Farkin lawn mower!

[Noozer]

Grass is in dire need of cutting, so I pulled out the mower and got about

1/4 done. It starts running rough and finally dies out. I'm able to start it a couple times, but it won't stay running. I'm sure that I've got water in the tank, so I pull off the tank and drain it into a glass jar... Yup. LOTS of water sitting at the bottom of the jar. I mount the tank back up and pull the float bowl off and dump the water out of it. I remount the bowl, fill the tank and DAMMIT, the bowl is leaking...

I clamped off the line, dropped the bowl again and remounted it, making sure that I dont bump the rubber gasket around. I snug up the brass bolt that holds the bowl in place, finger tight. Turn the bowl back and forth a bit to make sure it's seated. It feels OK. I tighted the bolt, release the line and AGAIN... drip drip drip drip.

Now I have the line clamped off. The washer that goes between the bowl and bolt is wrecked. I can't cut my grass. Pfft!

So, since I'm here ranting, I have a few questions...

What is that washer made of? It looks like paper, or cardboard.

The bowl has one half that is deeper than the other. I assume that to make sure the bowl is aligned properly that the low side is where the float drops into.

Why the heck does the brass bolt have a ball bearing stuck in the end? Not really sure what the purpose of the machining of this bolt is.

Anyhow... Tomorrow being Sunday, I doubt I'll be able to find the washer I need. Hopefully that's all it will take to seal up my bowl.

[Jeff Wisnia]

You could fabricate a washer yourself. The plastic from the center of the lid of a yogurt or container or coffee can ought to be about the right thickness to use for that purpose and will be resilient and gasoline resistant.

Try it, watcha go to lose?

Jeff

Jeff

[Nate Nagel]

An x-acto knife and some gasket paper will fix you right up. In a pinch a piece of cereal box will work, smeared with a thin coat of Permatex No. 2.

nate

(what? Me do a slim shady field repair?)

[Moe]

Sounds like the needle and seat are leaking, if the needle and seat seal properly the gas won't overfill the bowl and it won't leak. That brass bolt is also the main metering jet, the wire in bread ties work well to clean the little metering holes. I haven't seen one with a ball bearing stuck in it. To get the grass cut today, buy a 12 pack of beer and invite the neighbor over after he's had a couple of beers mention that you wish his mower was more powerful, but you know it isn't powerful enough to cut your grass...... with a little luck he will show you how well it cuts your grass, worst case, he loans you his mower and you have to do the mowing. Be sure to ask him if his weed trimmer is any damn good......

[Lawrence]

good answers. it is easy to rent a mower in the meantime.

[Noozer]

Well... It rained all day yesterday, and we had SNOW today...

Guess I'll have time to find a suitable replacement.

: (