smhardesty
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2022
- Threads
- 25
- Messages
- 272
Thank you, TobyU. I now know that at least one guy actually caught what I was saying.
Fact: My own Craftsman lawn tractor began shutting off while I was mowing, and it was the very first year I owned the thing. The first time it did it, it took a while before I thought to tap the side of the fuel bowl. It took me a while to think about the shutoff solenoid. The second and third time it decided to just shutoff, I immediately tapped the fuel bowl and it fired right back up. I managed to finish the mowing and that evening I got online to order a new solenoid. The price was $92. I was a bit peeved. The following day I went and bought an old time, cheap, manual shutoff valve and stuck it in the fuel line between the tank and the fuel filter. Now, when I change my fuel filter, I no longer have gas running all over. If I know I'm going to change the fuel filter, I shut the manual valve off, then let the engine run until it dies. No fuel is left in the line or filter to accidentally spill out. Then, after putting the manual valve in the line, I turned it off, pulled the bowl, and cut the plunger off. Problem solved and for about 5 bucks versus the $92 replacement cost of the solenoid.
I also ALWAYS let my small engines idle for a minimum of 3 minutes after using the equipment. I have NEVER heard any sort of backfiring or any other noises when I shut the equipment off. You are correct in saying that even with the solenoid working as it is supposed to, an engine can still produce the backfiring.
Fact: My own Craftsman lawn tractor began shutting off while I was mowing, and it was the very first year I owned the thing. The first time it did it, it took a while before I thought to tap the side of the fuel bowl. It took me a while to think about the shutoff solenoid. The second and third time it decided to just shutoff, I immediately tapped the fuel bowl and it fired right back up. I managed to finish the mowing and that evening I got online to order a new solenoid. The price was $92. I was a bit peeved. The following day I went and bought an old time, cheap, manual shutoff valve and stuck it in the fuel line between the tank and the fuel filter. Now, when I change my fuel filter, I no longer have gas running all over. If I know I'm going to change the fuel filter, I shut the manual valve off, then let the engine run until it dies. No fuel is left in the line or filter to accidentally spill out. Then, after putting the manual valve in the line, I turned it off, pulled the bowl, and cut the plunger off. Problem solved and for about 5 bucks versus the $92 replacement cost of the solenoid.
I also ALWAYS let my small engines idle for a minimum of 3 minutes after using the equipment. I have NEVER heard any sort of backfiring or any other noises when I shut the equipment off. You are correct in saying that even with the solenoid working as it is supposed to, an engine can still produce the backfiring.