb. When I purchased my riding mower from my neighbor, he hadn't run it for 3 years and left it full of fuel. The fuel lines were rotten from the tank to the carb. After a little bit of silicone fuel line replacement (that was fun) and a carb clean, it's been running great for 3 seasons now. I for one don't mind this carb, as it's easy to work on. I also added a fuel filter and fuel shut off just for added security just incase an O-ring goes bad.

[rickdff]

You're one of the very few folks that show doing a "wet" test on the carb. Good on ya for that as that's very important step after messing with the float. Cheers.

[freedommowers]

Great job on showing that rebuild on the Nikki. I’ve personally not been a big fan of them because they can be a bit finicky, but clearly that can be remedied with a good set of gaskets. Thank you for the great info and video 💪🇺🇸

[jackhager]

I rebuilt one of these watching other videos, but couldn't get it to work. Your clear and detailed presentation showed me what I did wrong and I'm running again 😁

[drewlosch]

PERFECT VIDEO! This carb is something I have never seen before. You make it all easily done for dummies like me. Great brief editing and no BS excuses and lifestyle interruptions like other vids I've viewed. Thanks so much!!!!

[mrbrown]

The gas leak test is always useful.
I typically have a jig set up on my bench
with a small raised gas tank, hose and valve
that I attach to the carb while off the engine.

In your case, your carb is GRAVITY fed.
If there is a fuel pump, gas will not flow
to the carb since the engine is off.
So many details to remember, so thank you sir.
-- North Central Florida
-- 10.1.2023

[gordonjacksonsr.]

Hello again Mr. BaldEagle! First of all, I would just like to thank you again as everything you taught about the Nikki rebuild was right on point, it only went bad again because I kept taking it back apart. But with the help of GOD, I finally figured out why there was no gas getting over to the piston well. I went back out this morning trying to start the mower again, but still nothing. So I went ahead & disconnected the kill wire like you suggested, but still nothing. Well I was reminded that I had messed with the rockers and even checked the push rods before I did the carb rebuild. Well the voice that I heard today told me to go back and check the rockers and push rods again, and when I did, I discovered that the intake valve wasn't opening because I didn't put the push rod back in like it was supposed to be. Well it was then that I remembered that if the intake valve doesn't open, then no gas will get to the piston well. So, after resetting the push rod, and readjusting the rockers, that baby started purring like a kitten! So again, thank you very much for all of your help! GOD bless you and your family! Have a blessed weekend!

[mowersbymitch]

Good job! I've found that little o-ring that seals the gas inlet to be more of the culprit that floods the crankcase with gas than the needle. You however did a great job for people to follow.