First mow of the year.

[hardcore302]

Yard Machine with Briggs and Stratton EXi (top up only) wouldn't start today. Threw a half bottle of Mechanic in a Bottle, new air filter, new E3 plug, and some starting fluid all at once.... BINGO. Starting fluid alone would have done the trick, I'm sure, but I've always cleared up some poor running engines with the Mechsnic in a Bottle. Couldn't hurt. After three years it needed a new plug and filter. And to too it all off, made my son mow.

 

[Rand]

I got a bunch on clearance last year.
Not sure if it does anything but at 50cents...
to go with the 1$ vp OPE fuel.

 

[HankHill]

I've only ever cleaned my plugs and made sure the gap was good.

 

[brianl703]

I have a Troy-Bilt Pony riding mower. I've had it for about 5 years now and all I've ever done is change the oil, which I've done twice, and changed the air filter once. I don't even bother to drain the gas in the fall, and it always starts right up in the spring.

 

[samven]

I have a Swisher tow behind offset mower with a Briggs 11.5 HP that lives under a porch overhang and under a tarp and every spring its a bear to get started. I usually drain the tank and put fresh gas in, clean the air filter and have to pull it over 7 or 8 times to get the first puff then take it off choke and 1 or 2 pulls and it fires. After that no more trouble for the rest of the season. Its been this way for the last 8 years but the tractor that lives in the shed always fires up right away but its electric start. With the offset cut width of 100" it still took 2.5 hrs and I had to do it myself.

 

[Lubener]

My 10 year old Craftsman with a 6.75HP Briggs flat head started on the second pull with nothing needing to be done. You can keep your Hondas and Kohlers.

 

[brianl703]

My 10 year old Craftsman with a 6.75HP Briggs flat head started on the second pull with nothing needing to be done. You can keep your Hondas and Kohlers.

Do you use ethanol free gas in it?

I can't get ethanol free gas without making a special trip to a gas station about 20 miles away. So I just use regular E10 in my riding mower and it fires right up even though I leave the gas in it all winter. Briggs powerbuilt engine.

 

[RDY4WAR]

I use regular 87 E10 in all of my lawn equipment.

I'm not a fan of E3 plugs. I haven't had good luck with them.

 

[jeepman3071]

Yard Machine with Briggs and Stratton EXi (top up only) wouldn't start today. Threw a half bottle of Mechanic in a Bottle, new air filter, new E3 plug, and some starting fluid all at once.... BINGO. Starting fluid alone would have done the trick, I'm sure, but I've always cleared up some poor running engines with the Mechsnic in a Bottle. Couldn't hurt. After three years it needed a new plug and filter. And to too it all off, made my son mow.

My dad started having me mow the lawn when I could reach the clutch pedal on our old riding tractor. I was 7, and had to stand up to push it.

Probably one of his smarter ideas, since he hasn't mowed the lawn since.

 

[nbpt100]

I do not know what is in Mechanic In a bottle but at half a buck a bottle I would try it. If you can get ethanol free gas plus use a stabilizer per directions you should do well every year. Draining the gas is fine but it accelerates the drying of the lines and gaskets. I you can use what I said above you are better off leaving it alone. I know a guy that swears by a little bit of Seafoam and Stabil in all of his ODPE gas. He says he never has any issues.
I do not like the E3 plugs either. They seem like a gimick and they are over priced. I only change the plug if there is a problem. Clean and regap seems to work fine.

 

[Lubener]

Do you use ethanol free gas in it?

I can't get ethanol free gas without making a special trip to a gas station about 20 miles away. So I just use regular E10 in my riding mower and it fires right up even though I leave the gas in it all winter. Briggs powerbuilt engine.

No it has ethanol but I run the tank empty at the end of the season. Just common sense stuff.