Keep it simple.

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JustinH

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Been fighting a rough idle in my john deere self propelled lawnmower, also real tough to start.

New air filter, new plug, new oil, even cleaned up the carb.

Then it dawned on me that I was still pouring gas into it that was nearly a year old.

I purchased fresh gas at the exxon, and put it in the mower. The thing started on the first pull and idles perfect.

Sometimes I overthink things. My next step would have been to rebuild the carb, lol.
 
That's good you didn't throw new parts at it. All the things you did were preventative maintenance so it's good they were done. I saw one guy the other day in my neighborhood filling up his Corolla with a gas jug that looked like it was for the mower. That's one way to use it up quickly. It was probably a 1993 or so car but it looked to be in mint shape.
 
Ha my buddy is a mechanic he told me to use up the lawnmower gas in your car before winter so you can start fresh in the spring.

I refuse to use old lawnmower gas in my vehicles. Should have listened to the guy.
 
I'm about ready to dump the winter lawn mower gas can into my daily driver. I'm surprised the mower ran pretty good today on that old stuff. If it's properly treated with Stabil or other additives, it should have no problem lasting all winter. I did dump my can in November so it's only 5 months old.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Gasoline lasts only 30 days without a preservative.
I haven't found that to be true.
 
I pour whatever is in my gas cans in our 96 Ranger 4.0. Even two cycle mixed.

Of course within reason. Half a gallon of two cycle into about 6-7 gallons gas doesn't do anything.
 
The longevity of gas seems to vary a lot. I have had gas go bad in 30 days, and gas be good after a year. Stabilizer helps, but even then don't count on it. Have a problem, and the gas is 30 or more days old? Change it and try, couldn't hurt.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Gasoline lasts only 30 days without a preservative.


Not here in Illinois.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Gasoline lasts only 30 days without a preservative.
I haven't found that to be true.


He is right to a point. I have a chain saw that doesn't like much older than 3 week old non ethanol gas no matter how much stabilizer is in it. The weed eater does t like it after two months. The mowers don't care though.
 
Kept sealed in a proper fuel storage can, fuel should be good to use without issue for up to a year or so. Never have I seen properly stored fuel go "bad" in less than this time.

Have I had to mess with many a piece of OPE that was left with fuel in it? You betcha. The fuel tank on OPE is not designed for long term storage.
 
Some lighter parts of the fuel vaporize through the openings in tanks or cans and that process is obviously quicker in hot climate and ventilated containers. This cause hard starting, but the fuel is not totally bad.
Heavier parts of modern cracked fuel can start to become even heavier and more gum like, and combined with drying up in bowls you could get the varnish no one likes...
Found like 10 yr old fuel in a briggs tiller. It didn't even smell like gas anymore, rather like kerosene or naphtalene. But it was clear and it ran with new fuel added.
Fuel in metal cans with good seals can keep fuel ok for quite a while at least in the swedish cold.
The ethanol does one thing you may like or dislike: It attracts and also dissolves water in the fuel. Other than that, ethanol won't change with age.
There was a post with some research on fuel properties the other week, talking about effects on octane rating etc. Good one.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
I haven't found that to be true.


That is what a mower shop told my Uncle. That's the main reason why I jumped on the Sta-Bil bandwagon. What in my view lends credibility to the claim is that the mower shop spans three generations and the owner has given me a lot of good technical advice that has been very helpful.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: CT8
I haven't found that to be true.


That is what a mower shop told my Uncle. That's the main reason why I jumped on the Sta-Bil bandwagon. What in my view lends credibility to the claim is that the mower shop spans three generations and the owner has given me a lot of good technical advice that has been very helpful.


I think those small engine shops say that to be on the safe side rather than the sorry side as I'm sure they see a lot of fuel related issues, good advice I say. The guy at the shop I got my mower from says six months untreated twelve months treated.

Back in 1989 when we bought our house it came with a really nice yard so I went out and bought a high vac snapper and the guy told me to use Sta-bil year round, that mower lasted me until I gave it away in 2007 and not one issue. Towards the end it was puffin' pretty good, I got tired of adding oil every time I mowed. It got be check the gas and add oil
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: lars11
Some lighter parts of the fuel vaporize through the openings in tanks or cans and that process is obviously quicker in hot climate and ventilated containers. This cause hard starting, but the fuel is not totally bad.
Heavier parts of modern cracked fuel can start to become even heavier and more gum like, and combined with drying up in bowls you could get the varnish no one likes...
Found like 10 yr old fuel in a briggs tiller. It didn't even smell like gas anymore, rather like kerosene or naphtalene. But it was clear and it ran with new fuel added.
Fuel in metal cans with good seals can keep fuel ok for quite a while at least in the swedish cold.
The ethanol does one thing you may like or dislike: It attracts and also dissolves water in the fuel. Other than that, ethanol won't change with age.
There was a post with some research on fuel properties the other week, talking about effects on octane rating etc. Good one.



The temperature thing may be a factor. I store my gas in a gas can in a detached garage in Central Texas.

I have a temperature probe on the inside of that structure and I have recorded a 124 degree temperature in that thing. Most of the summer it is around 95-99 degrees in there.

I put a little solar vent fan in there, and it keeps it under 100 degrees.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Gasoline lasts only 30 days without a preservative.
I haven't found that to be true.


I haven't either.
I've done two cuts this season on gas from a sealed metal container left over from last fall. Dumped some of the fuel in the dry tank, gave it a few shots of prime and the old Tecumseh roared to life on the first pull.
 
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