Lawn Tractor Problems

[Bozz10mm]

Mowed the back yard yesterday. Kept smelling gas fumes. When I checked the the gas gauge, it read empty. Ha, I had just put 2 gallons in it 40 minutes ago. Now I know why the tank was completely empty before I started mowing. Found some fuel leaking in the rear, running down the transaxle. Figured the fuel line had cracked on the 19 yo mower.

Wow, how to get to it. After some heavy Googling, I got it disassembled enough to pull the tank and check the fuel line, but it wasn't the line at all. The tank has a 3 inch crack right in the center and another crack beginning perpendicular to that one.

Well, I thought about trying to fix it with super glue. I've had some success doing that with plastic gas cans. But it's a lot of trouble disassembling half the mower to get the gas tank and I don't want to take the chance that the glue won't hold. So, a new tank is on order, along with some new fuel line. Might as well replace that to while I have it apart..

13 bolts later...

.

Dang gas tank is expensive. The cheapest I found was $180 on Amazon, gas cap not included, heh. Well cheaper than a new mower. The new one should be here early next week.

 

[1911'S 4 Me]

And good for another 19 years. They were built better back then.

 

[Axxe55]

Mine is 28 years old and still going strong.

 

[skfullgun]

Yep. I hope it lasts a long time for you. I've been expecting my decrepit old John Deere Z255 to bite the dust for the last several summers, and I'm always happy when it makes it through another season. Last time I checked it had almost 1800 hours on it.

I think it's about 10 years old but I use it way harder than it should be as a "residential" mower. I've had to rebuild the spindles and pulleys a couple of times and I change oil/ filter yearly. I also installed a fuel cutoff valve so that I can run the carburetor dry every time I finish using it. It's one of the B&S V-Twins and it still purrs like a kitten! Well, maybe more like a lion, since the muffler is getting pretty old!

 

[Sam7sf]

Hopefully my husqvarna last a while. I run that thing hard but keep up on oil changes. Mostly...kind of.

 

[hooper]

I've had good success with using an old soldering iron and some seedeater string to weld a similar issue on a much mower gas tank.

 

[Bozz10mm]

I've had good success with using an old soldering iron and some seedeater string to weld a similar issue on a much mower gas tank.

That's a great idea!. I might try that. Practice on the old tank anyway. If it works, I'll have a spare

 

[Axxe55]

I've had good success with using an old soldering iron and some seedeater string to weld a similar issue on a much mower gas tank.

That's a great idea!. I might try that. Practice on the old tank anyway. If it works, I'll have a spare

A method of plastic welding that does work. But I would suggest using the same type plastic as the tank for an acceptable repair.

You need to determine the type of plastic the tank is manufactured out of.

 

[candcallen]

A method of plastic welding that does work. But I would suggest using the same type plastic as the tank for an acceptable repair.

You need to determine the type of plastic the tank is manufactured out of.

I guess old hard plastic isnt specific enough?

 

[baboon]

Mine is about do for its first oil change. I should be seeing on what's envolved instead of reading threads.

 

[Axxe55]

I guess old hard plastic isnt specific enough?

Not really. Many years ago, when I was doing body work, I actually had a plastic welding kit for doing different types of plastics.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

hop.snapon.com/product/supplemental/Proheat-Plastic-Welding-Kit/MASPH-1400WK

 

[Axxe55]

One of the good things about a plastic fuel tank. it's only a container for the fuel, and has no real pressure to contend with. Also a person could use an epoxy to seal up the repaired area to insure it didn't leak, and strengthen the repaired area.

 

[Wiliamr]

Better to have found the leak than not before there was a fire

 

[Mowingmaniac 24/7]

One word: Duct Tape!

 

[rotor]

I have never had success with super glue on any plastic material and I don't know how one tells what type of plastic is used. Harbor Freight does have a plastic welding kit and I have one but have never used it. Since you have a new tank coming I wouldn't waste time or money on the old one.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Super glue only works on certain types of plastic. Super glue is just an acid. It doesn't react to all plastics. I plastic weld with a screwdriver tip heated to cherry and don't use filler. My repairs are not structural or visible.

 

[Shady]

if you look on the tank it should have a logo to tell you what kind of plastic it is

Your Guide to Plastic Recycling Symbols - Acme Plastics

Learn how to interpret recycling symbols, what they mean, and how they can be used to identify plastic material to indicate how they can be recycled.

www.acmeplastics.com

 

[striker55]

Nothing built today is built to last. Oven purchased 3 years ago is giving us trouble.

 

[oldag]

They used to make an epoxy for sealing gas tank leaks. Might not work on plastic, though.

 

[G O B]

If a plastic gas tank is cracked, you can bet the rest of the tank is deteriorated just as badly. The molecular structure of the material has lost it's 'plasticity'. And no longer has any structural integrity.