The Location of the Gas Filter on a Murray Lawn Mower

Gas Filter's Function

• When the operator opens the fuel tank cap for a simple refill, he may unwittingly drop dirt, dust or grass clippings into the fuel tank. If this debris made it through to the carburetor, it would clog up the fuel system and cause other parts to work harder and eventually fail. This filter keeps all unwanted materials trapped safely inside the fuel tank. A clogged fuel filter will also cause many starting and running problems, making it a good place to start when troubleshooting the fuel system.

Gas Filter's Location

• The gas filter, a small, mesh screen, sits inside the fuel tank, on the end of the main suction fuel hose. A small nozzle gets inserted directly into the fuel tubing, creating an airtight seal. So, all fuel must past first through the mesh screen before it can travel up the hose to the carburetor. The fuel hose and fuel filter always sit at the bottom of the fuel tank and can be hard to reach due to the small opening of the fuel tank. Use a metal hook, such as a coat hanger, to grab and pull the fuel filter out.

Cleaning the Filter

• Regular cleaning of the fuel filter will allow the mower's fuel suction capacity to remain at its optimum, maximum setting. This filter can get dirty quickly, only require a few small grass clippings or a clump of dirt to lodge up against the filter's screen. If the engine, while running, starts surging a bit or sounding sluggish during idling, pull the fuel filter out of the fuel tank. Wash the fuel filter in fresh fuel while scrubbing the screen with a brush.

Replacing the Filter

• Fuel filters will get dirty quickly and cleaning them removes only a portion of the material on the outer screen. However, usually fuel filters contain a secondary filter, which can't be cleaned thoroughly. For this reason, Murray suggests changing the fuel filter when performing a tune-up, which ideally will be every season, but every other season will suffice if the mower isn't used as frequently. After pulling the old filter off the fuel line, ensure that the new filter's nozzle gets inserted fully into the main suction hose.