rmaynard 14,909 #1 Posted March 21, 2015 As you might remember, I purchased an 857 on Wednesday. The 857 was purchased because the owner would not part with his 5.5 cu. ft. bathtub cart unless I took the 857 too. So, only wanting the cart, and not needing another 857, I sold it to one of our members. Now here is the "titled" story. I was getting the 857 ready for pick up this morning. It started and ran fine, but when I got it to my driveway, I noticed that gasoline was pouring out from somewhere. I stopped the engine and began to investigate. My first thought was that it was a loose gas line to the fuel pump. It was missing a clamp. So I put a clamp on, started the engine and leak was still there. So I replaced the gas line from tank to pump, and removed the fuel pump so that I could tighten the screws. Not fixed. I removed it again and replaced the diaphragm thinking that it was not sealing the two halves. Not fixed. Now I noticed that the gas was not coming from the pump, carburetor, or hose, but it was actually now spraying out of the hole in the breather cover. Hmm... I remembered a post on RedSquare about a stuck float that caused serious flooding and gas to come out of the breather. So always having a rebuilt spare carburetor on hand, I replaced the carburetor. With that, the engine started and purred like a kitten, but when I opened the throttle, gas came spraying out of the breather hole again. Now I was perplexed. It's not the pump, not the carburetor, not the fuel line. What could it be? So I pulled the dipstick to see if I had gas in the oil, and low and behold, when I drained it, I had almost 3 quarts of gas/oil mixture in the crankcase. I refilled it with the proper 1-1/2 quarts of 30W oil, started it up, and... ...problem solved. So I went back and found the old diaphragm in the trash and sure enough, there was a hole in it. I suspect that this hole was allowing the gas to be sucked into the crankcase. When the level got too high, the pressure just forced it out the breather. The original owner said that the tractor had no problems when it was retired in the fall. He did a normal oil change, and only started it once this year when we loaded it on my trailer. I suspect that over the winter, the diaphragm became hard from the ethanol laced gasoline left sitting in the pump. When we started it on Wednesday, the gas began to pump into the crankcase. Lessons learned. Don't use ethanol gasoline. Check the oil level frequently. Keep some of buckrancher's replacement diaphragms on hand at all times. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,041 #2 Posted March 21, 2015 I have been there and done that. Good to know she is all fixed up. Please tell me more about the buckrancher diaphragms. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,343 #3 Posted March 21, 2015 ... Please tell me more about the buckrancher diaphragms. I'd like to know more about them too Bob, may as well include all of us in your seminar. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 14,909 #4 Posted March 21, 2015 Brian makes diaphragms for the vacuum-type fuel pumps. I always keep one on hand for just such emergencies. Need to order another now. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dclarke 4,011 #5 Posted March 22, 2015 I just got 4 of Brian's diaphragms in the mail today, always good to have on hand. Glad you got it fixed, Bob. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gregg'shorses 77 #6 Posted March 22, 2015 This is an interesting read http://opei.org/ethanolwarning/consumers/?utm_source=Homelite&utm_campaign=b903085044-Homelite_Ethanol6_27_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b0b29db93e-b903085044-26794733 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
