New Trick on Brigs Carb

[EDS]

I have been playing with my 1978 Homelite T-10; the engine wasn't running as good as it used to and hard to start. Spark was good so in checking for dirt in the carb, I removed the main needle valve and disconnected the fuel line at the carb. I put a clean paper towel at the fuel inlet to catch any dirt and put a little compressed air where the needle goes. No dirt came out, but air bubbles showed up around the gasket between the top and bottom half of the Briggs large two piece flow jet, four bolt carb. Sure enough, the bottom part was warped where the screws go. I very gingerly put the bottom of the carb in the vice and gently bent the ears for the screws back. Also, reassembled it with two STENS gaskets which are thicker than the B&S gasket. The old cast iron 10 horse started right up and runs very good now. I am aware that this is a classic problem, so that is why I was trying to avoid taking the carb apart by passing a little air thru it.