I've got a Weedeater lawn mower model# 96114001400. It has a Briggs and Stratton engine model# 9S5021019B1. It would start and then die. I took the carb apart and cleaned it. No help. Changed the fuel and cleaned out the tank. No help. Finally. I removed the cable on the handle that kills the engine when released. Now the engine starts easy and runs again, however it has a bad miss. I'm thinking it could possibly be the carb diaphram, as I did not use a new one. The old one looks good, although I realize this may not necessarily be correct. I've tried to find a parts diagram on this particular model but have not been able too. Does this engine have points or a condensor? One friend told me it doesn't and another said it does. If it does I need the part number(s). Thanks

Gee, you'd better not sign up for a heart surgeon class- who knows what would happen then! Sounds like a common issue of the carb diaphragm. Two bolts will remove the fuel tank, 5 screws for the carb. This is the time to clean any debris from the tank. the diaphragm kit is cheap and it is advisable to install a new intake seal that slides over the intake tube (in the end of the carb) at the same time. BTW, when the tank is off, give the intake tube a wiggle to check that it is still tight. You can also take this time to clean debris out behind the tin cover that is between the tank and cooling fins. The diaphragm sits below the supplied gasket on the fuel tank. tighten the screws in a staggered progressive sequence, remount the tank assy to the engine and you will be fine.

Electrical problem with the Rectifier. Lost it's internal ground and can not "tell" the alternator to produce the amps needed to operate much more than the head lights. Simply run a wire from one of the screws that hold the rectifier to the engine block and ground the other end to the frame. Problem solved. Common problem with Command and Courage engines. I have saw countless people waste hundreds of dollars trying fix this very problem when all is needed is a piece of 14 Ga wire.

"I put a new carb on it, but it still didn't start without priming." Are you sure that the choke is closing completely? "it started and operated just a few minutes, POPPED and died. Restarted it and it did the same after a few minutes. I can't get anything done with it, so it's sort of worthless as it is." Sounds to me like it has sheared the flywheel key now. You should be able to remove the cooling shroud, flywheel screen, flywheel mounting nut or bolt and look down the keyways to see that they line up. IF the engine is equipped with a solenoid in the bottom of the carb bowl, is it working? Opening? Wires shorting or intermittent conductivity? Walt Conner