Tiller fuel system basic question

i would check all connections cause it sounds like she's sucking air from somewhere :-/

 

Check the fuel outlet on the tank, the black plastic outlets tend to crack at the threads where the brass fuel line connector screws in.

 

Once upon a time I had a motor that acted the same way. After I replaced all of the hoses, priming bulb, etc. it still acted up at higher rpms. Ran great at low rpms.

Mine had a mechanical fuel pump attached to the engine (a small box looking thing) that the fuel line went into and then a line into the carb. Inside that box thing there was a plenum (thin rubber gizmo) that created a vacuum to pull gas from the tank as well as a pump to keep the carb full of fuel. After a guy showed me this and I replaced it the motor was perfect.

I was not able to see the fine deteriation of this with my eye, I had to use a magnifying glass. At high speed there was not enough rigidity to it for it to work properly and caused the pump to create turbulence to the fuel. I think the part was less than $5.