Export thread

Do carburetors need servicing ?

#1

jmurray01

jmurray01

I was thinking, as long as you don't let the mower sit stagnant for more than a month, the fuel shouldn't clog up the carburetor, so surely that would mean you will never have to service it ?

Or regardless of the state of the fuel going through it, will it need servicing at some point in its life ?


#2

reddragon

reddragon

yes...the needle or seat will harden....and will need replacing eventually ......i dont know if you guys in Scotland have ethanol gas...here we do... it will create problems no matter how long the fuel is in the carb....but the shorter the time the better


#3

JDgreen

JDgreen

jmurray01 said:
I was thinking, as long as you don't let the mower sit stagnant for more than a month, the fuel shouldn't clog up the carburetor, so surely that would mean you will never have to service it ?

Or regardless of the state of the fuel going through it, will it need servicing at some point in its life ?
Click to expand...

Depending on the type, they can go a year, or many years without requiring anything. The majority of the small engines I have use a float, which allows fuel into the bowl, and float needles and seats (rubber parts) gradually harden and wear, as do bowl gaskets. But as regards the metal parts of a carb, they should last ten, 15, 20 years or more.


#4

jmurray01

jmurray01

Thanks guys.


#5

B

Black Bart

My 180 JD is 25 years old and I have never done anything other than run carb cleaner in the fuel a couple times per year.
It still runs like new.


#6

B

benski

I put in a fuel stabilizer for my off season, but I still run the mower once a month.


#7

B

Black Bart

benski said:
I put in a fuel stabilizer for my off season, but I still run the mower once a month.
Click to expand...

I usually do that but I had back surgery and didn't feel like messing with it and let them sit last winter.
This spring everything started just fine.
I doped them with some carb cleaner to remove any varnish deposits that may have accumulated and they will get their stabilizer this fall.


#8

JDgreen

JDgreen

benski said:
I put in a fuel stabilizer for my off season, but I still run the mower once a month.
Click to expand...

What is the purpose of the once a month starting? I store a car over the winter, a very qualified mechanic told me NOT to start it up, it serves no purpose but to accelerate wear and create condensation in the engine.


#9

B

Black Bart

JDgreen said:
What is the purpose of the once a month starting? I store a car over the winter, a very qualified mechanic told me NOT to start it up, it serves no purpose but to accelerate wear and create condensation in the engine.
Click to expand...

Your mechanic gave you good advice.
When a engine needs rebuilt 80 percent of the wear is from running dry at start up.
Every wonder why salesmen get so many more miles from a engine, It is because they have fewer start up's and the miles running with oil pressure does not wear like the time running with out oil pressure at start up.


#10

JDgreen

JDgreen

Black Bart said:
Your mechanic gave you good advice.
When a engine needs rebuilt 80 percent of the wear is from running dry at start up.
Every wonder why salesmen get so many more miles from a engine, It is because they have fewer start up's and the miles running with oil pressure does not wear like the time running with out oil pressure at start up.
Click to expand...

"Salesmen" is a rather timeworn term to describe someone who puts a lot of miles on their vehicle after start up. What about the Fuller Brush guy who goes door to door? Just being silly here. However, cold starts in winter are more severe, because of the condensation issue. Motor oil is supposed to cling to engine parts to protect them during start ups with a lack of oil pressure, but if you neglect changing your oil, that makes the situation worse as contaminated oil has less lubricating ability.


#11

B

Black Bart

JDgreen said:
"Salesmen" is a rather timeworn term to describe someone who puts a lot of miles on their vehicle after start up. What about the Fuller Brush guy who goes door to door? Just being silly here. However, cold starts in winter are more severe, because of the condensation issue. Motor oil is supposed to cling to engine parts to protect them during start ups with a lack of oil pressure, but if you neglect changing your oil, that makes the situation worse as contaminated oil has less lubricating ability.
Click to expand...

Water would be a bigger problem in long term storage than a small amount in the oil while running.
The new PCMO has less ZDDP and low viscosity so it drains off and cold starts are going to be hard on the engine if it has been sitting for long duration.
People who start an engine to just run it awhile and shut ti down are doing more harm than good.

If the battery is low put a charger on it don't start the engine to charge it.


#12

B

benski

I usually start things up in order to mow my lawn and pick up leaves at least once a month during my "off" season.:wink:


#13

G

Giles

JDgreen said:
"Salesmen" is a rather timeworn term to describe someone who puts a lot of miles on their vehicle after start up. What about the Fuller Brush guy who goes door to door? Just being silly here. However, cold starts in winter are more severe, because of the condensation issue. Motor oil is supposed to cling to engine parts to protect them during start ups with a lack of oil pressure, but if you neglect changing your oil, that makes the situation worse as contaminated oil has less lubricating ability.
Click to expand...

contaminated oil has less lubricating ability---And that is exactly why it should not be started and run for a short time:thumbdown::thumbdown:


Footer Links 1

Top