Post-edit: In my experience so far, when the emulsifier will not drop out of one of those small Keihin carburetors used by Honda on the GX or GXV120/140/160 and the equivalent GCV engines, it is stuck due to fuel gum between the emulsifier and the carburetor body. Generally, spraying both upward through the main jet mounting passage, and downward through the venturi, with carb cleaner a couple of times will fix the problem and allow it to drop out with minor downward pressure from an Allen key. Do not apply major downward force: the emulsifier is only brass, and has a thin, counterbored, shaped upper tip that affects the carburetor tuning. Note that if the emulsifier is gummed into place, it is likely that some or all of the approximately 16 tiny holes (0.3-0.5 mm) drilled crossways through it will be closed off by gum, and the engine will therefore not run as well as it should.End of Post-Edit
very_busy, wasn't there a filter in it originally, either in the bottom of the fuel tank at the outlet, or in the fuel line? Honda puts a tiny filter inside the tank outlet fitting of the GXV120, and builds the filter into the the tank right above the outlet fitting of the GXV140. The GXV120's filter comes out with the fuel line when you pull it off the tank. The GXV140's filter can't be removed as far as I know, and you clean it by back-flushing the tank outlet fitting. If there was no filter originally, you could put a Briggs disk-shaped aftermarket filter into the fuel line. There are two types available: black for engines with fuel pumps, and red for engines without fuel pumps (gravity feed). If you use a Briggs filter, use the red (gravity feed) one. It is important to have a fuel filter in any mower engine, but it is essential with the Honda-type carburetor because of the ultra-tiny idle jet.
Thank you for reporting back on the outcome of cleaning the carburetor. I'll close this thread - if anyone needs to post to it, just PM a moderator.
Last edited by grumpy; 20/10/13 06:49 PM. Reason: Add post-edit
