[blackwater]

I came across a old John Deere push mower that wasnt running. Pulled it apart and cleaned everything and over looked the fuel needle that was under the float. The corrosion had locked, blocked the passage way.
I may have made mistake a fatal mistake cleaning the bore the needle goes in. I used a dremel tool with a grinding ball that fit in with room to spare. I didnt use much pressure, just lightly went over it
I didnt go all the way to the orifice the needle points into within the bore.
The float doesnt have spring on it, the needle slides into a extension of the float.

Now gas just pours out.

Could I have made the tolerance between the needle and bore to large or even made the seat for the needle to large? If so how can it be fixed? If the needle is the issue where can I get a replacement? If the tolerance is that big of a issue can I get a larger needle?

 

[Shryp]

You didn't mention what kind of engine.

I don't have much experience, but I rebuilt my first Tecumseh snowblower carb a month ago and they have little rubber seats up inside where the needle goes. Maybe you tore the rubber up on it and just need to replace that or you just have some junk up there holding it. Also, the float might not be closing right, you have to set the height to a certain distance and you might have bent it if the needle was stuck and you pulled on it.

Also, Tecumseh says to put the open/pointy end if the clip that holds the needle on the float facing the choke/air filter side of the carb. I saw some youtube videos on it and the guy said he has never noticed anything bad by putting them in backwards, but he does it that way. One other thing you could check is the float bowl. On Tecumsehs the small flat part of the bowl that isn't quite as deep as the rest is suppose to line up with the float pin.

There are a lot of places online to order parts, but the needle and seat set is like $1.50 and you would end up spending way more on shipping then you will save by buying locally. Find a lawnmower shop or hardware store.

An easy way to test it while you are playing with it is to just blow in the end of the line while moving the float up and down while you have the bowl off. That should save you from taking it apart a bunch and getting gas everywhere.

I got a whole carb rebuild kit for mine and it was not working either. I messed with the float a few times with no luck, then for no reason I can think of I tried pushing on the seat again with the flat end of a drill bit and then it started working. My best guess is when I first put it in I didn't get it all the way in or some junk was in there.

The seat fits kind of tight, so if you expanded the hole a little it would probably be ok. Also you probably didn't spend a lot of time grinding the very bottom so it will hopefully be ok. Not sure if there is any kind of glue you could use if you did end up ruining it though. Lets just hope you didn't take the little rubber seat out and just damaged that. It is basically a little o-ring.

 

[blackwater]

**** ya! I looked at diagrams online real quick last night but didn't notice a O-ring which is the seat. I thought the seat was just bottom... or top the needle set into without a o-ring. However when I was blowing the bore out I did hear a pop like release of whatever was blocking it. This could have been the O-ring.

Now if I could just remember which direction I was standing, the way I had the bore facing and hoping the garage door was closed I might be able....nah that suckers gone with the wind!

Can I just use any O-ring granted it fits and seals when the float is all the way up?

I wish I knew what motor it is. I looked for the model and codes and couldn't locate them. I'll scope it out again.

Thanks!

 

[blackwater]

Just to make sure. This is the same needle shape I have. I notice there are some set ups where the bore the needle going in is removable, mine isnt. So I should just need the O-ring as pictured..I have a ton of little o-rings some where. Ill try a few out and see what happens.
http://www.cameronsmallengines.com/catalog/i21.html

 

[Fcubman]

My old Tecumseh has an o-ring for the needle seat, but it is flat, as if it were punched out of a sheet of rubber, and a small hole put in the center that the needle seats against. It kept sliding down and shutting the gas off, until I staked it in place. By old I mean 1985-ish. It still runs great, too.

 

[bstrucker]

It's not a standard oring,they are a special oring,I think they are neoprene or something like that,they aren't rounded and some of them have a groove on one side and are installed in a particular direction.

 

[MTD snow plow]

Do you have any pictures of that engine?

 

[blackwater]

No pics, ill try to google it and see if I can find one and post the link. But..............I got it and she fired right up!!

I figured it might have been a specialty o-ring but was going to give the plain janes a try. But didnt need to. I ended up pulling a 0-ring off my Fathers yard vac that isnt running “so he said”. It fit, works and is running very good!

Guess the next thing on the list is to get the yard vac going for him. Plus I already know one of the reasons its not running..It needs a needle seat!!!!!!!

 

[Shryp]

Good for you.

The proper way to remove it is to use a little pick with a hook on the end. I have read reports of guys popping them out with an air compressor though. Sounds like that is exactly what you did without ever trying.

Here is what they are suppose to look like:
http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/22-1434.html?id=UsY39N5S

Until we know the kind of engine you have we won't know what will work though.

I bought one of the rebuild kits for mine, came with all kinds of parts.
http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/22-10948.html

I picked up an old Ariens for almost free so just rebuilt the carb with new kit, float, both intake gaskets, bowl, fuel and primer lines.