Tire of Buying Needle and Seat Kits

[yeehaw1960]

I found my fourth plastic float full of gas yesterday (in just a few months). Ethanol gas sure is tough on the plastic/rubber bits and pieces of carburetors. Started finding that seats were so swollen, the bowl of the carb would 'run out of gas' due to the float checking the flow of fuel way too early. I did find a cheaper way of solving the swollen seat problem though. Probably not news to the crustiest of forum members, but here it is: https://www.ebay.com/itm/20X-Carburetor-Needle-Seat-Kit-fits-Briggs-Stratton-398188-281144-83400-83412/303153880786?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2648

48 cents per carb instead of a needle and seat kit for 2 or 3 bucks. Works well on Tecumseh and Briggs.

Ah, the things a bored guy will spend time posting for his esteemed colleagues.

 

[jeepman3071]

Jeez, how many of these things are you replacing? Do you run the machines out of fuel when you are done using them for the season? I've probably replaced a total of 20 this entire year for customer machines.

 

[Lubener]

I can't remember the last time I had to replace the needle and seat. It's been a long time.

 

[boom10ful]

It's only going to get worse when E15 starts showing up at the pumps.

 

[jeepman3071]

I can't remember the last time I had to replace the needle and seat. It's been a long time.

+1

Something isn't right. They shouldn't last 4 months. Are you sure that is the issue? I replaced a needle and seat in a customer's snow blower a few weeks ago. This machine had fuel stored in it for the whole year (fuel went bad) and it is stored outside uncovered in the elements. What kind of damage are you seeing that you need to replace the needle/seat and float every 4 months? That is very abnormal even with ethanol fuels and if the machine is stored outside.

 

[yeehaw1960]

Like you, I work on a few hundred machines each year. Went through my first twenty-pack of seats by mid summer. That's just with Briggs, because you just have to adjust the float 'tab' on many Tecumseh engines. With the Briggs, the seat becomes so swollen, that the fuel checks off too early, and the machine seems to run out of gas. I ask customers to avoid ethanol (easy to do in Omaha area), but it's cheaper, and they can't see past that. I also sometimes joke with customers that they must store their fuel in an open 5 gallon bucket in their front yard. I spend a moment and get the bad fuel out, and they go straight home and, again, fill their machine up with the same stuff.

 

[jeepman3071]

Like you, I work on a few hundred machines each year. Went through my first twenty-pack of seats by mid summer. That's just with Briggs, because you just have to adjust the float 'tab' on many Tecumseh engines. With the Briggs, the seat becomes so swollen, that the fuel checks off too early, and the machine seems to run out of gas. I ask customers to avoid ethanol (easy to do in Omaha area), but it's cheaper, and they can't see past that. I also sometimes joke with customers that they must store their fuel in an open 5 gallon bucket in their front yard. I spend a moment and get the bad fuel out, and they go straight home and, again, fill their machine up with the same stuff.

Unfortunately, that's their problem that they don't pay attention or listen to your advice. You can lead a horse to water but can't make it drink. I have customers that I've replaced 3 engines for because they can't check the oil, and each time the warranty is denied because it's obvious the machine was run out of oil. This particular customer could've bought a brand new mower with what they have spent on engines alone, but they will still keep ignoring advice to check the oil, and I'll keep charging labor when I have to install an engine, it's just how it works.