Propane gas makes for excellent juicy hamburgers when used in an outdoor grill. But that same propane also can be used to make a trip to the store to buy the groceries, too. Small-engine carburetors also can be modified for propane use in a motorcycle, lawn mower, power washer and any other task in which an engine is used. There are conversion kit manufacturers for nearly every make and model of small engine and, if you purchase the correct one, the basic steps for such conversions are quite similar.
Remove all hoses, linkages and bolts from the carburetor and gently pull it away from the engine. Be sure to cover the intake ports to prevent foreign objects from finding their way into the cylinder.
Locate the plastic cap covering the vacuum-fitting location and remove the old assembly, replacing it with the new assembly and cap.
Remove the float chamber, also called "the bowl," and its gasket. Scrape off any remains of the old gasket with a sharp-edged hobby knife if necessary. Continue removing the float by pulling out the hinge pins and putting them in a safe place.
Remove the needle fuel shutoff valve assembly and the fuel jet assembly.
Follow the instructions that came with your conversion kit. They will likely require you to enlarge the fuel delivery jet port. This procedure will require a specific-sized drill bit for your carburetor model. Proceed according to your kit instructions using caution. Use RTP to seal any unused ports or passages.
Install the new propane fuel delivery jet assembly into the enlarged port and fill any unused fuel supply inlets.
Discard any parts remaining from the old carburetor, as they will not be needed again after the conversion kit has been installed. Reinstall carburetor onto the engine, follow fuel hookup instructions and fire up your new propane-powered engine.
