Replies

1. 
   calvin | May 01, 2010 02:18pm | #1

   If it were mine

   I'd go to a whiz with small engine repair and say- "make me one that works".

2. 
   DanH | May 01, 2010 04:02pm | #2

   Yeah, look in your Yellow Pages for "small engine repair".  Just about any such shop should be able to fix you up.

3. 
   gfretwell | May 02, 2010 10:11am | #3

   Can you figure out who made the carbureator?

   That is probably a way to track down the parts you need.

1. 
   edwin | May 02, 2010 12:27pm | #4

   Good idea! I thought Kawasaki made the carb, but as i think about it, such things are oftem made by other companies. I will check it out.

   As to other suggestions re. small engine repair shops around here, if it is not American made (Briggs and Straton, etc) they tend to regard me as some sort of insurgent.

1. 
   DanH | May 02, 2010 02:09pm | #5

   A carburetor is a carburetor -- only so many variations.  If all you need is a gasket, one can be cut, if something off-the-shelf isn't found.  Needles and such are likely to be interchangeable.  Floats are a bit specialized, but a leaky copper one can be soldered (outside!!) and the plastic ones rarely become gas-logged.  Or replace the whole damn carburetor with a different one -- you only need to match the HP and stud spacing.

1. 
   Scott | May 02, 2010 06:31pm | #7

   What Dan said. Start with some paper or neoprene gasket material; or a bead of RTV. That may be all you need.

2. 
   xxPaulCPxx | May 02, 2010 09:32pm | #8

   re. small engine repair shops around here, if it is not American made (Briggs and Straton, etc) they tend to regard me as some sort of insurgent.

   Oh, I see.  They haven't seen a good engine yet!

4. 
   florida | May 02, 2010 04:44pm | #6

   Had the same situation just a few  months ago. My pressure washer has a Kawasaki engine and the carb corroded so badly the engine wouldn't run. The shop told me it was shot, no parts available, etc. Took it to a guy who does small engine repair from his house. He found a new carb and had me back up and running in a week for $175.00. He also showed me how to drain the gas from the carb every time I use it so the ethanol won't make it corrode.  If you can't find the carb let me know and I'll get the name and number of the parts place where i got mine for you.

1. 
   Scott | May 02, 2010 10:05pm | #9

   I see a theme here.... carbs rusting on Kawi engines. Why? I've got a Kawi engine on my lawn tractor that has been great so far. Should I be checking something?

   ....Think I'll run out and drain that bowl right now.....

1. 
   [email protected] | May 07, 2010 03:04pm | #10

   The dterioration is common

   The proble with the carbs is semiuniversal.  The ethanol bled being sold as regular gas can destroy older gaskets, and is slighlty more prone to evaporating, which leaves more varnish behind. 

1. 
   DanH | May 07, 2010 06:47pm | #11

   So why is it not a problem with my roughly 25-year-old snowblower?

2. 
   florida | May 08, 2010 09:15am | #12

   According to the mechanic who fixed it the problem is universal now. He says that he spends half his time repairing corroded carbs. His advice to me is to drain the float every time you use the engine. Got the same advice from the local Gravely dealer when they repaired my Honda generator.

1. 
   DanH | May 08, 2010 09:55am | #13

   You guys do know to use gas stabilizer, right?  And drain the tank and run the engine dry when storing the unit for more than a couple of months?

1. 
   Jock | Aug 15, 2010 10:37pm | #14

   Stabil, or Seafoam work very well in you fuel tank. A side note, at least in Michigan, marinas carry non ethanol gasoline. For us, the name has changed to recreation gasoline. It's only in regular grade.