# hss1332 fuel shut off lever too short



## Letit Snow (Nov 25, 2018)

good morning men. I have a hss1332 with cab that I am happy with. A minor issue is the fuel shut off lever is hidden from view and is too short to operate especially with gloves on. Even though i know where it is I still end up fumbling for it in frustration. Has anyone come up with a solution like an extension?...I am thinking of trying to slide a piece of flex tubing over the lever to extend it.If i don't here other ideas I will try that and report ....


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Letit Snow said:


> good morning men. I have a hss1332 with cab that I am happy with. A minor issue is the fuel shut off lever is hidden from view and is too short to operate especially with gloves on. Even though i know where it is I still end up fumbling for it in frustration. Has anyone come up with a solution like an extension?...I am thinking of trying to slide a piece of flex tubing over the lever to extend it.If i don't here other ideas I will try that and report ....


was thinking the same thing. should work.


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## Letit Snow (Nov 25, 2018)

ok...I took a 2 1/2 inch piece of 3/4 od clear tubing I had and forced on to the stubby shut off lever. Works Great!....I put some red tape on the end so i can clearly see when the valve is in on position. I can find it and open and close it with my gloves on...Simple ,cheap,and effective like me...lol


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

I wonder if this longer fuel petcock lever from a Honda outboard would fit? It looks to be oriented correctly.


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## Letit Snow (Nov 25, 2018)

That's about the same length as the tube I used. With the angle it would be even more accessible....if it would attach to the valve easy.


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## Johnny G1 (Jan 28, 2020)

When I got my new HSS928 3weeks ago, turned the fuel on and it will stay that way until winter is over, can't see a problem with doing that?????


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## Letit Snow (Nov 25, 2018)

my thought process is I always turn off the valve for safety reasons ..in case the float needle does not seat properly for what ever reason. in the old days if it didn't seat the bowl would flood to an overflow tube and spill on to your garage floor till the tank was empty. Now a days there are no overflow tubes due to epa regulations....so if the bowl floods the gas can work it s way past the valves and flood the cylinder causing a hydraulic condition where if you hit the start key it can bend a rod. To your point it is unlikely to flood...but it is possible so to me it is cheap insurance to turn it off after use....


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

Johnny G1 said:


> When I got my new HSS928 3weeks ago, turned the fuel on and it will stay that way until winter is over, can't see a problem with doing that?????


 The only problem is if the evil ethanol fuel gums up the carb such that the needle valve doesn't seat. More common on older engines. If that happens, sometimes your cylinder/crankcase gets filled up with gas, and THEN you have a problem. Happened to me maybe 30-40 years ago, and have been shutting off my fuel petcocks on all my OPE and motorcycles ever since. I even turn off the petcock under my 1922 Model T's tank after every use. About 10 years ago, my Honda TransAlp got put to bed with the valve on Reserve by accident rather than Off and the lower cylinder got filled with fuel. Had to pull the plugs, and suck out the gas with a syringe, drain and change the oil/filter. Hopefully never again!


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## Johnny G1 (Jan 28, 2020)

No ethanol fuel on the property, seen too many engines and carbs buggard up with cheap fuel, the minimum fuel I use is Shell Gold 91 or Costco sup. and all fuel gets 1-2 oz of Seafoam per gallon, have never had fuel go bad and for mix fuel ie.40-50-1 is only mixed a litre @ a time and is dumped if it sits over a month. Go through a lot of mix in the winter in leaf blower for cleaning the decks of an inch or so every snow fall.


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## SkunkyLawnmowers (Oct 18, 2018)

Letit Snow said:


> good morning men.



Drums nails on table.....giving you_ that_ look.... 

:kiss:


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## Letit Snow (Nov 25, 2018)

lol...yes I deserve that....of course I welcome ideas from the ladies too....my wife gives me the look quite often....I am a man..I can change if I have to,I guess....(quote from red green)


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Letit Snow said:


> my thought process is I always turn off the valve for safety reasons ..in case the float needle does not seat properly for what ever reason. in the old days if it didn't seat the bowl would flood to an overflow tube and spill on to your garage floor till the tank was empty. Now a days there are no overflow tubes due to epa regulations....so if the bowl floods the gas can work it s way past the valves and flood the cylinder causing a hydraulic condition where if you hit the start key it can bend a rod. To your point it is unlikely to flood...but it is possible so to me it is cheap insurance to turn it off after use....


agree. have seen this happen many times with older machines.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

This business with the HSS fuel shutoff lever being hidden under the shroud has been bothering me for a while... I always have to take off my glove to reach under there and turn the fuel on/off. 

I just removed the grey cap that is on the actual lever and its internal dimensions are 1/4" x 9/16". I just ordered a piece of 1/4" x 1/2" x 3" aluminum bar stock. I'll bend it 45 degrees at the 1" mark, drill a hole (or two) in the short end to bolt it to the lever and put the grey cap back on the other end. It will be sticking out from under the shroud angled left when off and angled right when on. Problem solved!


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## SkunkyLawnmowers (Oct 18, 2018)

I don't seem to have this problem with Parker, I think his shut off may be more accessible. 

Tabora, I like the sound of your solution. Please post a picture if you can of the fix, would be interested to see it. 

My fuel routine is:

* I only use ethanol free petrol in all my children. They hate the taste of the stabilising stuff, reminds them of cough medicine apparently. 

* regardless of machine, I switch off the fuel to the carb and let the carb run out and stall

* I then pull the starter cord to bring the piston up to TDC until I'm ready to run again.


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## Letit Snow (Nov 25, 2018)

Great idea....should look factory when you are done too. was the grey cap just pressed on? you would think when the honda engineers were testing the prototype they would have seen room for improvement.....the direction for on decal is near invisible too......I have the honda cab so it hides the valve even more.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

Letit Snow said:


> Great idea....should look factory when you are done too. was the grey cap just pressed on? you would think when the honda engineers were testing the prototype they would have seen room for improvement.....the direction for on decal is near invisible too......I have the honda cab so it hides the valve even more.


 Yes, the grey cap is just press fit. It has a little nub inside on the bottom at the rear that retains it on the lever.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

SkunkyLawnmowers said:


> I don't seem to have this problem with Parker, I think his shut off may be more accessible.
> 
> Tabora, I like the sound of your solution. Please post a picture if you can of the fix, would be interested to see it.
> 
> ...


Parker knows better than to mess with you..:devil:


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## SkunkyLawnmowers (Oct 18, 2018)

orangputeh said:


> Parker knows better than to mess with you..:devil:


Yes - yes he does. 

He knows I won't take any nonsense of off him. Like the time he said he was going on a play date with next door's hedge cutter when _in fact_ he was down the lane at a 'rejetting party' with some older Honda machines who were leading him astray. 

I took his plug out for a week and made him watch the next snow storm through the garage window. He wasn't happy but he knows mummy loves him, even if it's a tough love.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

tabora said:


> This business with the HSS fuel shutoff lever being hidden under the shroud has been bothering me for a while... I always have to take off my glove to reach under there and turn the fuel on/off.


 So here's my solution to the OEM HSS fuel lever length:


First two pictures show the OEM lever in the Off (barely visible) and On (VERY invisible) positions.
Third picture shows the lever I created. 6061 Aluminum bar stock 1/4"x1/2"x3", with the 45degree angle at 3/4" from the end and two 9/64" mounting holes. 6-32 x 3/4" Button Head Stainless bolts with lock washers & nuts.
Fourth picture shows the lever mounted on the fuel valve lever, with the bolts offset to be as close together as possible.
Final two pictures show the new fuel lever in the Off and On positions.


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## SkunkyLawnmowers (Oct 18, 2018)

@tabora

You did a nice job there and lovely quaity photos, too


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

Good design and clean install.

I love when a mod looks good enough to to be factory.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

tabora said:


> So here's my solution to the OEM HSS fuel lever length...


 I purchased enough 6061 to make two of these, because I wasn't certain exactly how long I was going to make the lever extension. If anyone wants the other one, it's $5 + shipping & includes the bolts; you reuse the grey cap from your machine.


Update: SOLD!!!


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