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Where are people getting their new diaphragms for these carbs now? Genuine B&S ones are pretty much non existent over here, but I've heard some bad stories about dodgy pattern parts for other B&S carbs, such as the plastic ones used on the 450 Classic etc, so I'm a bit reluctant to just buy the first one I see on ebay... So just wondered if there were any known sources of good quality pattern items out there for the old 3.5 / 4hp engines with the auto-choke pulsa jet carbs? Thanks

You get them from a mower shop that sells after market parts from companies who stock parts that are guaranteed like Oregon , Prime Line , Stens & Rotary

rustymidget said:

Where are people getting their new diaphragms for these carbs now? Genuine B&S ones are pretty much non existent over here, but I've heard some bad stories about dodgy pattern parts for other B&S carbs, such as the plastic ones used on the 450 Classic etc, so I'm a bit reluctant to just buy the first one I see on ebay... So just wondered if there were any known sources of good quality pattern items out there for the old 3.5 / 4hp engines with the auto-choke pulsa jet carbs? Thanks

Click to expand...

I just bought 2 McLane edgers with the horizontal crank Briggs 3.5hp engines. As you are finding out, parts are no longer available. I was stunned when parts shopping. Briggs made millions of these 3.5hp engines. Must be a mower salvage yard some place with tons of parts. Wish I knew where it was.

Wondering if the parts shortage is due to that ONE ship that got sideways in the Panama Canal? Briggs is US based so that doesn't make sense. Unless they have their parts made in China??

Post up your engine numbers and I will shop around for you.

slomo

slomo said:

I just bought 2 McLane edgers with the horizontal crank Briggs 3.5hp engines. As you are finding out, parts are no longer available. I was stunned when parts shopping. Briggs made millions of these 3.5hp engines. Must be a mower salvage yard some place with tons of parts. Wish I knew where it was.

Wondering if the parts shortage is due to that ONE ship that got sideways in the Panama Canal? Briggs is US based so that doesn't make sense. Unless they have their parts made in China??

Post up your engine numbers and I will shop around for you.

slomo

Click to expand...

The problem with the old salvage yards is scrap in my area is $200 per ton. I just hauled off 3440 pounds yesterday. My 6th load of the year.

You got one of these?


slomo

Yep there is only so much you can keep in a bone yard.
I got about 50 deceased ride on mowers when I bought the repair run 8 years ago and in those 8 years I have sold 4 gearboxes to racers and one deck gauge wheel.
It has cost me more in time looking for used parts that might fit than it would have cost to just get a new part & modify it to fit .
If I had the time all of it would be broken down into metals and sold when the scrap prices are up & the space used for something more valuable like growing veggies.
I did toss all of the edgers into the scrap metal bins as no one ever uses them any more apart from the professionals.
I kept a couple of the Victa Tilt a Cut's but all of the other stuff went to Mr Sims .

For people to keep parts, thy have to be able to make a profit by selling them otherwise there is no point in keeping them

"For people to keep parts, thy have to be able to make a profit by selling them otherwise there is no point in keeping them"

BINGO!

The issue isn't so much where to get any diaphragm, I can go on ebay and order a 391681 pattern part that will fit, but the question is more which brands of aftermarket diaphragms are any good / close to original B&S quality? And where do you guys tend to get these from - ebay/Amazon, local repair shop etc? The cheap(er) pattern diaphragms for a an old 3.5/4hp are still three times the cost of a genuine B&S diaphragm for say a 450 /35 Classic, and by some accounts, they're still crap.

I've ordered a Stens one for now, as suggested above, hope that's OK.