Ethanol damage

cpurvis

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This carburetor is off a Briggs Quantum 6.5 hp vertical shaft engine on a power washer. Power washer has seen very little use but was put into storage in an unheated outbuilding for several years.

Float was stuck in the open position and the fuel line was split, so gas went everywhere when fueled.

Nasty looking mess in the float chamber. Chunks of black stuff (tar?) and varnish all over everything. Brake cleaner would not touch it--only mechanical action (steel wool, small brush) would remove it and then with effort. Now the anodization of the float bowl is gone, so it has no corrosion protection. Corrosion on the carb body in the float chamber.

I was able to clean it up and get it running without needing a kit.

Preventative measures taken were to install a shut off valve and inline filter.

FWIW, running these engines until they run out of fuel does not completely empty the bowl. Probably an 1/8th inch of fuel will be left in this one.IMG_2331.jpgIMG_2332.jpg
 

ILENGINE

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Sorry, but I don't see any ethanol damage. Looks like stale fuel, varnish, shellac from old fuel in the bowl, with water damage to the carb body. Both would of occurred with or without ethanol enriched fuel.
 

Rivets

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Even though I'm not a fan of ethanol I must agree 100% with IL. Have to agree with OP on one point, people must learn how the drain the entire fuel system when putting a unit in storage for more than a month.
 

cpurvis

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It may be of interest that an old rototiller with 3 hp Briggs was taken from this same outbuilding, stored for over ten years with non-ethanol gas in the tank and had no damage of any sort. Same with a Poulan chain saw. I've still got a 10hp Tecumseh and a couple motorcycles to go. Pretty sure all of them had ethanol gas in them; we'll see how they look. I'm betting they look like the pictures above.
 

Rivets

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You may believe what you want, with or without pictures. My couple of years experience tells me that there is no evidence of ethanol contamination. Not going to get into that argument, so this will be my time to leave this thread.
 
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