On 4/24/2017 12:47 PM, Frank wrote:
On 4/24/2017 12:43 PM, wrote:
On Mon, 24 Apr 2017 10:26:14 -0400, songbird
wrote:

Frank wrote:
songbird wrote:

have to get the lawn mowed today and so
pulled the mower out of the shed, changed
the oil, topped off the gas... started on
first pull.

luckily i do not have to do the mowing
(yet).

I learned years ago, the hard way, that you make sure your mower is
OK a
few weeks before needing. Mine would not start one year when I needed
it and backlog was 3 weeks in the mower shop.

she who mows wants to buy a new one.
this one has worked very well for some years
now. it did need a new carb put on it and
that has been all done to it other than new
blades or me sharpening them once in a while.

it does need some work (rusted cables need
to be replaced) but i want to do that service
run after the season is over. that will be
a good time to take it to the shop before we
put it away for the winter.

Another shop told me it is the same way with snow-throwers and
generators.

hmm, may rethink timing, but if i take it any
other time then it means we may get stuck without
a mower when we need it. where we stored it for
the winter meant it wasn't coming out very easy
any time. this coming winter i hope we'll have
more room in the garage instead of stuffing it
in the garden shed.


songbird
My "daily driver" mower is a late forties or early fifties vintage
24 inch self propelled Yazoo Big Wheel style mower (sold by Pro Inc in
Shreveport La) that had a 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 HP Briggs on it when I bought
it back about 1987? I blew it up and put on a 6.5HP Bolton "CHONDA"
engine. I just replaced the spindle bearings for the second time, and
a number of years back I replaced the rusted mild steel sheet metal
deck with stainless steel (now I need to wear shades when I mow!!)

My "backup" mower is a 1957 Lawn King 19 or 20 ich job with a Lauson
engine.

Both started on the second pull this spring. I got the big one out
early because I knew the spindle was getting rough and the blade
needed balancing (likely what took out the bearing) - and I didn't
know how much time I was going to need to get it beetenapart and put
back together.
Likely another couple weeks before I need to cut the grass.

The generator starts on Propane, so I don't need to worry about stale
gas or bunged up carbs. For long term use I connect it to the natural
gas line. (reduced output though)


Best thing is to run dry then like propane there is nothing to go bad.

My snow-thrower recommends running dry or storing with stabilized gas.
First years I ran dry but then stored with stabilized gas but it would
not start. Fine reading of manual says to use gas without ethanol which
is only available in marine supplies as apparently it attacks seals.
Also a friend told me that gas sitting in carburetors of some machines
can evaporate gumming it up.

I just counted the mowers... 7 of them now, I've got my favorite,
short handle, easy to push, easy to adjust, non clogging. Lawnmowers
and stray puppies, to good to go the junkyard or dog pound? I'm the guy
that takes them in. Now what I'm finding is the new B&S carb's are bad
about the main jet clogging, I don't see a filter or screen like the old
carburetors had. Nothing to prevent the smallest dirt particle from
blocking the jets. Maybe a filter of some kind in the tank? I've fixed
a couple of those already. Good clean non ethanol gas and a shot of
carb cleaner first start of the season helps a lot of balky
mowers/generators/weed trimmers/chainsaws and I suppose snow blowers
get back on their feet.