K321 won't start
Bought a non running Ariens s14 with a K321 because I wanted the included snow blower for my dad's mower. Turns out the mower I bought was in better shape than mine, so I started working on it.
Gas was full of water so I cleaned fuel tank and replaced all fuel lines and filter. When I disassembled and cleaned carb the paint flaked off and got everywhere. I was afraid it might be in the small passages, so I put a new chinese carb on it. Replaced spark plug. Previous owner had put new plastic fuel pump and solenoid on it. Engine oil was gray foamy goo I've never seen anything like it. Flushed it out as well as I could with new oil before it was cranked.
Started it up and it ran pretty good. I probably had 20 minutes total run time over a couple weeks as I mounted snow blower and worked on other mechanical issues.
At one point it seemed to lose prime. I unhooked fuel line and pressurized fuel tank slightly to get gas through it. It ran after that.
Got all the other work done and ready to put it in shed and all of a sudden it won't start. Choke it and crank for a while and it runs about 5 pops, then dies. Wont do that again until I unchoke, crank for a while, then choke again and it will do the 5 pops again. Occasionally back fires. With the air cleaner off I see some fuel pooling in the carb throat when it stops. Not a lot. If it's a fuel problem, I'm not sure if it's flooding or not getting enough.
Since then I've done the following:
Float seems parallel to the carb body. when upside down I can't find anything more instructions on how to adjust it.
New points and condenser, timed with volt meter to 20 deg mark. I see spark across the points gap. Is that normal?
New head gasket (seemed to be leaking a little near the bolt with the lifting eye, not very bad. cleaned carbon while it was apart.
Another new spark plug.
Put the old carb together (it wasn't really rebuilt, just cleaned and put back together) and installed. Same behavior.
At one point it stopped cranking and oddly enough the brand new solenoid had died, so I replaced it.
Swapped coils with the other mower. no change. Spark looks decent.
I bought a fuel pump but have not put on yet. It seems to be moving fuel. When I took it off to look it, I found the previous owner had not remove the fiber gasket. This plastic one says to remove the gasket and only use the o-ring type gasket. I put it back together without the fiber gasket. same behavior.
I suppose I should put the fuel pump on, but I've waited way too long to ask for help and I feel stupid that I chased so many things. Any ideas?
Bob