Topic: Lawn mower has decided the grass is short enough

[eigenvector]

Looks like I have a winter project - rebuilding the carburetor on the lawn mower.  Fun fun fun.

Hey - if I can rebuild the carbs on a Sabre, this little guy should be a snap.  The challenge here will be finding the parts - there's only like a kabillion models and seems like if the mower is older than 5 years no one stocks parts.

So a hunting I will go.

Suppose I can always mount one of my spare Keihins 

[BomberMann650]

Why replace it, when you can aspirate it!!

 

[70CB750]

It should not be hard, done that before.

[eigenvector]

Turbocharged the engine? 

It won't be hard, I'm positive about that.

More of a parts issue than anything.  Consequence of running all the crap gas I take out of the motorcycle tanks after sitting all winter.  Sometimes it seems like I'm burning more iron dust than gas.  Doh!

[Steve F]

Looks like I have a winter project - rebuilding the carburetor on the lawn mower.  Fun fun fun.

Hey - if I can rebuild the carbs on a Sabre, this little guy should be a snap.  The challenge here will be finding the parts - there's only like a kabillion models and seems like if the mower is older than 5 years no one stocks parts.

So a hunting I will go.

Suppose I can always mount one of my spare Keihins 

Do yourself a huge favor and find the engine numbers and go with those when ordering parts.  If it's a BRIGGS, they're stamped on the blower shroud. Techumseh has a tag riveted on somewhere.  The "Code" number is important.  Should be able to get parts for most brands except for the Chinese stuff pretty easily.

[333]

And here's a good source for parts;

http://www.ereplacementparts.com/

It'll have exploded diagrams. Decent prices. And it may turn out a whole carb is cheaper.  Model and serial number of the mower should be all you need, but the motor numbers are handy.  The numbers on a Briggs will give you it's birthday.

[eigenvector]

I'll have to wait until after Noah has finished building his Ark - probably sometime in March or so.  I do live in Seattle - (cold and steady) rain in the fall and winter is a pretty sure bet.  But yeah, definitely will need to pull the carb (two measly bolts) and get the number off it.

Scott was mentioning about high mileage vehicles - this lawn mower is another great example.  I beat the holy heck out of this thing - and it just runs and runs and runs...  Heck I'm still running the original oil and it's 10 years old.  Considering they're only like 300 bucks, I figure if I can rebuild this carb and get another 10 years out of it I'll be happy.

[ekpent]

 Is it a push mower ?  Most likely its a cheap little rubber diaphragm that's called the pumper or accelerator pump. Couple bucks and an hour fix    Please give the poor old thing a nice new 16- 20oz blood transfusion also after 10 years.   

[DaveBarbier]

I've got a little Craftsman 917.387410 push mower that's probably around 15 years old. I just rebuilt the carb with new parts this spring. I got the parts from a local place; they're widely available. Obviously I don't know your make, but you might be surprised what's still available.

[carnivorous chicken]

Surprised nobody has chimed in with the "only use OEM parts, the aftermarket carb kits are junk! Clean and reuse original brass!" HA!
I've rebuilt my lawn mower carb a couple times, still keeps ticking. I guess rebuild is a bit of a stretch, more like cleaned the thing up and put it back together. Seems like they've got a lot more tolerance for imperfection than an SOHC/4.

[Steve F]

I have a Honda mower, HR214 I think, and you HAVE to buy original parts since no one makes aftermarket parts for Honda mowers (at least nothing I could find).  It's going on at least 30 years now and blows a puff of smoke at startup and that's all.  About the only thing non-OEM you can buy at the local parts shop is a spark plug and oil.

[eigenvector]

That wasn't too bad, you were correct, the model number was jutting out of the side.

I have a kit on order - I desperately need a new blade, running over too many mole hills has turned it into a grass shredder rather than a cutter.

[ekpent]

+1 on the moles. I have some raised tunnels so big that looks like a beaver bored them out !

[Steve F]

That wasn't too bad, you were correct, the model number was jutting out of the side.

I have a kit on order - I desperately need a new blade, running over too many mole hills has turned it into a grass shredder rather than a cutter.

THE number one cause of carb problems on lawn mowers is little pieces of debris in the gas tank.  They find their way into the jets and various small passages and that's all she wrote.  The Gumout carb cleaner spray, using the straw tube to blast clean the passages and jets followed with compressed air is about all you need.  Unless you have a hole in the diaphragm (if so equipped) also messes things up.

[DaveBarbier]

That wasn't too bad, you were correct, the model number was jutting out of the side.

I have a kit on order - I desperately need a new blade, running over too many mole hills has turned it into a grass shredder rather than a cutter.

Could just put an angle grinder to it and then balance it by hanging it from a nail by the middle hole in a vise. Chisel grind, only one edge is beveled.

[Don R]

 I had a Honda engine on a generator, the plastic jet holder got loose but I got an entire new carb for not much money. That loud bastard's been running for years. I got  quiet eu2000 and sold the old one at a swap meet.

[bill440cars]

            How about a Turbocharged Self-Propelled Mower? Might have to add an attachment with 2 wheels and a seat though. 

[WhyNot2]

Don't change that oil...........I did the same thing, ran my mower for darn near 10 years on the same oil.

Then decided to change it, and kabowie....the darn thing blow apart, just as I finished cutting the yard and heading back to the storage shed to put it away. Inside that is. Looks like the connecting rod let loose and all the internals just flew around in there.

So needless to say.....I need another engine.