nice when something actually works

have to get the lawn mowed today and so pulled the mower out of the shed, changed the oil, topped off the gas... started on first pull.

luckily i do not have to do the mowing (yet).

songbird

Reply to
songbird
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I learned years ago, the hard way, that you make sure your mower is OK a few weeks before needing. Mine would not start one year when I needed it and backlog was 3 weeks in the mower shop.

Another shop told me it is the same way with snow-throwers and generators.

Reply to
Frank
[snip]

Considering generators, I went out of town during a power outage. When I got back I could tell the outage was over. It was quiet.

Reply to
Mark Lloyd

I would check my generator every few months but we seem to have enough outages around here that I have to run it every few months. It does get noisy around here as all my neighbors have them.

Reply to
Frank

she who mows wants to buy a new one. this one has worked very well for some years now. it did need a new carb put on it and that has been all done to it other than new blades or me sharpening them once in a while.

it does need some work (rusted cables need to be replaced) but i want to do that service run after the season is over. that will be a good time to take it to the shop before we put it away for the winter.

hmm, may rethink timing, but if i take it any other time then it means we may get stuck without a mower when we need it. where we stored it for the winter meant it wasn't coming out very easy any time. this coming winter i hope we'll have more room in the garage instead of stuffing it in the garden shed.

songbird

Reply to
songbird

My "daily driver" mower is a late forties or early fifties vintage

24 inch self propelled Yazoo Big Wheel style mower (sold by Pro Inc in Shreveport La) that had a 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 HP Briggs on it when I bought it back about 1987? I blew it up and put on a 6.5HP Bolton "CHONDA" engine. I just replaced the spindle bearings for the second time, and a number of years back I replaced the rusted mild steel sheet metal deck with stainless steel (now I need to wear shades when I mow!!)

My "backup" mower is a 1957 Lawn King 19 or 20 ich job with a Lauson engine.

Both started on the second pull this spring. I got the big one out early because I knew the spindle was getting rough and the blade needed balancing (likely what took out the bearing) - and I didn't know how much time I was going to need to get it beetenapart and put back together. Likely another couple weeks before I need to cut the grass.

The generator starts on Propane, so I don't need to worry about stale gas or bunged up carbs. For long term use I connect it to the natural gas line. (reduced output though)

Reply to
clare

Best thing is to run dry then like propane there is nothing to go bad.

My snow-thrower recommends running dry or storing with stabilized gas. First years I ran dry but then stored with stabilized gas but it would not start. Fine reading of manual says to use gas without ethanol which is only available in marine supplies as apparently it attacks seals. Also a friend told me that gas sitting in carburetors of some machines can evaporate gumming it up.

Reply to
Frank

I just counted the mowers... 7 of them now, I've got my favorite, short handle, easy to push, easy to adjust, non clogging. Lawnmowers and stray puppies, to good to go the junkyard or dog pound? I'm the guy that takes them in. Now what I'm finding is the new B&S carb's are bad about the main jet clogging, I don't see a filter or screen like the old carburetors had. Nothing to prevent the smallest dirt particle from blocking the jets. Maybe a filter of some kind in the tank? I've fixed a couple of those already. Good clean non ethanol gas and a shot of carb cleaner first start of the season helps a lot of balky mowers/generators/weed trimmers/chainsaws and I suppose snow blowers get back on their feet.

Reply to
My 2 Cents

I have a tiller for the garden I run one or two days a year. I always run it dry. Put in fresh gas with out that ethanol in it. Well, the gas has been in a can for several months, from the last time I bought gas for the mower (no snow blowing or anything in the winter months) with stabil in it.

The tiller will start with one pull. Has done it for the last 10 years.

My 2 cycle leaf blower sits with the gas whever I left it from the fall to the spring, several months. It takes 2 or 3 pulls to start like it has from the time it was new. It has the ethanol free gas, stabil and oil mix in it. Been doing that for over 10 years also.

All the small engines I have get the ethanol free gas with stabil in it now and sofar no problems.

I did have a 5 kw generator that I used the gas with the ethanol in it at one time. Every time I wanted to use it, the thing was gummed up and would not start. I would have to clean all the 'green gook' from the carborator and it would start with 2 pulls with fresh gas. I now drain and run it dry and use the ethanol free gas in it.

Have you checked out this sight for the EF gas ?

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Reply to
Ralph Mowery
[snip]

I have a generator that has a propane conversion (it can use either fuel). I've been starting it on gasoline, and then use propane once it warms up.

I would like to be able to start it on propane. I've been trying it with the valve on the demand regulator open farther. That seems to be working.

Reply to
Mark Lloyd
[snip]

I've been doing that for awhile, for both mover and generator. It stops cleanly on propane (a second or 2 after I close the valve). With gasoline it hesitates a lot, and takes up to 2 minutes to quit.

[snip]
Reply to
Mark Lloyd

After a recent windstorm I needed to cut up some downed limbs. I haven't used the chainsaw in probably 3 years. I recall that the last time I used it, it ran like crap.

What the heck, let's give it a try. I mixed up some gas, topped off the bar oil and pressed the primer bubble a few times. 2 pulls later, I'm cutting wood. Smooth and strong.

Color me surprised.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

My snowblower has a valve that drains the carb and the line. It's a YammerHammer.

Reply to
clare

I can't visualize that color? Can you help me with that? Maybe wrecked cars could be painted this color. The owner picks it up and says "I'm surprised" You could make bucks off the paint companies. (g)

Reply to
Tekkie?

Perhaps it's like a train wreck? Or a completely destroyed car/truck on the interstate. To the point where you're not sure it was a truck vs a car to begin with.

Reply to
Diesel
[snip]

There's one place around here, where the highway goes over a hill and then you have to slow down for a city. I found a cube of metal there once (it looked like a Borg Cube)

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but smaller. Evidence suggested it used to be a small pickup.

Reply to
Mark Lloyd

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