David Combs wrote:
I've got this old Sears lawnmower. Problem is that the air-filter
is really filthy. REALLY filthy.

Went over to Sears yesterday -- lots of filters, mostly oblong
cross-section, or if cylindrical, too short and too fat.

Yes, they know about mine, Sears does *carry* them, but right now
they're (the store) out of stock. And it's a pain to drive over
there, especially in this heat and traffic (don't use A/C --
my glasses fog-up for maybe 10 minutes once I get out of the car!
no, cleaning them doesn't help -- they got too cold.)

Anyway, maybe I can clean the existing filter *somewhat* -- just
enough to make a difference. And order the filter by mail -- except
Sears parts woman (phone) can't find my model. Maybe I should take
a picture of with a ruler and email it to them?

So for at least a week or two, gotta cut the grass, so will try
to clean the one I have a bit.

First idea is to get my leaf blower and starting at low power and
at a distance, see what that does, blowing into the inside of
the thing, just the opposite of the normal flow of air (and dirt).

Here's my question: is there something I can spray on it first that
might loosen up the dirt?


Or maybe soak it in, then wait til super-dry, and try the leaf-blower
then (gently, builting up)?


Oh, and no, HD has only the oblong cross-section type, which won't
fit.

----

Oh, where's the serial number of the lawn mower?

I searched around and found a small metal plate on which were
stamped two things:

247-384260

E291L1 (ie eee 29-ONE uppercase ell, and another digit ONE.)

No notation naming those two things, just the naked number-things.

She said that the 247-starting-thing was the model number.

Had no idea what the E-thing was.

Insisted that I find the SERIAL NUMBER.

Question: any idea where it might be?



#1 - Tell the twit on the 'phone that the lawnmower was stolen and you
bought it from the thief. While it was in his possession, he obliterated the
serial number, so you can't really help with that.

#2 - Does the mower work WITH the existing filter in place? If so, you're
good to go while you wait for the mail to deliver a new one. Failing that,
does the mower work WITHOUT an air-filter? If so, you should be able to
fashion a temporary substitute (a handkerchief, coffee filter, etc.). Be
sure to strap the replacement down - small engines super-suck. You wouldn't
want a doily stuffed in the engine's cylinder.