Faulty Fuel Pump - Again

[SGragg]

Mower's been running well after changing points (for about a month) until I tried starting it Friday evening. Cranked well, but wouldn't catch. Pulled air filter housing off and could see brown liquid sitting on base of filter housing. Cranked again and saw brownish fluid sputtering up from the hose connecting the crankcase. My first thought: fuel pump is leaking gas into the engine.

It was time for a mid-season oil change anyway, so the next morning I pulled the dipstick and it was way up over the level of where it was the previous week. Drained oil and it gushed out and smelled of gas. Bummer!

Thought I was hosed for mowing, but wait! I remembered bypassing the fuel pump when I had this trouble earlier. So, got a straight piece of fuel line and bypassed the pump, filled up the crankcase with SAE-30 oil and filled the gas tank and she fired right up. Mowed for the next 1-1/2 hours w/o a problem.

Thanks to suggestions on this forum I was able to keep going instead of being stuck. And whoever said something on here about Stens fuel pumps being crap, I now believe them.

I may just keep the bypass and make sure the gas tank is over the half-full mark.

[mickb72]

Hello, i just bypassed one too. Mag 18 in my 582 has a new clean looking fuel pump. Hasn't been used much but i kept getting that rising oil level. I have gas shutoffs on all my tractors and use them, so it must be leaking while running. 2 oil changes into the firepit! May go electric. Mike

[Shaner]

I put a vaccum style pump on off an 1862 and it pumps fuel great. I bought one of those stems pumps and it felt cheesy. The push lock fuel fittings are a stupid design with that snap ring to hold the tabs in so it will lock together. I put mine together, mounted it and turned the fuel on and it started to flow from both fittings down the side of the block. I tried to take it out and reset the fittings but noticed the fuel pump body itself was cracked....so I threw it in the garbage where it belongs. Kohler brand or vacuum or gravity only!

[jimbob200521]

That may have been me I remember posting to someone that they are an option, but that the one I had, died out in mere months. I'm with you, however; if I have one go out on one of my Mag's, I will go gravity since I try not to run my tanks too low. That, or pony up for a Kohler brand

[Sam Mac]

You could use something like this.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pfs-10701/overview/

[J-Mech]

So, you tried to start your tractor without first checking the oil? If you had done that like you should always do, it wouldn't have required pulling the air filter. Good thing it didn't start, or this may have been a "why did my motor lock up" thread.

[SGragg]

Since owning this machine and knowing it uses a little oil, I'm familiar to its rate of use. Got in the habit of checking it every other mow.

You're spot on J-Mech. Now I'll be checking it before each use. Good advice.