Repairing the leaky join on the lawnmower carb

amandstu · 05-04-2025 02:32PM #1

I took apart the float bowl on my Kawasaki FJ180V lawnmower (there was no petrol coming through) and ,when I screwed the bowl back the thin rubber join that fits into a channel in the carb casing seemed a bit stretchy and was difficult to put back . So there is now a slow seep .

I measured the circumference of the bowl and it is 15 cm and so that is apprx the circumference of the rubber join -ie about 2cm radius (it is very thin)

I can source it from https://kawasaki.gardening-parts.com/kawa-gardening/assignment_spare_parts/110612238 but shipping is quite expensive.

Would that part be the same size for most lawnmowers carbs and might it be easily available over the counter or could I even just use a "liquid gasket" to seal the leak?

(I was in a bit of a hurry when I put the bowl back as the petrol was flowing and it was a bit tricky removing the fragile cables-I was working against gravity which is why the thin join did not go back completely into its channel)

The Continental Op · 05-04-2025 08:02PM

My guess is that the rubber gasket is OK. The problem is normally that people overtighten the retaining nut and that distorts the thin metal of the carburetor bowl, then you get the leak.

You can reform the base of the carb bowl by pushing/tapping it back out. Then try reusing the old gasket. A liquid gasket should be OK if you are careful and don't over do it.

amandstu · 05-04-2025 09:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123330101#Comment_123330101

Thanks. You were right.

I went back with the idea of maybe giving it a little extra tightening and found that there was quite a few turns left to tighten.

The leak is almost completely gone now.

Repairing the leaky join on the lawnmower carb

Comments