Started up my 20 year old lawnmower after 12 years

[PT1]

My yard is 2 acres and I have it cut by a landscaper. Still have my 1989 MTD B&S mower from the last home we left in 1997. It has been sitting in my garage in the corner since then. Every once in a while over the past 12 years I would walk by it and just pull the starter cord to rotate the engine a bit. But the last time it ran was in 1997. I am now painting my garage and had to move it. So I poured a small amount of gas in it and pulled the cord once and it fired right up..

I let it get hot and then drained the very black 30w oil and refilled with ST 30w. Then I let it run for 15 minutes until it ran out of fuel.

I was amazed that it started on the first pull. SO, I'll change the oil again in 2021. How's that for an extended OCI?

 

[kevinf]

Would have been fun to send it in for analysis

 

[SuperDave456]

I guess what you have been doing worked just fine.
So I shouldent knock it.

But I would have put in some really special Synthetic oil

 

[mpvue]

you have to try really hard to kill a briggs.

 

[ccs v2.0]

The deck has to be nearly rusted through so I'll take your problem off your hands and open up some space for you in the garage. $20 picked up sound alright?

 

[ravenchris]

There is almost nothing more satisfying than machinery working flawlessly over long periods of time.

 

[lexus114]

I cant believe the carburetor isnt messed up from sitting that long.

 

[double vanos]

When you store it be sure and pull it into a compression stroke - that way both valves are closed keeping the valve seats and piston bore sealed up and the valve springs in a relaxed position.

This tidbit of info comes from a Honda generator maintenance manual. Makes sense to me....

 

[lexus114]

Good to know ^^^^^

 

[JTK]

Dry, out of the elements storage does work wonders!

Joel

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: double vanos
When you store it be sure and pull it into a compression stroke - that way both valves are closed keeping the valve seats and piston bore sealed up and the valve springs in a relaxed position.

This tidbit of info comes from a Honda generator maintenance manual. Makes sense to me....


Very good to know!

Thanks!

 

[Benny John]

For those of us who do not know. How do you know when it is in the compression stroke?

 

[StevieC]

Take the spark plug out and slowly turn the engine over until you see the top of the piston as close to the spark plug hole as possible without then moving away.

You can also feel it if you pull the cord slowly. When it starts to tighten up that's when it's getting compressed. If it then loosens you have gone too far.

 

[fordboy]

can't believe it...

 

[JTK]

A good concept, but I would think it's much more beneficial to give the recoil an occasional pull than stress about leaving the engine at a compression stroke.

 

[eljefino]

so how much dirt did you find in its old parking space?

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
so how much dirt did you find in its old parking space?

HAHAHAHA......