Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

What's the metal disk and foam thing that's on the underside of a Tecumseh gas cap designed to do?

Discovered on my first gas refill that the parts on mine fell into the gas tank.  Fished them out but don't see how they stay on the shaft -- perhaps a clip broke off I haven't retreived.

Will replace cap, but for now was just wondering what that stuff does......

It's ealry in the morning so I can't fish the purpose of them out of my mind.  But I do know that the machine won't work with out them.  The part number for that is something like 33355, and the new design is 37485 or something like that.  I'll know when I get to work.  Those gas cap have been trouble for a good many years.

Sherri

A little more awake now.  The gas cap is used as a vent.  The old number is 35355 and the new style is 37845.

Sherri

the aluminum disc is held on by a small plastic NUB thats part of the cap.it is quite common for it to fall off.and usually about 5 minutes your tank AIRLOCKS and your engine quits.

causes a lot of trouble sometimes.

later chris

Those parts under the cap are supposed to let air in the tank as it empties, but prevent gas from squirting out the vent hole all over your engine.

That must be why it stalled so much cleaning up a minor snowfall.... I thought it didn't like the new fuel or that snow snuck in the tank when I wasn't looking.

Information appreciated;  won't put off getting another cap. 

Thank you. 

I looked at the cap for my pretty new Toro 828lxe.  The first thing in there was a cone shaped rubber cup that slips over the round shaft of the cap. This rubber thing pulls off the shaft very easy.  underneath the rubber is the foam thing.  My Toro has never stalled, but that cap sure seems to tighten itself as I use the blower.  I need a glove on to loosen the cap.  Could it be that some parts are missing and the vacuum is pulling in on the cap too much?  I didn't see any kind of a disk in there unless it is uder the foam thing whick I never removed.

al ...

you have the new style cap,no problems reported yet with it.

later chris

Thanks Chris.

I have the 8526 LE Ariens and noticed the foam thing when I first used the blower and removed the cap.  Didnt find any metal ring or clip.  Emptied the tank and saw nothing inside.

However on the first use, it stalled twice and when I remove the cap (chekcing gas level) I saw the foam square (1/2 " sq) fell out.  Since then with the cap on and 3 more uses, with no problem.  I looked at the cap design and saw a rubber funner type that inside the cap and saw how it vents to the outside but so far no gas spilled.

Should I continue or buy a new cap?

Thanks,
Neil on Long Island

Neil wrote:

Hello fellow Long Islander,

Neil, I would purchase a new cap since they've been redesigned.  This way you won't have to be concerned about it coming apart and plugging up the fuel tank.