Drat...maybe that wasn't gas after all.

[bowtieguy]

things are tough here and now, as well. my gas mower carb crapped out, so i priced new ones(mowers)...

decided to have it rebuilt until i realized it is cheaper to order a new one...$22 + $7 shipping. done deal!

[theholycow]

Wow, where are you finding it at that price? What mower is it for?

[bowtieguy]

it's for a HUGE Briggs 20 inch, 3.5 hp! obviously the efficient equivalent to a 3 cyl car.

here's the site...http://www.psep.biz/store/briggs_and...FQtN5QodD1Bc-w

the home page...http://www.psep.biz/index.htm

maybe we should add it to maximilian's list of suppliers thread.

[GasSavers_maximilian]

Originally Posted by bowtieguy

maybe we should add it to maximilian's list of suppliers thread.

Done.

[theholycow]

Well, I've gotten the front/outbound side of the fuel filter loose, but the rear/inbound side won't budge. I bought PB Blaster today (I was using Shimano penetrating oil, which makes all the same claims) but it doesn't seem to be helping.

I'm now considering dremel-cutting the nut just enough to loosen it...

[GasSavers_bobski]

I know I've seen nut splitters someplace or other. It's a tool that cradles one side of the nut and lets you thread a blade sort of thing down against the other, cutting into it. I don't know if it would work in your particular situation, but it might be worth looking at.

[theholycow]

I have a set. They won't work because I can't get them on; they're closed like a box-end wrench but I'm working with fuel line. If they made one shaped like a flare wrench that might work, and I considered trying to cut mine...

[GasSavers_bobski]

Can you crush the fuel filter and cut through it with a pair of bolt cutters?

[theholycow]

I thought about that, but even if I did then its nut would still be stuck to the fuel line nut. I don't think I could anyway, there's no room for opening bolt cutter handles and I doubt I could flatten it enough anyway.

Someone on another forum suggested that if I've already given up and declared the fuel line dead, I've got nothing to lose; so I could remove the filter and line as an assembly. Then I could work on them while not laying under the truck. I can then drain them, rinse them so there's definitely no fuel in them, and use heat.

I need to find out how much a new line costs and if it's inexpensive enough I'll just quit and buy one, assuming I can figure out how to disconnect/reconnect it.

[theholycow]

Hooray!

I got it loose! As Slaid Cleaves said in "Drinkin' Days", sometimes you gotta act like you've got a pair. So, I made a bid for the Darwin Awards.

I cut into the fuel filter's nut, slotting it with my dremel's diamond cutoff wheel most of the way to the thread. Some sparks flew but not a lot. I had wiped up the area so there were no pools/drops of fuel around. I couldn't get all the way across the width of the nut but two corner cuts did the job. It wasn't enough to crack the nut but it relieved enough stress on the nut for me to brute-force the nuts until they were persuaded to cooperate.

For how badly it was stuck, the threads sure look clean and uncorroded. WTF?



The saga continues. I ran the fuel pump and I don't think I got a whole gallon out. I'm pretty sure there should be at least 3 gallons of the worst stuff still in there.