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How do I reconnect the fuel shut-off lever to the fuel valve on a MFS 2.5A?

Lug_Nut

New member
I picked up what I hope will be a great value, a 2008 2.5 hp four stroke, MFS 2.5A 3AB, prior owner bought new in 2012, and claimed he was done with it, despite claimed low hours of operation, due to "carburetor issues". What I've discovered is that the carb had been removed and re-installed 'backward' with the choke plate at the intake runner and the throttle plate at the air inlet. No wonder the throttle bail and choke cables were not connected, they couldn't reach! I also discovered that the fuel valve inside the cowl is not connected to the external access shut-off lever. I have the connecting piece that joins the actual valve to the shut-off lever, and the securing bands that fit over the connector ends, but can't figure out how to slip the connector bands over the connector ends once each end of the connector piece is snapped around the valve and/or lever. Is there a list of items that need to be removed to allow fat-finger access to the otherwise hidden joining space? Thanks in advance. Jon
 
It is a pain. Obvious but worth saying: make sure the valve cock and the red lever are both in the off position. Make sure the black connecting link has not come off the valve body and gotten stuck on the red lever down below. It needs to be on the valve. Push down moderately and keep moving around till you feel it start to lock in. Also make sure the plastic wrap is positioned up towards the fuel tank or it will get in the way. Almost as bad as re-threading the lower into the upper after a water pump service on these motors.
 
It is (was) that "plastic wrap", or what I called "securing band", Items 10 in P. VanV.'s embedded image, that was an issue: How to slip that lower band from its temporary position out of the way in the middle of the connecting link, down over the connection of the bottom of the link and interlaced top of the shut-off lever. I resorted to drilling a hole in the lower cowl just above, and off-set slightly aft of the shut-off lever to permit access to this lower band. I wasn't entirely successful due to me damaging and tearing the lower band during my attempt at slipping it down to secure the connecting link and shut-off. I gave up and left that connection without benefit of the added integrity of the band. The valve above I've zip-tied to the hose support rail to hopefully prevent me from inadvertently pulling up on the valve and disconnecting the link from the shut-off below. I have closed off the hole I drilled with a black plastic plug. The good news is: The motor starts and runs, idles, pumps coolant water, shifts, the throttle operates, kill switch works, and it re-starts, all just fine. $150 for the motor, $45 for the carburetor rebuild kit, about 3 hours of fiddling. Jon
 
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