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Lawnmower Repair Question...

Scarpozzi

Scarpozzi

Lifer
I've got a Craftsman Self-propelled Bagging mower that was a gift from an old friend. Last year was the first year I used it and it worked fine...but about half-way through the season it started to sputter like it wasn't getting enough fuel. It would die and I would start it again....then all would be fine. This would happen every other time I would mow the lawn until it finally stopped starting. The engine will fire, but then die instantly.

I took the carburator off the main part of the engine. It has the governor, primer bulb, a float valve, and a air intake with a filter body on it. The question.....the carburator assembly was bolted onto the main engine chassis and had a paper filter between the metal. Can I replace this with permatex? I wasn't able to find a replacement easily because it's a tecumseh engine. I don't think the fuel travelling through the pipe would be under that much pressure....I just don't want to cause any problems by using a different kind of gasket without any solid structure.... Thanks for anyone who has any advice.

-Scar
 
Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
I've got a Craftsman Self-propelled Bagging mower that was a gift from an old friend. Last year was the first year I used it and it worked fine...but about half-way through the season it started to sputter like it wasn't getting enough fuel. It would die and I would start it again....then all would be fine. This would happen every other time I would mow the lawn until it finally stopped starting. The engine will fire, but then die instantly.

I took the carburator off the main part of the engine. It has the governor, primer bulb, a float valve, and a air intake with a filter body on it. The question.....the carburator assembly was bolted onto the main engine chassis and had a paper filter between the metal. Can I replace this with permatex? I wasn't able to find a replacement easily because it's a tecumseh engine. I don't think the fuel travelling through the pipe would be under that much pressure....I just don't want to cause any problems by using a different kind of gasket without any solid structure.... Thanks for anyone who has any advice.

-Scar
Click to expand...

Have you tried contacting Sears? The reason I ask is don't they have lifetime support of their products the same way HD takes care of Husky purchases Scarpozzi? 😕
 
Agree on calling sear's support. they rock.

Other than that your carb is probably gummed up.

soak it in in WD-40, work the throttle/valves and clean it out. you're motor should start and run even if the gasket is bad...it will just run really gnarly.

what I mean is - you are probably not getting fuel into the chamber.
 
Did it ever occur to anyone that for as simple as a lawnmower engine is, it is one of the most frustrating things to keep running.
 
Originally posted by: Sluggo
Did it ever occur to anyone that for as simple as a lawnmower engine is, it is one of the most frustrating things to keep running.
Click to expand...

Not really.

Fuel/air/fire.

get those right and you're all good.
 
get some gasket material and make a new one. Permatex is not good enough for a good carb to manifold seal alone. You should be able to trace around the carb mounting flange to make a new one easily enough.
 
Originally posted by: Killrose
get some gasket material and make a new one. Permatex is not good enough for a good carb to manifold seal alone. You should be able to trace around the carb mounting flange to make a new one easily enough.
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking....but had to ask if anyone ever used permatex for a seal in this application before. I may head to sears after work and see what they can do for me. I had some throttle body cleaner around my basement somewhere, but didn't have time to really look for it yesterday. It didn't look dirty at all in the assembly...I'm not sure what was going on. I've got a new air filter and I'm going to clean off the parts, put it back together and see if it starts up.
 
Scarpozzi
Do not use Permatex, it's a iffy chance that the mating surfaces are completly flat,thi is why a paper gasket is used in the first place, if you use permatex and you end up with a intake leak, the symptoms will be ;

Uneven idle
No idle at all
Idle mixture screw ineffective
Burned valves under load from lean air/fuel mixture

Grab a piece of construction paper,trace out the gasket and cut it with a pair of scissors.

DO NOT over torque the intake bolts, 20 inch pounds is all it takes, dn't forget the lock washers or blue locktite.
 
i have a craftsman mower that i bought new 12 years ago. i think last summer was its last summer. it leaks oil everywhere and wont stay running for longer than 10 minutes. Im just going to go to sears and buy a new one. they had good sales on last week for a 6.75HP 22" self-propelled rear bagger for $300 bucks.
 
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