Fuel Selenoid?

[lomac9]

I want to thank you all for all the help. I have the engine running now with no alarms. I had to disconnect the oil flow alarm behind teh fuel pump. Now I am wondering what the thing is to the left of the fuel pump. Round with a red lever on it. I had the engine idiling and just went to see what that thing did so i rotated it and teh engine shut down. I moved it back and it wouldnt start like it was flooded. Just wondering what that thing does and what the reasoning is for it?

 

[ezeke]

Re: Fuel Selenoid?

It's a primer solenoid. It's a solenoid driven valve to allow you to enrich the fuel/air ratio for a cold start. It gets pressurized fuel from the primer bulb or fuel pump and bypasses the carburetors.

The red handle should be aligned with the cylindrical base for normal operation. You activate it by pushing in on the ignition key.

In the unlikely event that the battery dies AND you want to rope start the motor, you can manually open the valve by turning the red handle.