SnowBlower preseason prep!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Well, just went outside, flipped the switch, two squirts of primer, choke on, first pull and away she went. Perfect little engine so far.

Another benefit IMO of 91 octane, is for lazy guys like me that don't like to drain their small engines, which inevitably leaves some gas sitting for months. Always starts on first pull with this combo.
 
Originally Posted By: RiceCake
Yeah...so does all my OPE on 87 octane with ethanol in it. The benefits of using higher octane is what?

avoiding carb problems, rotted fuel lines, stiff diaphrams, not to mention minimal $50/labor charges, just to name a few. just seems as if youre LUCKY, so far that is. this is an argument that seems impossible to win, but go to your local dealer ope and ask for proof, theyll show you, and they dont sell gas, so there goes the trying to up-sale ya theory
 
Or I can subscribe to the theory that you've just been indoctrinated with misinformation and have listed off a number of problems I've never seen attributed to fuel octane or ethanol. I have seen them as a result of bad maintenance, bad initial design, or age though.

So, okay then, guess I'm lucky and everyone else I know is just lucky too.
 
I did experience a storage problem with E10 in my OPE. I had the classic green gel corrosion in the carburator resulting from phase separation. If you haven't yet experienced this after storage, you either use pure gas, the fuel system is hermetically sealed, you live in a continuously dry climate, or you're lucky.
 
I too have experienced fuel systems on neglected OPE loaded with the green goo. I have had to remove and clean fuel tanks as well as clean/replace carbs and replace fuel lines and filters because of this. This was on stuff that sat for a year or more though. Both 2 and 4 cycle.

I can leave pre-mix in my string trimmers, leaf blowers and saws all winter, and they'll fire right up when needed next season. Small 2 strokes have fuel systems that don't breathe much, which helps. The more a system is open to air, the quicker the fuel will degrade.

FWIW, the Buffalo NY area has had almost entirely E10 for over 20yrs now.
 
Originally Posted By: RiceCake
Or I can subscribe to the theory that you've just been indoctrinated with misinformation and have listed off a number of problems I've never seen attributed to fuel octane or ethanol. I have seen them as a result of bad maintenance, bad initial design, or age though.

So, okay then, guess I'm lucky and everyone else I know is just lucky too.

glad youre lucky, if i only put a few hrs on ope i might get lucky too. if youve only seen as many plugged up/messed up carbs as i have, you might change youre opinion, but then again you have youre opinion formed based on luck, i have mine based on seeing many problemes, not just mine, but that of other ppl, if you like ethanol by all means use it, but that certainly doesnt make that wise. there again, i dont live in canada, maybe you have additives added in up there.
 
Originally Posted By: clarklawnscape
there again, i dont live in canada, maybe you have additives added in up there.


That is actually a very good point I never considered.
 
I usually treat my gas with marine stabil and one ounce of mmo per two gallons. I've never had a problem with this combo sitting six to eight months in a closed container or tank.

The mmo also acts as a lubricant for things in the carb. People run their carbs dry and wind up having stuck float valves. The mmo leaves behind an oily residue that helps to prevent this.
 
Originally Posted By: clarklawnscape
Originally Posted By: RiceCake
Yeah...so does all my OPE on 87 octane with ethanol in it. The benefits of using higher octane is what?

avoiding carb problems, rotted fuel lines, stiff diaphrams, not to mention minimal $50/labor charges, just to name a few. just seems as if youre LUCKY, so far that is. this is an argument that seems impossible to win, but go to your local dealer ope and ask for proof, theyll show you, and they dont sell gas, so there goes the trying to up-sale ya theory

Eeeeehhhhhhhhh....you said stiff...eeeeeehahahahaha. Sorry man,I couldnt help myself.
 
Originally Posted By: webfors
Another benefit IMO of 91 octane, is for lazy guys like me that don't like to drain their small engines, which inevitably leaves some gas sitting for months. Always starts on first pull with this combo.
You should avoid using gasoline with an octane higher than that recommended by the engine manufacturer. For Briggs and Stratton that's 89 octane.

To make certain your engine will start in November when the snow starts to fall (if not earlier), treat you gas in the snowblower and in the gas container with Sta-Bil.

Sta-Bil makes four different types of additives. Origonal Sta-Bil (called Sta-Bil red) which protects gas from going bad if stored over 30 days, Sta-Bil Marine formula which is specifically designed for the special enviroment of boats and the like, Sta-Bil Diesel for diesel engines, and Sta-Bil Ethanol for treating gasoline which contains Ethanol (& used in the snowblower's gas tank).

If you intend to keep gas on hand over 30 days but use within 90, use 1 oz/gallon. If you intend to keep the gas for up to a year, use 2 oz/gallon of Sta-Bol Red or Sta-Bol Ethanol.

What may be different between gasoline in the US and Canada is Ethanol. Most gas sold in the US contains Ethanol which will breakdown in as little as 30 days. I don't know about Canadian gas but gasoline without Ethanol breaks down slower and differently. It's possible that the gas up north doesn't have Ethanol in it.
 
Originally Posted By: enigma-2
Originally Posted By: webfors
Another benefit IMO of 91 octane, is for lazy guys like me that don't like to drain their small engines, which inevitably leaves some gas sitting for months. Always starts on first pull with this combo.
You should avoid using gasoline with an octane higher than that recommended by the engine manufacturer. For Briggs and Stratton that's 89 octane.

89 will do fine in 4 cycle engines, but premium fuel wont hurt a thing, infact, premium (lowest ethanol amount you can find) is always best in 2cycle products. when it comes to stabilizer, if theres no mention of combating ethanol, its a joke
 
Originally Posted By: lexus114
Eeeeehhhhhhhhh....you said stiff...eeeeeehahahahaha. Sorry man,I couldnt help myself.


Shut up, Beavis. I'm trying to score.

Originally Posted By: enigma-2
It's possible that the gas up north doesn't have Ethanol in it.


I live on the prairies, coated in farmlands, where ethanol production has been a source of additional income for farmers selling otherwise useless grains that would be wholesaled as feedstock for livestock. Ethanol has been around here for eons and is in every single pump, less a few specific premium fuels.

Never once had an issue. In fact I've had stuff run better on ethanol because the alcohol is free gas line antifreeze.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: clarklawnscape
avoiding carb problems, rotted fuel lines, stiff diaphrams, not to mention minimal $50/labor charges, just to name a few. just seems as if youre LUCKY, so far that is. this is an argument that seems impossible to win, but go to your local dealer ope and ask for proof, theyll show you, and they dont sell gas, so there goes the trying to up-sale ya theory


If you maintain your fuel (E10) and your equipment then that's hogwash.

I run E10 in everything and have for 25-30 years. I keep the fuel maintained with Stabil, and haven't had a carb or fuel related issue in that time. I also have 4 Ford N tractors, two of which are trailer queens and only get run for an hour or so a year when taken to shows. Again, zero fuel/carb problems.

I pulled my chain saw out two weeks ago to trim some branches. It had been sitting for 8 months with E10 in it, and it started on the third pull and ran perfectly. My pressure washer, my DR trimmer, my rototiller and every other small engine all see E10 exclusively, and I've had zero problems.

Even my 1974 John Deere 210 has E10 in it. I only use it 2-3 times each year, and it has no fuel issues at all. Granted I rebuilt the carb on it when I pulled it out of storage, but it hadn't been run for almost 20 years. I would have rebuilt the carb on anything that had not been run in two decades.

I have rebuilt carbs for a number of friends, but it's because they didn't treat the fuel before letting something sit for an extended period. And quite often, it hasn't been E10 that was sitting in there.

And as far as my local dealer? It's a John Deere dealer, and they don't have an issue with E10 in anything they sell as long as it's treated with Stabil (just as any non-ethanol should be).
 
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I need to fix the problem with ours. It hunts for a speed and gets worse as you throttle up. I looked at it a few weeks ago, but ran out of time.
I did manage to get all the bad fuel flushed out. I added fresh 87 and some FP60 to clean it all up afterwards.
It has GC 0W30.


That sounds like a "lean roll". When my gas powered stuff starts acting like that, I usually end-up turning the needle valve out just the tiniest bit. Actually, I turn the needle valve out until it starts to run rough (too rich), turn the needle valve in until the idle starts to "roll" (too lean), and then set it in the middle.

I've been using the 89 octane mid-grade. I seem to remember that was the typical octane of the old leaded "regular". Some of my stuff goes back to when leaded regular was still available.
 
It's funny ,(or sad), that the people that benefit from states that grow the corn that makes an inferior ethanol product and drives food prices up feel that it's hogwash that ethanol causes problems. They blame improper maintenance, that's hogwash. Guys who are mechanics, like me, that take great care of their equipment and only use the best products still have problems with ethanol fuel. Ask someone who spent a lot of money and time and effort to plan a snowmobile trip only to have their engine blow due to ethanol fuel gumming up and clogging jets. Ethanol causes damage, makes fuel go bad much faster and causes the consumer to spend more money, it's another political scam. Even using the top stabilizer products that this forum recommends I still get a whitish gel in my fuel bowls. During this last storm all 4 of my generators that were stored for aprox. 4 months with new Marine Stabil needed the fuel bowls removed, jets blown out and cleaned to make them run properly. It was really fun doing that in the rain and wind, thank you Ethanol!
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: clarklawnscape
avoiding carb problems, rotted fuel lines, stiff diaphrams, not to mention minimal $50/labor charges, just to name a few. just seems as if youre LUCKY, so far that is. this is an argument that seems impossible to win, but go to your local dealer ope and ask for proof, theyll show you, and they dont sell gas, so there goes the trying to up-sale ya theory


If you maintain your fuel (E10) and your equipment then that's hogwash.

I run E10 in everything and have for 25-30 years. I keep the fuel maintained with Stabil, and haven't had a carb or fuel related issue in that time. I also have 4 Ford N tractors, two of which are trailer queens and only get run for an hour or so a year when taken to shows. Again, zero fuel/carb problems.

I pulled my chain saw out two weeks ago to trim some branches. It had been sitting for 8 months with E10 in it, and it started on the third pull and ran perfectly. My pressure washer, my DR trimmer, my rototiller and every other small engine all see E10 exclusively, and I've had zero problems.

Even my 1974 John Deere 210 has E10 in it. I only use it 2-3 times each year, and it has no fuel issues at all. Granted I rebuilt the carb on it when I pulled it out of storage, but it hadn't been run for almost 20 years. I would have rebuilt the carb on anything that had not been run in two decades.

I have rebuilt carbs for a number of friends, but it's because they didn't treat the fuel before letting something sit for an extended period. And quite often, it hasn't been E10 that was sitting in there.

And as far as my local dealer? It's a John Deere dealer, and they don't have an issue with E10 in anything they sell as long as it's treated with Stabil (just as any non-ethanol should be).

ITs far from hogwash, and you treat your fuel just as you should, thus making the difference in youre case. Ethanol WILL kill fuel lines and carbs in OPE if untreated. Most OPE fuel system parts are not recommended above 10% ethanol, and thats assuming the fuel is rated properly as well as the part/product. My posts are far from hogwash, and on this subjuct, it isnt simply an opinion.
 
Last edited:
Got out my Toro 1128OXE snowblower last weekend and tried to start it for the first time since March. It was a no-go. Carb bowl was full of bright yellow fuel.

Last winter I used regular e10 87 fuel. When I put the blower away I added stabilizer to the fuel tank but didn't run the engine - should have known better. Last spring I found a local gas station that sells pure gas, I've been using it for my lawn mowers and weed eaters and will continue using it in my snowblower now.

Once I got fresh fuel in it she fired right up on one or two pulls. Let it run for 15 minutes and should be good to go now for the winter. Oil was changes before last winter with citgo semisyn 5w30. Only got used for about 1 hour last winter.
 
Started ours up this weekend. Not quite ready to go, but close.

MTD 31a-32ad700 ours is branded yard machines

* Changed the oil (Supertech 5w30)
* New spark plug (at < $3 why not?)
* New gas (87)
* belts seem OK--probably replace for next season
* Checked shear pins

1st pull

Waiting on a stupid $2 plastic cable holder that broke and has us out of commission for actually removing snow.

Todo:
Air tires
Lube chasis
Put on new cable holder
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Donald
Craftsman snowblower
2 3
Replies
51
Views
2K
odie
Fattylocks
Toro R-tec snowblower
Replies
8
Views
263
Fordiesel69
A
Great...I Fixed My Snowblower....Maybe.
Replies
19
Views
1K
SARG52
T
Choke adjustment on kohler cv224?
Replies
6
Views
336
The motor guy
M
Briggs & Stratton SUSA STYLE 122L02-0111-F1 Squeals after start
Replies
2
Views
246
Montecore
Back
Top Bottom