I have a bunch of seasonal lawn equipment that I sometimes forget or weather does not permit me darning all the gas from and I have to clean all the carb parts and have so far gone threw 2 cans of spray carb cleaner and was looking for a liquid cleaner instead of an aerosol type that I could just drop a carb into and see if it would loosen up some of the parts before I tried to disassemble the carb. last one I spent more time with a small pick scraping and prying parts out than I did just cleaning it all.
While I think its a great idea, just how long before the cleaner is going to have so many contaminants in it that it is not going to work or do more harm than good?
Steve
------------------ Technology is great when it works, and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
I use it. Top notch stuff. A leader of the industry. An auto shop I used to work at used it too. As far as when it becomes too old/too used to work well, you can tell by the results. Mine evaporates faster than it goes bad. I just top it off with new. I have never thrown any away.
Nope... Not what you want... This stuff eats all the rubber parts and has to be washed off with water... to use it you have to take the carb all the way apart.. it also stinks to high heaven... You are better off with some of the Sta-bil products... unfortunately the EPA has mandated removing all chlorinated solvents , so none of them work very well any more.. :-( Chuck
Originally posted by MotorTV: This stuff eats all the rubber parts and has to be washed off with water... to use it you have to take the carb all the way apart ...
While I do disassemble the carb, yesterdays was so bad it took me almost half an hour with a dental type pick to just get the float off its mount and even then had to pull the float valve out with a pair of needle nose, dam thing was almost cemented into position. then I ran out of carb cleaner, of course so back to get yet a couple of more spray cans. these are small carbs from 5 to 10 HP engines and I thought it might be easier to ether take some carb cleaner and fill a small container with ether some of that or the stuff I posted in the first post and let it soak for a while before attempting disassembly.
edit to add, oh ya I have 3 more carbs to do this to before I am done so just looking at ideas for doing this, that last one had a ring of sludge almost a 1/8th of an inch thick on the bottom of the float bowl as well as the rest of the white fuzzy stuff all over the carb parts, hell the pin that holds the float in was so stuck I have to clamp a pair of needle nose vise grips onto it to get it out. then scrape it and the channel it was in out with the picks yet again to get some movement to the float. never saw one that bad unless it had been left in a very humid shop for years.
Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 05-26-2014).]
I use it. Top notch stuff. A leader of the industry. An auto shop I used to work at used it too. As far as when it becomes too old/too used to work well, you can tell by the results. Mine evaporates faster than it goes bad. I just top it off with new. I have never thrown any away.
Originally posted by Tony Kania: Bookmarked due to your review. Thanks.
To correct myself, I have never topped off my one gallon can. I can not even remember when I bought it. Likely ten years ago. I just opened it up and it is about 85% full and the can is not sold 100% full, as immersing parts will cause spill over. It was the stuff at my auto repair shop which we topped off. It lasts a lot longer and is cheaper than spray can after spray can ... after spray can etc.
Old school used kerosene with maybe some Gunk SC to remove oil.
Ayup, old school rules, but my mind is mush and didn't even think about kerosene of coerce. Just got back from China Mart with the last 3 cans of Gunk's spray carb cleaner they had, a set of small wire brushes, one plastic one SS and one brass that I found in of all places the wall paper isle, WTF. Just what doing wall paper would you use those for?
Now back to my previously scheduled carb cleaning of the 2 I need to get done first, then on to the next 3 I have waiting for me. I am beginning to think the Doc/frontal lobe was right when he said the electric chainsaws are better than the gas ones.
Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 05-26-2014).]
While I think its a great idea, just how long before the cleaner is going to have so many contaminants in it that it is not going to work or do more harm than good?
Steve
You can buy coffee filters in Maine, can't you? You can use them for things other than coffee.
Steve, what brand fuel are you using that gums up that bad in one season? I had a rototiller that sat for about 5 years and all it took was a little aerosol carb cleaner.
Originally posted by fierofool: Steve, what brand fuel are you using that gums up that bad in one season? I had a rototiller that sat for about 5 years and all it took was a little aerosol carb cleaner.
Every spring, a friend of mine brings me his 10 HP chipper that he left gas in, over the winter. I rebuild or replace the carb, use it for what I need, and tell him come get it. When I finish with it, I turn off the gas spigot and let the carb run dry, stalling the engine. Keeps the carb clean and minty fresh.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 05-26-2014).]
Originally posted by fierofool: Steve, what brand fuel are you using that gums up that bad in one season? I had a rototiller that sat for about 5 years and all it took was a little aerosol carb cleaner.
To be fair ... he does have long off seasons, . However my stuff is always problematic as I do not always drain the gas ... I have a short season, and, not many after-market gas supply cutoffs are available. It is not only just the gas, as much equipment is two cycle requiring an oil mix. IF my stuff gives me problems I usually fill it with fresh gas only and run it at low RPM's for a very short period.
Well one down, works fine, was the DR trimmer mower we got last fall cheap and now I know why. must have been sitting for years, but I will say a lot easier on my back than a hand held weed whacker. used it about 20 min and didn't feel like I was vibrating for hours afterwards like the hand held.
now to figure out why the lawn tractor keeps dyeing after just half an hour of use, runs fine for that half hour but after that the fuel filter is empty and won't stay running, changed all the fuel lines this afternoon and tomorrow will send the wife out back with it to see if , but I changed the lines to see if that was the problem. I that carb was just a half a can of carb cleaner to get it running like new again, except that it still does after half an hour.
then on to the small generator I use when I am out back working on something I can't get to with extension cords. 1500 watt that I rarely used last year at all. the big one for when the power goes out I try to remember to start every couple of months and have never had any trouble with that one, YET.
Originally posted by 84fiero123: now to figure out why the lawn tractor keeps dyeing after just half an hour of use, runs fine for that half hour but after that the fuel filter is empty and won't stay running ...
Originally posted by cliffw: Went to start it the next day and it started and died. It kept doing that so I disconnected the fuel line from the carb. No gas flow. I then removed the filter. No gas flow. I then removed the fuel line from the tank. No gas flow. Ahh I thought, the inlet port is plugged. So I opened the gas cap to take a look see. Gas poured out as soon as I loosened the cap, .
Steve, cliffw beat me to it on the gas cap for the lawn mower. Had the same situations you describe going on with a cheap John Deere mower. Started dying on us after a short time, fuel filter would be empty. Replaced thinking might be clogged. Did it again, checked lines. Did it again and started thinking it must be something to do with the fuel pump. Did some reading on line and came across the info about the gas caps not venting properly over time. Replaced the cap and have been good to go for 7 to 8 cuttings now since last fall.
did that early yesterday morning, even pulled it all apart and blew compressed air threw it and cleaned the filter in it, then let it idle at high speed while I went and got gas. it ran fine the 20 min I was gone Melanie said but when I was putting gas in the DR it stumbled when I got back. I noticed the fuel filter was almost empty, so I thought maybe, MAYBE the fuel lines were deteriorating inside and blocking up the fuel pump or filter, new filter the other day.
this has happened twice in the last week when Mel was out back mowing, we got a big yard. each time I pulled the carb off and there was more crap in the float bowl, so I thought maybe the lines were throwing crap into the carb. haven't taken it apart since yesterday, yet. I did change all the lines between the fuel filter and the carb yesterday and as I said blew out the fuel cap vent. I will pull the carb off yet again today to make sure there is no more crap in that, that could be clogging it up.
quote
Originally posted by fierofool:
Steve, what brand fuel are you using that gums up that bad in one season? I had a rototiller that sat for about 5 years and all it took was a little aerosol carb cleaner.
Charlie I get gas at the same place all the time, the Irving's gas/truck stop about a mile from the house, always use regular though, I am beginning to wonder if I shouldn't be using high test like I do when I mix gas for the chain saws? it is recommended for my Husqvarna chain saws but I never use it in the lawn tractor, that is also a huskie. gas never sits long around here in the gas cans, to many peace's of lawn and garden equipment. well except the chain saws mixed gas, I can't use that much anymore and it puts me on the floor when I do because of my back problems. So unless I get a friend to help me when doing thinks with the chainsaw it does sit in the saw and the gallon can I mix my gas in for that.
quote
Originally posted by Raydar:
Every spring, a friend of mine brings me his 10 HP chipper that he left gas in, over the winter. I rebuild or replace the carb, use it for what I need, and tell him come get it. When I finish with it, I turn off the gas spigot and let the carb run dry, stalling the engine. Keeps the carb clean and minty fresh.
Raydar I always tell everyone to do that, but rarely listen to it myself. do as I saw not as I do, I am an idiot I know and this is what happens when you don't listen to yourself, at least me, I specifically put a fuel shut off on the lawn tractor to do that every fall, it didn't have one before. But like I said I never listen to myself, yes I am an idiot. I know better.
OK I think I covered everything you guys said and suggested, who knows with my memory I probably didn't,
thanks everyone who suggested things to try.
Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 05-27-2014).]
FWIW I have the large plastic screw on gas cap and I also tried cleaning and blowing it out (once) to no avail. Replacing it with a new one was the only thing that stopped the problem.
FWIW I have the large plastic screw on gas cap and I also tried cleaning and blowing it out (once) to no avail. Replacing it with a new one was the only thing that stopped the problem.
Kevin
Thanks for that, I will let the wife try running it one more time and if what I have done hasn't fixed the problem and try buying a new cap, WTF have I got to lose, I have replaced or cleaned just about everything in the gas line system. But I did try running it without the cap at all and that made no difference in the problem the last time she got stuck out back so I still don't think that's the problem because if it was it should have run without the cap, shouldn't it?
I would say it is not the cap in your case then if it did the same thing with it off completely. What I understood to be happening in my case, and others I had read is that the valve in the cap was messing up and not venting properly and that allowed a vacuum to form in the tank. As cliff noted when the cap was removed, the gas would flow freely again if the fuel filter was unhooked at the time. That is how I knew it was my cap. Hope you get it figured out soon. Small engines always fight me for some reason.
I would say it is not the cap in your case then if it did the same thing with it off completely. What I understood to be happening in my case, and others I had read is that the valve in the cap was messing up and not venting properly and that allowed a vacuum to form in the tank. As cliff noted when the cap was removed, the gas would flow freely again if the fuel filter was unhooked at the time. That is how I knew it was my cap. Hope you get it figured out soon. Small engines always fight me for some reason.
Kevin
Ayup doesn't matter if the cap is on or not, that's why I thought maybe there was a problem with the old rubber fuel lines degenerating and blowing crap into the carb, been raining all morning so I haven't gotten to do anything to it yet. but I will look at the float bowl once more to see if there is more crap in there, if there is I know it was coming from the rubber lines I replaced.
I also hate small engines they are a pain in the ass, everything is in miniature. you need a dam pair of needle nose pliers or tweezers to work on them, especially the carbs.
I used to rebuild 4 barrel carbs for friends for fun when I could remember things, that's not the case anymore, STML. so I end up taking pictures as I go so things take forever. Thank Christ for digital cameras, one peace of technology I actually like! I can even blow the pictures up and get a closer look at stuff on the camera or the computer, now that is handy.
thanks again for all the input, everyone
Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 05-27-2014).]
Steve, I've never used that particular carb cleaner but I used Walmart's spray can carb cleaner on a batch of late 1960s-early '70s Rochesters I bought and it worked ver well. It did a pretty good job if I sprayed first and then another squirt just as it evaporated.
Thanks.
I know better.
