OK, all you small engine specialists....

When do you recommend changing out the oil in lawn mowers, (and the like), and snow blowers?

Before or after the season?

Personally I like to change it out before the season, as if one did it after, then one wouldn't be starting them up for a while and the new oil wouldn't be circulated as the old oil was in every nook and cranny.



This community is the sum of of the knowledge of all.
Only we must communicate that knowledge to each other via this forum.
Participate, Teach and Learn.

Cordially,
Gerry

well. I like to change it out at end of season . But, then I like to run it a few minutes to make sure everything is a go, and that all is oiled in every nook and cranny.

             we all do things a little different, it doesn't mean others are wrong, though.

RB by the great salt lake

Change oil at the end of the season before putting them in storage. Acids in the oil that accumulate during use will cause damage during storage Draining the carb is not always a good idea since gaskets dry out and may leak when refilled. Just make sure that fuel stabilizers make it into the carb.

No answers, just a follow-up question.  With all of today's gas containing alcohol and it being so rough on gaskets, fuel lines, seals, etc., what, if anything, can be done to mitigate or eliminate its damaging effects if fuel is left in?  Are there any fuels available (maybe aviation gas, for instance) that don't have the alcohol content?

 

Bob Hoyer ...... Bremerton, WA

Marine fuel, purchased at Marinas is supposed to be alcohol free. I'm not sure, how do we really know??

Sta-Bil now makes a stabilizer especially for gasoline that has alcohol in it. I'm using it in my 'stuff' because all I can get is that Shi*y gas.

 

About the when to change oil question......most of these engines use barely a quart of oil, why not change it before the season and after the season too? If you're only going to do it once, I'd say do it before storage as has been mentioned. IMHO

Bob........54646 Central Wisconsin's most fun guy! Handy member since 3/14/'94

 

 

After pondering this same question back last spring or early summer, I asked at Sears, where I purchased my new weed whacker, if they knew anything about where I could get straight gas. My jaw dropped to the floor when the guy answered yes. He showed me a small container of straight gas, I believe about one quart or so, that I could buy right there in Sears. Had a hefty price tag also.

But no ethanol is added to it.

 

 

"I'll try almost anything at least once.
Mid-Hudson Valley Region, NY

---

Bob:
Any Briggs&Stratton dealer that has an alcohol tester in his shop should be able to test your gas for you.  I have checked a lot of samples my self for too much alcohol content in the past. Tester consist of a test tube with a cap graduated in tenths. What you would do is to put in 1" of your gas then put in 1" of plain water. close tube with cap and shake tube for 1 minute then let sit for 5 minutes. When reading there should be 1 tenth of increment of white on top of water.

I think this may answer your question it may also help someone else!

RD member since5/02 Illinois.

I'll do as "Racer" says, change it, run it a bit and store it with some stabilizer in the bowl like "Bob" says.

Don't want no aviation fuel; in that puppy, it'll do like this one did,
or this one.


This community is the sum of of the knowledge of all.
Only we must communicate that knowledge to each other via this forum.
Participate, Teach and Learn.

Cordially,
Gerry

Liker Racer says, change oil after the end of the season due to acids and also moisture.  For the carb, just use fuel stabilizer.  Don't drain the carb.  I found the gaskets and diaphragms dry out.  In the spring, I get the engines running then added carb cleaner to the gas to loosen up any of the varnish from over the winter.  I have a small engine 20 yo that are still running fine. 

WNY has 2 seasons: Winter and construction. Mike H.

ramj81...

Sounds like something that a person could make at home if it is just a graduated test tube with a stopper...??!!

But what does the white foam mean? Presence of alcohol or lack of alcohol?

Bob........54646 Central Wisconsin's most fun guy! Handy member since 3/14/'94

If available, premium gas won't or at least shouldn't have any alcohol in it.  All engines that are to be stored should have the oil changed before being stored.  As previously stated, used oil contains acids and changing the oil removes them.  If you use the oil that will be needed when you take your engine out of storage, there is no reason to do another oil change when it comes out of storage.

If an engine is to be out of storage for 30 days or longer, the following steps should be taken.

1: run engine for 5 - 10 minutes until it is thouroughly warmed to operating temperature.

2: turn off fuel supply while engine is running and run engine until it quits from lack of fuel.  This removes all fuel from the carb.

3: drain oil from crankcase.

4: fill crankcase with clean oil and tag engine to indicate what wheight of oil is in engine.

5: remove sparkplug and squirt about an ounce of oil into the cylinder.  Turn engine over a few times to coat cylinder walls, top of piston, and the head with a protective coat of oil.  Replace sparkplug and tighten to specified torque.

6: clean or replace aircleaner element.

7: clean governor linkage, make sure it is in good order and oil all joints.

8: plug the exhaust opening and the fuel inlet openings.  Use clean lintless rags.      (I have never done this)

9: Remove battery, if applicable.  Store in a cool dry place, where there is no danger of freezing.  Do NOT store on the ground or on cement.  Store on wood blocks.  A wet storage battery stored on the ground or on cement will establish a ground and discharge itself.  A fully discharged battery can never be brought back to it's origional storage capacity.

10: wash or wipe off the entire engine (when cool).  Avoid getting water in the carb intake port.

11: coat all parts that might rust with a light coating of oil.  Paint all non-operating parts with a rust inhibiting paint

12: cover the engine with a suitable cover.  Plastic is acceptable where where the application and removal of sunlight will not promote condensation.  If this is the case, use a cover that is able breathe, such as a canvas tarp.

 

The above 12 points were taken from the "Chilton's guide to small engine repair.

Bart from Saskatchewan, Canada

Bob from Necedah :

It would very easy to test at home. 

In answer to what the white foam is that would be the alcohol that was in the gas.  1 tenth of an inch would be equal to ten percent alcohol blend of fuel.

1.5 tenths of an inch would be fifteen percent and so on.

I believe this is correct, it has been awhile since i did that and if i am wrong someone can correct me.

RD member since5/02 Illinois.

Bart,

 

I don't know about up in Canada, but around here I believe ALL automotive gasolines are mandated by the government to have at least 10% alcolhol.  I did a little searching and came across this partial quote from the 'Car Talk' site regarding myths about premium gas:

     "Finally, here's a nice irony: to increase gas' octane rating, companies add ethanol, when they're mixing up a batch of premium fuel. Interestingly, ethanol actually contains less energy than untreated gas, so the net result from the ethanol component is a reduction in your MPG."  (Emphasis added.) 

In fairness, I should add that the site goes on to say there are other additives in there that counteract this reduction in mpg.  Here is a link if you care to read it:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/feat...myths.html

 

I have known for 40+ years that you get less milage from ethanol than from gasoline.  I used to race Go-Karts.  Those guys who burned alcohol would have to jet their carburetors so they consumed two and a half times as much fuel for the same amount of air.  Now that gave them a little more power, but they were burning easily twice as much fuel to get equivalent power.  That means if you are burning 10% alcohol your milage is going to go down by 5%.  On a  vehicle that gets 20 miles per gallon you are going to lose a full one mile per gallon on your average gas milage.

Bob Hoyer ...... Bremerton, WA

Bompa, premium gas here is alcohol free, at least for nowor so the stickers on the pumps say).  But boy do you pay for it.  Unless you absolutely need it, it doesn't pay to use it, the decrease in fuel economy is less costly than premium fuel.  Not that it affects me, I drive a diesel.
Bart from Saskatchewan, Canada

Bob I do not know either, and am curious as well, here is my GUESS only:  Alcohol and water disolve in each other, gas and water seperate, and the lighter liquid would sit on top.  Like I said, this is just a guess till someone who knows replies...

Seems to me like we did not like burning alcohol because water was released, though I certainly could be wrong. But I do remember that when we used to get drip gas in the oil fields, we let it set for a day or two so we could drain the water off the bottom.

RB at the Great Salt Lake

Found this article about fuel line freezing and how isopropyl alcohol will mix with water to take out of the fuel system.

Paul Brand: Fuel line antifreeze not all hype

By PAUL BRAND, Star Tribune

December 24, 2008

WNY has 2 seasons: Winter and construction. Mike H.

That fella did not take into his thoughts the specific gravity of the alcohol water mixture vs the specific gravity of the gasoline. IMHO: it would be heavier and settle to the bottom of the fuel tank and typically fuel pumps draw from the bottom, constantly diminishing the "too much total alcohol" in the tank.

All in all, Darn good article LandFillWizard, thanks for bringing it to our attention!

This community is the sum of of the knowledge of all.
Only we must communicate that knowledge to each other via this forum.
Participate, Teach and Learn.

Cordially,
Gerry