Shared Knowledge
"Small Gasoline
Engine - Fuel Cutoff Switch"
12 September 2005
Maybe they have been available all along and I just not aware of them, but if they have been around forever and ever, why has not manufactures been using them?
Now
available are inline fuel cutoff switches or valves.
If
you read most lawn equipment or other small engine owner manuals, you will see
that in preparation for an extended period of storage, you are supposed drain
the gas tank and\or carburetor (carb) bowl of all gasoline. Ok, and how many times is the gas tank empty or close to empty
the day you want to store the tractor or mower for the winter? And is your carb bowl drain bolt
anywhere near where you can get to it easily? Mine isn’t.
So,
I have now begun installing inline fuel cutoff switches on all my gasoline
powered equipment. When I am ready to
store the unit for the winter or other extended periods of time, I simply place
the cutoff switch in the off or closed position and let the engine run until it
is completely drained of any gasoline. Neat and simply as compared to draining the carb bowl or running the
entire system out of gasoline.
Right
now I am only dealing with 1\4 inch fuel line equipment and have not looked for
smaller valves for smaller equipment like weed whackers or chainsaws but I
suspect they are available somewhere.
Oh,
if you want to install an inline fuel cut off value, you can used a large pair
of wire cutters to cut the fuel hose, have a hose clamp ready to slip over the
supply side of the line and then quick insert the closed switch into the fuel
line. Although not needed here, or
should not be, you can temporarily plug a fuel line with a pencil as a wooden
pencil is shaped like a tapered plug and works great.
I
found my 3\4 inch inline fuel cutoff valves at a local lawn mower dealer\parts
store.