The knob that sets the choke for starting my old IDC cultivator was missing after a recent move. Is there a source where I can get a replacement knob? Without it, the tiller is useless!

SOURCE: My John Deere LA150 starts

AN ENGINE THAT IS "MISSING" IS NOT RUNNING ON CHOKE, WHEN IT IS CHOKED IT WILL SIMPLY RUN AT A MUCH LOWER RPM BECAUSE IT IS GETTING MORE FUEL THAN AIR. THE AIR / FUEL MIX RATIO ON YOUR ENGINE IS 14.7 TO 1; THAT IS 14.7 GALLONS OF AIR TO 1 GALLON OF FUEL. SO AS YOU CAN SEE IF YOU ARE GETTING ANY LESS AIR IT WILL RUN FLOODED.
YOU DO NOT SAY WHAT COLOR THE SMOKE IS- IF IT IS BLACK THEN YOU ARE FLOODING, AS TO MUCH FUEL WILL PRODUCE A BLACK SMOKE BECAUSE THE COMBUSTION WILL NOT BURN IT ALL, IF IT IS BLUE YOU ARE BURNING OIL. IF THE SMOKE IS BLACK, REPLACE YOUR AIR FILTER AND BE SURE IT IS INSTALLED CORRECTLY. IF YOU HAVEN'T FOOLED WITH THE CARBURETOR IT WILL NOT NEED ANY ADJUSTING.
IF THE SMOKE IS BLUE, CHECK YOUR OIL LEVEL IN THE CRANKCASE, IF IT IS OVER FULL THE VACUUM FROM THE VALVE COVER WHICH OPERATES YOUR FUEL PUMP WILL PULL OIL FROM THE CRANKCASE INTO THE VALVE COVER AREA AND WILL GET SUCKED INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND MIX WITH THE FUEL AIR MIX AND PRODUCE POOR IGNITION COMBUSTION WHICH WILL SMOKE EXCESSIVELY AND MAKE THE ENGINE SEEM AS THOUGH IT IS FLOODED. iF THIS DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM GIVE ME AN ANSWER TO THIS NEXT QUESTION: WHEN YOU SAY IT IS MISSING, IS IT BACKFIRING, POPPING OR SPUTTERING? AND IS IT SINGLE OR TWIN CYLINDER.

RICKSTER

SOURCE: My Mantis tiller is 9 or 10 years old. I've

Hello,
My name is Dane and I am going to assist you in solving your problem.
You should have an idle screw adjustment on the carb to adjust the idle RPM. As you pull the trigger, watch on the carburetor for a small moving plate. The idle screw should touch that plate. Be very careful, and have someone hold the tiller and start it. Back off the screw just enough until the tines stop turning. I hope I've helped. If you found this reply useful, please leave me some THUMBS UP, if you feel I've deserved them. Thank you! Dane

SOURCE: I have a 2-cycle Matis

Hi, I also have a small garden tiller (not a Mantis) that experienced a similar problem. What I did was remove the carberator and completely cleaned it with standard spray carb. cleaner (this is available at ant auto parts store or Wal-Mart). After I cleaned and reinstalled the carb. it ran fine. This was two years ago and it has been running fine since. What I believe happened was the gas evaporated and the remaining residue from the gas "gunked" up the carb. Once it was removed, the problem was solved. If this does not work, take a look for any broken wires. Sometimes a rodent will make a meak out of a wire. This happened to one of my cars. Good Luck!

SOURCE: my tiller will only idle

If it has been sitting for a while empty fuel tank. Prepare fresh fuel/oil mixture to fuel tank. Add two ounces of 100% acetone (available at Walmart) and attempt to start several times. Let sit for several minutes. Repeat until it acts like it wants to start.

Then watch this video and do it:

http://www.alamia.us/mantis_parts_s/148.htm

Never let tiller sit with fuel for any prolonged period of time. Run it out of fuel before storing or sitting. Acteone will remove varnish from inside.

SOURCE: I have an old craftsman

Sounds too lean, open up the needle valve more.... If no success, check float level is high enough.