How to keep this mower in tip top shape?

[bowlofturtle]

I don't know much on small engines. My parents gave me this 21in Craftsman. 4.75hp that runs on a brings and straton motor. When I got it, it didn't fire up. I took everything apart and it just kept leaking fuel due to no replacement gasket. I ordered a carb off amazon ($21 for whole kit) air filter, spark plug and new carb. Bolted this up and sure enough fired up no issue. Did a quick oil change by tipping over the mower.

We live in the city. Small patch of grass in front in 3 sections (10x10 left of walk way, 10x10 right of walk way and 5x10 past the sidewalk).

This is my first year mowing. Its taken maybe 30-45mins from walking out to walking back inside


Question... I don't mind spending $21 a year to keep this mower running with a new carb and all but it seems mighty wasteful. What can do I to keep this mower running nicely? Stablizer when we store it? Or just drain the bowl before storage? I wanted to run pure gas but that was like $20/ a liter.

 

[PontiacHO]

I’ve always stored my mowing equipment with Stabil in the fuel and had no problems. Keep it in your fuel can and tank all year. Change oil once a season. Clean the air filter as needed. Replace every couple of years. Sharpen the blade at the beginning of the season. It will last until you are tired of it.

 

[racer12306]

I use a dose of Stabil Marine 360 every tank of gas. I do everything else "wrong" when it comes to storing my mower over the winter and it still will fire without the choke in the spring. I have to pull the plug wires to actually spin it over it starts too fast for circulating oil.

I use the wrong gas, plain 87. I don't drain the tank or the carb. I don't put a new plug in every spring. I literally do everything "wrong" except for the Stabil.

Just hit 8 years with my mower.

It is NOT a push mower, but I don't see them as being much different.

 

[jeepman3071]

The best sure-fire way to ensure it will start after storage is to run it out of fuel before storing it. Sta-bil helps, but it really only makes the fuel last another 2 weeks or so before it goes bad.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

IMO use E0 in the fuel tank, add a fuel filter to the fuel line from the tank to the carb, check the oil regularly, sharpen the blade as needed.For as little as this mower will see use, change the oil as often as you wish. You should have years of trouble free use if you do these simple things.

Amazon Fuel Filter

Just my $0.02

 

[Hall]

It probably wouldn't start because your parents left old fuel in it. For the size of the mower and your yard, you won't use much fuel.... Just use a 1-gallon gas can to refill it and even then, don't fill the mower's tank more than 1/2. The last time you use it, hopefully there's minimal fuel left in the tank and when you're done, just leave it running (you can use a piece of string, zip-tie, bungee cord, etc to keep the lever closed so it keeps running). Let it run until it runs itself out of fuel. Then put it away for the winter.

 

[cptbarkey]

@bowlofturtle you are now a master of OPE. $21 for a new carb is cheaper than what many other homeowners do, like spending hundreds or thousands on robotic mowers. Now find another mower and keep going. You will be there hero of the neighborhood soon enough.

 

[Escape08]

Check air filter more often (clean or replace if dirty) and lube the wheels with grease @ least once a year. Spark plug should be gapped to specs once every 2 years of use

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

For the last use of the year add a tablespoon of 2 cycle oil to the gas tank and either run the tank dry or drain the gas and then run the carb dry before storage. Tip it over to change the oil, slap a new air filter on and it will be ready to start first pull next spring. Lastly scrape and wash the grass clippings from the underside to prevent rust and funky rotting grass smell. If you ever have the blade sharpened make sure it is balanced too, or just buy a new blade. With just this basic maintenance and storage precautions it should be trouble free for at least 10 years.

 

[thastinger]

Store the carb dry during the winter

 

[loneryder]

I always used Stabil but it failed me a couple of time so at the end of the season I run the mower tank dry. Put in some of the canned OPE fuel and run it thru the system. I've left it in all winter and other times I run it dry. When I leave it in all winter, it starts right away the next spring. Same thing with chain saw and trimmer and blower.

 

[Hall]

Does anyone know if there's any benefit to add something like Sta-Bil to the tank and let it flow into the carb ? Let it sit there in a dry (dry before you added the Sta-Bil) ?

 

[scotty.honda.dog]

Owner of a 23 year old mower with a Briggs Intek 6.75 engine. It runs for 1.0 hours every week from May through September. What I do:
Buy no-ethanol gas - see pure-gas.org to find stations, very accurate in my area.
Treat fuel with Pri-G or Stabil per the label instructions.
Store in 2.0 gallon plastic cans, I like the No-Spill cans from Walmart, hate the Sceptre brand tanks/nozzles
Store fuel can in garage.
Fuel up tank full before mowing, dont need to refuel.
After mowing and cooldown, store with fuel in tank, whatever is left in there.
Mowing weekly or maybe every 2 weeks in the fall.
At last mow (November), run the engine until it stalls and runs out of fuel. This drains carb mostly.
Replace air filter (both paper and foam) and spark plug sometime over the winter every year.
Every winter, Vacuum or drain out the oil, replace with Briggs 30 oil, or now changing to 5w30 Valvoline Advanced Synth.
Replace the blade and drive belt every other year.
Grease the axle gears and wheel axles every year.
I think I am on the second or third carb in 23 years. I keep a spare Briggs branded carb in case I need to fix it during mowing season.

 

[PontiacHO]

Wow. I’d rethink the dry carb method if your replacing carbs. My 19 year old Intek has the original carb. I leave the Stabil treated fuel in it all winter. Drying out carb parts after they’ve been fully immersed in fuel is a sure way for needle valve failure.

 

[Hall]

Wow. I’d rethink the dry carb method if your replacing carbs. My 19 year old Intek has the original carb. I leave the Stabil treated fuel in it all winter. Drying out carb parts after they’ve been fully immersed in fuel is a sure way for needle valve failure.

That's a valid point although I haven't had any issues doing it with my Honda mower (going on 8 years).

 

[PontiacHO]

That's a valid point although I haven't had any issues doing it with my Honda mower (going on 8 years).

Honda must use brass needle instead of Viton coated.

 

[Hall]

Honda must use brass needle instead of Viton coated.

Just to be safe, I added some Sta-Bil to the fuel tank yesterday after your post !

 

[mk378]

Running until it stalls doesn't fully empty the carb bowl. That little bit of gas that is left is certain to spoil and often gums up the main jet. If you're going with a dry storage theory, after running until the tank is empty, loosen the nut at the bottom of the bowl to fully drain it.

 

[Lubener]

The deck likely will rust out before the engine fails. Keep the underside clean of accumulated grass and change the oil annually. Run the gas out at the end of the season. Sharpen the blade and replace the plug as needed. You will get many years out of it.

 

[hardcore302]

I use stabil as well as a few drops of mmo or if I'm really bored, gumout with regane. Going strong.