How to remove gas tank and top shroud craftsman eager 1 6.5 hp lawn mower?

Rich, Thanks for this as I am trying to replace the starting rope for a machine I borrowed. I would love to have a word with the brilliant designer who made such a simple task near impossible. I hope that armed with your information it will be possible.

John, England November 2012
November 2012

Yay, figured it out.

First, pull the oil check cap/dipstick off and set it aside. I put a paper towel in the filler tube to keep debris from getting in.

What you have to do on this thing is pull the sides of the gas tank OUT a bit. If you put some upward tension on the side as you pull out, you'll feel the plug that keeps it from moving release. It's NOT a friction fit, or if it is, it's VERY low, so you're just pulling against the formed plastic part of the gas tank and extension that meets the metal shroud.

Once you've done that, you can then wiggle from side to side, again pulling UPWARDS (not back) as there's another attachment piece of plastic that slides vertically into the metal shroud.

You can even pull it off and NOT remove the gas line if you're not fiddling with that, saving spilling or having to figure how to empty the tank.

Once the gas tank is off, you can see the other 2 bolts at the rear (one next to the oil filler) to allow removal of the metal shroud part.

Rich
March 2011