Starting fluid question

[Scrubcadet10]

. What's next? Does a mower run "better" on premium vs regular?

I refine my own fuel....

 

[StarTech]

I had a guy tell me that starting fluid would blow up an engine. I disconnected the fuel pump on a Briggs OHV twin and gave him a can and told him to try and blow it up. He used the whole can and couldn't blow it up.
Been a fun thread pursuing an urban legend. What's next? Does a mower run "better" on premium vs regular?

All I know is you don't want to try that on a two cycle engine. I prefer to use whatever the engine is design to run on as the test fuel. But starter fluid is a lazy and convenient way of testing as it is something easily reached for. There haven't been a can of the stuff in my shop in many years other than when a can comes on a customer's mower. As for my shop there hasn't been a can of carburetor cleaner in my shop since 2014. I actually gave my last can drip cleaner back in late 2014. I am cleaning carburetors every week here lately.

Most 4 cycle small engines on lawn care equipment usually have a fairly low compression ratio. Now higher compression engines may have a problem with starter fluid use due it being more volatile than gasoline. Tighter the confined space the more explosive it becomes.

But of a full gas tank is less likely to explode than a near empty one as fuel vapor is more volatile than liquid fuel in a sealed container with a spark introduced.

I was surprised the customer's Kawasaki 3010 didn't catch a fire from the leaky fuel pump as it was leaking on the pressure regulator side of the fuel pump where there is was open contacts, loose ground wire, and a bare hot lead. Another great DIYer rigged job. The DIYer rather risk things instead putting on a $25 electric fuel pump. But of course the idiot use Motoseal RTV to seal the carburetor and to patch up leaky engine gaskets. It ended up costing the new owner over $1800 in repairs and he still has the brakes to repair. He just wanted me to get the 3010 running again. He said his son can fix the brakes. That is fine with me as I done spent 18 hours repairing the 3010 engine and the CV axles. A royal pain to remove and install the engine. It was the first engine I repair that didn't have an internal governor; the governor is in the gearbox.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

I refine my own fuel....
View attachment 62285

Is that kohler fuel also known as liquid courage?

 

[Hammermechanicman]

All I know is you don't want to try that on a two cycle engine. I prefer to use whatever the engine is design to run on as the test fuel. But starter fluid is a lazy and convenient way of testing as it is something easily reached for. There haven't been a can of the stuff in my shop in many years other than when a can comes on a customer's mower. As for my shop there hasn't been a can of carburetor cleaner in my shop since 2014. I actually gave my last can drip cleaner back in late 2014. I am cleaning carburetors every week here lately.

Most 4 cycle small engines on lawn care equipment usually have a fairly low compression ratio. Now higher compression engines may have a problem with starter fluid use due it being more volatile than gasoline. Tighter the confined space the more explosive it becomes.

But of a full gas tank is less likely to explode than a near empty one as fuel vapor is more volatile than liquid fuel in a sealed container with a spark introduced.

I was surprised the customer's Kawasaki 3010 didn't catch a fire from the leaky fuel pump as it was leaking on the pressure regulator side of the fuel pump where there is was open contacts, loose ground wire, and a bare hot lead. Another great DIYer rigged job. The DIYer rather risk things instead putting on a $25 electric fuel pump. But of course the idiot use Motoseal RTV to seal the carburetor and to patch up leaky engine gaskets. It ended up costing the new owner over $1800 in repairs and he still has the brakes to repair. He just wanted me to get the 3010 running again. He said his son can fix the brakes. That is fine with me as I done spent 18 hours repairing the 3010 engine and the CV axles. A royal pain to remove and install the engine. It was the first engine I repair that didn't have an internal governor; the governor is in the gearbox.

Everybody has their way of doing things and if it works it's not wrong. At 65 with a bum shoulder, arthritis and trigger finger in my right hand pulling a starter rope is not my favorite thing so i do use starting fluid a lot for testing.

 

[StarTech]

Can understand the shoulder and other pain sources. I have cussed myself several times when my left shoulder was giving me lots of pain. Just had to deal with the limitations and find other ways of doing things. It is like me using my two ton engine crane to pickup 100 lb engines so I can place them on the work bench. My back just don't need to get messed back up again. Plus at 63 I not as strong as I was when I was 25. That FX850 is very heavy to me to pickup off the ground and put it above my waist. Done been on and off the bench 3x already and I awaiting some 20mm M10-1.25 Helicoils for the cylinder head bolts. Three on the same side stripped on removal. Galled.

According to doctors if you are right handed you are not in your right mind. I'm a lefty in a right handed world; such a pain trying to use right only handed tools.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Not trying to become an internet doctor but two tips I was given by physiotherapists over the past have served me very well
1) have a long hot shower ( not bath ) then come out and lay flat on your back with both arms strait out over your head on a hard flat surface
Do it right away do not towel down and stay there till you are cold then get up slowly.
This allows joints that are being pulled out of place to settle back in their proper place.
2) at least once a week hang upside down in free space for as long as you can
This stretched the sacks between the vertibrea in your back so they cushion like they should
I use some pallet racking & hang by my knees
I stretch a touch over 1" when I do this and it does make me feel really good when the blood drains back from the brain
I used to occasionally go to one of those "alternative Wellness centers " who did inversion therapy with a table that clamps onto your ankles.
That treatment was even better but there is only so much "healing music & soothing organic fragrences " a bloke can take

 

[StarTech]

In my back case it turned out to be a dislocated vertebra that doctors didn't find. Otherwords I had two that bone to bone contact and would pinch a nerve at times. Ten years of pain. One evening I was laying on the floor for relief. When I went to get up on all fours started raising up to vertical when back pop just like broke something. Lots of pain for 15 minutes and then no more pain. No stabbing pain when walking across the yard at times. Now the shoulder was from being dislocated and I just had to baby it until it heal. But I would forget about it and pull a pull rope and then I cussed myself.

And no wonder why I don't trust doctors. With all the x-rays I should glow in the dark. Currently got a doctor that likes to experiment, doesn't explain why he changes my blood pressure meds everytime I go to him. I finally got one pill that was working and he takes me off it and wants me to take six pills now. And the side effects are worst than not taking them.

That treatment was even better but there is only so much "healing music & soothing organic fragrences " a bloke can take

I know. I prefer just a very quite area. Especially considering all the noise I am around all day besides headaches that I have kinda requires it.

 

[4getgto]

Decisions decisions..
Regular or Premium
Starting fluid or not..
Gas stabilizer or no stabilizer.
Medial marijuana or home grown...

Some questions will never get answered..

 

[Hammermechanicman]

Decisions decisions..
Regular or Premium
Starting fluid or not..
Gas stabilizer or no stabilizer.
Medial marijuana or home grown...

Some questions will never get answered..

I believe they have opened an investigation into all these matters. That knock at the door will be the FBI.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

On car forums I frequent, most suggestions are not for regular/frequent starting with 'starter fluid', but , just to see if an engine fires. Occasionally, folks have used a stream of propane from an unlit handheld torch!
Then , begin troubleshooting fueling issues since spark issues are eliminated.

I do have some brake cleaner. haven't needed to start anything with it. I think if I were gonna keep starting fluid around, it would ONLY be this brand;