Newbie and 10 yr old son have another question -- seized needle valve

We have an older Toro recycler push mower (maybe 10 yrs old, maybe more -- haven't looked up the year yet) and in the carburetor my 10 yr old boy tells me the needle valve is seized in the seat. Does anybody have any ideas about how to "unseize" it? Thank you very much in advance. :smile:

smhoff2019 said:

We have an older Toro recycler push mower (maybe 10 yrs old, maybe more -- haven't looked up the year yet) and in the carburetor my 10 yr old boy tells me the needle valve is seized in the seat. Does anybody have any ideas about how to "unseize" it? Thank you very much in advance. :smile:

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JC- how did he know that? If he is right, there is 1 screw holding up the carb float bowl and the float(that moves the needle) is in there.

upupandaway said:

JC- how did he know that? If he is right, there is 1 screw holding up the carb float bowl and the float(that moves the needle) is in there.

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He tells me that he has taken off the float bowl, and sprayed carb cleaner and WD-40 on the stuck needle valve. Because of the seized needle valve, which is stuck in the up position, fuel cannot get into the float bowl. Thank you for helping with this.

smhoff2019 said:

He tells me that he has taken off the float bowl, ....

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Oh, well then...
If it is a Tecumseh motor, then there is a rubber ring that the carb needle seats. If it still sticks replace that ring. If it is a Briggs and Stratton, then there is such ring. I forget if the briggs needle has rubber at the tip(i dont remember it having rubber...)

If the pin that the float swings on is sticking then make sure it doesn't stick- not just spray because that will just be washed of by the gas and it will stick again.

So it ran fine after he reassembled the bowl (at least for a minute)?? Did the problem come back or never went away? jc.