Lawn mower problem...

[jJim McLaughlin]

Usually I have no concerns with lawnmower maintence issues...

But yesterday I found a problem not previously encountered....

Old mower (25 years ?), Sears model 917.372110, has a whopping 3.5 HP "Craftsman" engine, Model 143.374082, which looks to me like a pretty standard Briggs and Stratton.

I serviced the mower thoroughly beginning of March. New plug, fresh oil, blade sharpened, new air filter, new coil / ignition module (once every 5 years, it was due).

Mower has been used this season about 8 - 10 times, ran fine...

Cold start. Follow directions, primeer bulb pushed 5x, waiting about 15 seconds between pushes.

Pull starter, gets a good loud "pop" just as its supposed to, runs about

5 - 10 seconds, dies.

Pull again, weaker pop, runs shorter, dies.

Re prime. Pull starter, gets a good loud "pop" just as its supposed to, runs about 5 - 10 seconds, dies.

Pull again, weaker pop, runs shorter, dies.

Repeat several times. Clearly, its a fuel supply issue.

Getting frustrated, so I walk away. Grass will still be there in a half hour, and I'll try again in case I flooded it.

Come back in half hour, notice intense gasoline odor. Gas is running out the air filter, puddling on the deck and down onto the grass.

Tank, which was filled (fresh gas, Stabil) before I started this adventure is now about 3/4 empty.

Remove tank and pour remaining gas back into can.

Swear loudly.

I'm thinking carburetur issue, probably a split rubber primer bulb or some gasket issue inside carb, alliwing air to go up the fuel line into the tank, and fuel to run down the fuel line to fill the float bowl and rise up so it drains out the air intake pipe, though the air filter and onto the frund.

Air filture is a circular catridge type that screws into a plastic housing at the front end of the air intake tube.

I don't like messing with carbs, but will if I have to. I can always haul it to a repair place if I can't fix it. I sure can't break it any more than it already is.

Anybody have any idea which B&S engine Sears used in this thig?

Anybody run into a similar problem?

Anybody have a good lead on buying B&S parts? I hate Sears prices and sipping charges on parts.

TIA.

[jJim McLaughlin]

[trainfan1]

Tecumseh.

Try Jack's Small Engines:

I've had superior service from them.

Try the Sears website, too, & see if you can get the part(s) locally:

& they are cheaper quite often. I bought a mower deck shell last year & Sears was the best price, & cheapest on shipping.

Rob

[Oren]

Was this mower sitting in the hot sun by chance?

I filled my tank recently, sitting in the HOT 90F sun for awhile I think it leaked onto the deck of my mower. Maybe a tight cap and expanding gas forced it out onto the mower deck via the carb.

I don't know for certain, but the deck looks the color of bee's wax, just under the carb. The mower still runs.

-- Oren

..through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo..

[jJim McLaughlin]

SNIPS

Hmmm. Good idea. Real cloudy here yesterday, though, all day. Temps never broke 60. So I do't think thats it.

[jJim McLaughlin]

SNIPS

Yeah, I found, after my initial post, that it was Tecumseh with a little digging.

Thanks for the parts site cite.

I found another one:

Glad to hear that you hav had good experiences with John's. I'd be buyng blind.

Sears was surprisingly cheaper for a carb ($ 59.99) than the site I found ($ 62 and change).

Again, thanks.

[barry]

Sounds like classic case of carb-flooding- could be dirt in needle-valve, or corroded (thus sinking) float, mostlikely.

Carb-kit time.

JN

[Bob F]

Or dirt in the float valve.

Bob

[Oren]

Float valve and needle-valve. Did I miss something or are they one in the same?

-- Oren

..through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo..

[jJim McLaughlin]

HUGE SNIPS

I read and hear about "carb kits".

At the risk of showing how ignorant I can sometimes be, what's a "carb kit" and where do you get one?

All I see on web sites for this Tecumseh are lots and lots of real small parts being sold separately, or a complete, unbolt the old one rebolt the new one, replacement carb.

[tylernt]

[Stormin Mormon]

1) It's a Tecumseh. Looked it up on the sears parts site. 2) Your gas problem sounds a lot like a defective float in the carb. Part number 632019 which costs six bucks. The floats are noted for leaking, and then they don't float. And then the gas floods.

[Stormin Mormon]

Very unlikely to need the entire carb. Much more likely just the float.

You're one of the few people on this site who can properly use site and cite in a sentence when you cite someone.

[jJim McLaughlin]

That comes of my disolute youth, been lawyering and then judging for too long until I retired a couple years ago.

Which is why I love tinkering with things mechanical, electrical, and constructionish.

Very relaxing and as far removed from what I do / did as a job to be fun.

And mechanical stuff actually sometimes does what you "tell" it to do, unlike 99% of criminal defendants and 90% of civil litigants.

[clifto]

Being as how Usenet is not a site, apparently you're not. :)

[jJim McLaughlin]

You really can't as dumb as you write, can you?

[Oren]

Of course he can! Never say never - mentioned here before.

-- Oren

..through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo..

[clifto]

Easy for you to.

[Andy Asberry]

There doesn't appear to be one from Sears. Any mower shop should be able to get an after-market kit.

--Andy Asberry--

------Texas-----

[jJim McLaughlin]

I guess you can be as dumb as you write. You've just proven it yet again.