Do you have to be a mechanic to own small engines?

[Rivets]

Only have 3.5 mechanics working in the back, so I won't call it a big shop. Last Monday I had six carbs by myself. I have seen everything in the carb, dirt, gum, varnish, jelly, corrosion, etc. Have seen needles frozen in the bushing and I have one needle, which I saved, where the plating on the needle is peeling off. Viton tips and seats swelling up are the major problem. We buy Tecumseh part number 631021B and Briggs part number 398188 fifty at a time. Never had this type of problems until about 5 years ago. Before that may have seen one carb problem like this a week. Today's carbs are designed to run so lean and the jets and passageways so small, that it doesn't take much to create a problem.

 

[briggs]

Only have 3.5 mechanics working in the back, so I won't call it a big shop. Last Monday I had six carbs by myself. I have seen everything in the carb, dirt, gum, varnish, jelly, corrosion, etc. Have seen needles frozen in the bushing and I have one needle, which I saved, where the plating on the needle is peeling off. Viton tips and seats swelling up are the major problem. We buy Tecumseh part number 631021B and Briggs part number 398188 fifty at a time. Never had this type of problems until about 5 years ago. Before that may have seen one carb problem like this a week. Today's carbs are designed to run so lean and the jets and passageways so small, that it doesn't take much to create a problem.

same here :thumbsup:

 

[reynoldston]

I use my old wheel horse for snow removal . 8 months ago I parked in in a lean-to and turned the key off. Seeing we will have snow coming I wanted to get it running for the winter. Yes I did have some problems. The battery wasn't any good but that was three years old so needed a new battery. The bar that rises the snow blower broke which just needed welding. Now the gas tank is haft full with last winters gas. It started right up once I installed the new battery and it go's up to full power. No additives and no high test gas. The carburetor didn't need cleaning. Just why dose every one else have all these carburetor problems after there equipment sets for 30 days? I think its the additives and high test gas you are putting in you equipment. Or could it be the different climate that we live in? Or could our gas be different? I just don't understand all these fuel problems are coming from that I am reading about and I just don't see this type of work coming into my shop???

 

[davbell22602]

I use my old wheel horse for snow removal . 8 months ago I parked in in a lean-to and turned the key off. Seeing we will have snow coming I wanted to get it running for the winter. Yes I did have some problems. The battery wasn't any good but that was three years old so needed a new battery. The bar that rises the snow blower broke which just needed welding. Now the gas tank is haft full with last winters gas. It started right up once I installed the new battery and it go's up to full power. No additives and no high test gas. The carburetor didn't need cleaning. Just why dose every one else have all these carburetor problems after there equipment sets for 30 days? I think its the additives and high test gas you are putting in you equipment. Or could it be the different climate that we live in? Or could our gas be different? I just don't understand all these fuel problems are coming from that I am reading about and I just don't see this type of work coming into my shop???

I know I get better results after I switched from Star Tron to Ethanol Shield. I told my Stens rep that and she never heard anyone else have trouble with Star Tron.

 

[Carscw]

I use my old wheel horse for snow removal . 8 months ago I parked in in a lean-to and turned the key off. Seeing we will have snow coming I wanted to get it running for the winter. Yes I did have some problems. The battery wasn't any good but that was three years old so needed a new battery. The bar that rises the snow blower broke which just needed welding. Now the gas tank is haft full with last winters gas. It started right up once I installed the new battery and it go's up to full power. No additives and no high test gas. The carburetor didn't need cleaning. Just why dose every one else have all these carburetor problems after there equipment sets for 30 days? I think its the additives and high test gas you are putting in you equipment. Or could it be the different climate that we live in? Or could our gas be different? I just don't understand all these fuel problems are coming from that I am reading about and I just don't see this type of work coming into my shop???

I think it's all the crap everyone is adding to their gas.
Like I have said I let mowers sit for months and they fire right up and run fine.

I let a buddy use one of my trimmers because his won't run right he has had it for two weeks now it only runs on half choke.
He uses a fuel additive I do not. So what your are saying make sense to me.

 

[reynoldston]

I know I get better results after I switched from Star Tron to Ethanol Shield. I told my Stens rep that and she never heard anyone else have trouble with Star Tron.

Just curious have you ever ran your equipment without any additives? If so just what results different have you seen. Also what different do you see between Star Tron and Ethanol Shield ? Do you buy a lot of fuel at a time and it sets a long time is the reason you are using Ethanol Shield?

 

[reynoldston]

I think it's all the crap everyone is adding to their gas.
Like I have said I let mowers sit for months and they fire right up and run fine.

I let a buddy use one of my trimmers because his won't run right he has had it for two weeks now it only runs on half choke.
He uses a fuel additive I do not. So what your are saying make sense to me.

I see I am not the only person that thinks it's all the crap everyone is adding to their fuel.

 

[davbell22602]

Just curious have you ever ran your equipment without any additives? If so just what results different have you seen. Also what different do you see between Star Tron and Ethanol Shield ? Do you buy a lot of fuel at a time and it sets a long time is the reason you are using Ethanol Shield?

I tried running my equipment without it and it doesnt run very well. I try to 10 gallons in the garage. Plus gas 20 cents higher in WV compared to Winchester VA. Gas is even higher the closer you get to MD stateline. My equipment runs smoother with using ethanol shield. When I used the Star Tron I saw where the gas turned to jelly inside the bowl. That actually happened on a generator I have. Replaced carb on generator in 2012. Put gas in it, then tried to run every 30 days when possible. Tried to start it up Spring 2013 and no start or started up then cut back off. Pulled carb and found gas jelly inside of bowl. Cleaned bowl and drained gas out tank. Runs fine now with issues since switching to ethanol shield.

 

[exotion]

I think it's all the crap everyone is adding to their gas.
Like I have said I let mowers sit for months and they fire right up and run fine.

I let a buddy use one of my trimmers because his won't run right he has had it for two weeks now it only runs on half choke.
He uses a fuel additive I do not. So what your are saying make sense to me.

I believe this problem is started by imroper use of the choke lol people at my old company wouldn't start a 2 cycle without the choke on and holding throttle cable then while holding throttle full speed switch between choke and open about 15 times to make it warm up faster I think this is widely done when it shouldn't be

I also never add anything to my gas I run my equipment for a few minutes every other week during the winter its stored in a nog.heated garage I don't have issues come spring with any equipment.

I.just started my mantis tiller stored outside in a lean to since last spring havent touched it started 3 pulls it smokes but that's probably bad gas point is it starts and runs lol

 

[briggs]

i had one tonight bad gas u could smell the crap it was dead it was in there since last winter ...The carb was plugged up with green crap ..cleaned it up with gas and sea foam mix hit it with air put it back together fired right up