and 8mm is the new 10 mm dissaparing act in town.
Log splitter motor question (Hydro locking)
- Thread starter sb47
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Old-Feller
Pretty Fart Smeller
This
If the tank sits higher than the carb, There is a good chance you will eventually have this problem sooner than later, The gravity pressure from the tank overrides the needle and seat. I always install one of the inexpensive in line shut-off valves if the engine didn't come with one. Make sure you get in the habit of always turning it off, Gas in the engine oil will cause rapid cylinder wear because it washes the oil off of the cylinder.
I see a lot of good ideas, but none of them say what is causing the issue.
I have been using it everyday for several hours, and the thing never had this isue.
Sure I can make with a quick fix.
I have had this splitter for about 4 years and It has started in the first pull. Makes me wounder that something is causing it.
The only thing i thing of is the needle valve not sealing. Plus the carb sits much lower then the poison. The only thing i can think of is the float not seating and because the fuel lines are primed with fuel, that it's signifying. But if it is signifying it would have to do it up hill. I have never see that happen.
I have been using it everyday for several hours, and the thing never had this isue.
Sure I can make with a quick fix.
I have had this splitter for about 4 years and It has started in the first pull. Makes me wounder that something is causing it.
The only thing i thing of is the needle valve not sealing. Plus the carb sits much lower then the poison. The only thing i can think of is the float not seating and because the fuel lines are primed with fuel, that it's signifying. But if it is signifying it would have to do it up hill. I have never see that happen.
Old-Feller
Pretty Fart Smeller
The needle and seat is wore out, Due to vibration.
my mechanic buddy says the gasahol degrades the seat
Old-Feller
Pretty Fart Smeller
The seat is made of brass, Gasahol will not hurt it, The needle is made of aluminum or brass and has "Viton Tip, I doubt Gasahol or Ethanol would hurt it either. Ethanol will do all kinds of damage to a carburetor though.
sb47asked:
I see a lot of good ideas, but none of them say what is causing the issue.
Most any gravity fed fuel system is subject to crankcase gas contamination, unless the machine has a updraft carb like my old tractor. (Carb is about 1 foot lower that the intake manifold)
As Woody912 indicates, but it not all just Ethanol.
I have a engine that is not run much and has always had non-ethanol gas used in it's gravity flow tank. The needle/seat started leaking. I removed the carb, cleaned the seat and installed new needle. Few days later I went to use the engine and no start. I took out the bowl's drain bolt, no gas in bowl.
Long story short I found that the gas from the tank had a slight gummy feel similar to molasses when I back flushed the gas filter into a paper towel. Removed gas tank and cleaned really good and all ok afterwards. The float and needle was sticking both open and closed sometimes due to the sticky stuff in the bottom of the gas tank.
May be other things causing the needle to not seat such as the inside of a old fuel hose going bad. Them engines really vibrate and any loose particles (knats bristles) are going to head towards the carb needle.
I see a lot of good ideas, but none of them say what is causing the issue.
Most any gravity fed fuel system is subject to crankcase gas contamination, unless the machine has a updraft carb like my old tractor. (Carb is about 1 foot lower that the intake manifold)
As Woody912 indicates, but it not all just Ethanol.
I have a engine that is not run much and has always had non-ethanol gas used in it's gravity flow tank. The needle/seat started leaking. I removed the carb, cleaned the seat and installed new needle. Few days later I went to use the engine and no start. I took out the bowl's drain bolt, no gas in bowl.
Long story short I found that the gas from the tank had a slight gummy feel similar to molasses when I back flushed the gas filter into a paper towel. Removed gas tank and cleaned really good and all ok afterwards. The float and needle was sticking both open and closed sometimes due to the sticky stuff in the bottom of the gas tank.
May be other things causing the needle to not seat such as the inside of a old fuel hose going bad. Them engines really vibrate and any loose particles (knats bristles) are going to head towards the carb needle.
buddy says some of these seats are plastic?
Old-Feller
Pretty Fart Smeller
https://www.google.com/search?q=nee...HbAJBUAQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1920&bih=919&dpr=1
I have never seen one made of plastic, The seat is screwed into the carb wth a flat bladed screwdriver and every one I have ever replaced was made of brass, The tip of the needles used to be made of steel a long time ago, Now the tips are made of a very tough material called "Viton"
Is Viton rubber ethanol resistant?
With exceptional chemical resistance, Viton® offers swell resistance in high octane and oxygenated fuel blends. This gives Viton® superior performance abilities in Ethanol/Methanol blended gasoline applications.
I'm not talking out my crapper, I was a Mechanic for over 30 years.
I've seen a few of them fail over the years that look perfect. I tend to think the viton tip gets worn down or distorted just enough to leak even though it looks good to the naked eye?
I've seen them get worn down to the point they had a ring wore around the area the seat, seen the Viton start to come apart from the needle. It's a wear item. The brass and plastic seats rarely have issues. Could simply be a crack in the float and it's starting to fill with fuel.
I can think of numerous times where splitters would come to the shop under warranty with complaint of gas in the oil, or the unit would start, or they couldn't pull it over. Typically it was as simple as explaining they needed to shut the fuel off before storage or transportation. Actually haven't seen a Briggs, Kohler, Honda, or Subaru that didn't have provisions to shut the fuel off in a Mobil application.
I can think of numerous times where splitters would come to the shop under warranty with complaint of gas in the oil, or the unit would start, or they couldn't pull it over. Typically it was as simple as explaining they needed to shut the fuel off before storage or transportation. Actually haven't seen a Briggs, Kohler, Honda, or Subaru that didn't have provisions to shut the fuel off in a Mobil application.
Well it does have 12,567 hours showing on the hour meter.
The needle valve on mine is brass. I know that because I took it out and inspected it.
All i had to do is remove one bolt on the bowl and slide the little pin out that holds the bowl in place. I can push the float up and it stops the fuel from filling the bowl. When I let it go it drops snd the fuel starts flowing again. That tels me the float is working like it is supposed to.
I have been using my hemostat to stop the flow. It hydro locked two times in one day. It just came out of nowhere. That motor runs like a top, I couldn't ask for more. It start on the first pull and runs for hours on a tank of gas. I did go ahead and change the oil just in case some got in the oil.
So you never "floated" the float? How do you know it's not cracked and filling up with fuel?
Also did you check the float for level? Just pushing it up by hand doesn't indicate it's working right.
Also did you check the float for level? Just pushing it up by hand doesn't indicate it's working right.
lauren
ArboristSite Member
There was a recall on those engines, if I remember right it was a fuel cap causing to much pressure and allowing some sort of fuel leak.
I know it's not cracked or waterlogged because I took the float out and inspected it. It has worked perfectly for the past 5 years and had worked perfectly the day before. Then it hydro locked twice in the same day.
Old-Feller
Pretty Fart Smeller
That's easy to figure out, Leave the cap real loose and see if it still happens, He is right, I looked it up, There is a recall and this engine was listed in the recall. I just have a hard time believing thats the problem with over 12,0000 hours on it, Thats actually a testament to how well the Command Pro engines are made, That's an unbelievable amount of hours for a small engine.
Thats the reason I have two of them. I had such good luck with the first one and I wanted another good splitter so I bought a second one. I'm glad I bought the second one when I did cause there asking 2,799 for them now.
10-4. Didn't mean to offend or anything, seems we sometimes overlook simple things and worth mentioning in case you didn't.
Not offended at all.
Just curious why your using hemostats on your fuel line when you have a fuel shutoff already on the motor?
Similar threads
