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. 

Richie:

Hey there, I am in North Bellomre, how about you?

The foam part came off and the clip is not in the tank (must have fell off into the snow).  The current rubber part (that is funnel shape) in no way can fall apart or come loose .... Will this be cover under warranty? or just get  the damn new cover ?

Neil

Neil,

If your warranty is in force, then they'll give you a new one.  I'd call your dealer and explain it to him.  Perhaps it would suffice to grab your receipt and bring the old cap to him.  I'm in the Manhasset area myself. 

Yea I am going to do that ..... man no need for the blower we had what 3-4 inches , plus some back excercise with the good ole shovel eh?

Did you get a new gas cap?

Neil

Neil wrote: I didn't need one for mine, it already had the newer type.

Replaced the cap and it runs fine now.  It studdered and stalled just like described above without the complete cap.

I did meet a grumpy dealer.  Went in with the Home Depot snowblower receipt and numbers off the engine.  Thought he'd just replace it but he insisted I bring in the engine per terms of engine warranty.  Implication was that it's a lot of work for him to complete the paperwork so I should go through a lot of work as well.

Cap was inexpensive and not worth dealing with, but did not expect such a response from the local Ariens/Tecumseh dealer. 

 Newt,

Glad your running now, cause maybe Monday another big snow event!!

Also I'd Email Ariens or Tecsumseh, or both about your dealers treatment of you and your equipment needs.

                                                               Fred 

newtonian wrote:
Knowing how the industry works, it wouldn't have surprised me to receive treatment like that if I had purchased at HD and simply brought it to a real dealer for service.  That was just wrong of the dealer since you're obviously a loyal customer.  No good deed goes unpunished.  Glad the new gap made the difference 

hey guys...

im a local dealer .and if you had brought me the cap and engine model numbers i would have given you a cap no problem and would have said sorry for the trouble you already had.

we arent all mean and greedy...you will have to find a friendly dealer and then support him a bit.i wont say you have to buy everything from him but visit once and a while.i dont expect people to pay more at a dealer if they dont have to.

later chris

NEWTONIAN WHO GAVE U THE Hard time ? f --------------------- in watertown?

did u sell the  wrong starter and buy the new one?

Simple question here, those caps are standard and fits all model or just a few

Richie, in this case, "no bad deed goes unpublished"

just a note ...

the caps are standard and fit all the snowking 4stroke engines from about 1985 and up ,there is a new one for this year but it will retro fit the previous machhines

later chris

Hey Newt,

I just reread your post and realized I missed the fact you actually purchased your snowblower from HD.  Obviously that's why your dealer was on the grumpy side.  I myself have had dealers get irate when you even mention if they can match or beat a price from HD.  That even occurred several times when looking for shrubs and asking the person behind the counter if they can match HD.  They get upset about the "little guy" not being able to make a living anymore, and rightly so.  I actually try to shop at the local businesses as much as I can.  I still think it's in their best interest to still build some type of relationship with the customer, since non-warranty repairs tend to get pricey.  Especially with these sensitive EPA carburetors on everything, I have no doubt their service departments are kept extremely busy with carburetor servicing.

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......
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Same thing happened to my old Craftsman mower. The salesman at Sears said that the disk is just a "splash guard" which prevents gas from leaking out of a filled tank. The new caps have been redesigned without the disk.

The disk was held in place by squishing down on the center plastic prong of the cap with a hot "soldering iron" type tool(not to be done anywhere near a filled gas tank!). :-)

Headscratcher