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Post by vankjeff on Sept 8, 2018 17:55:53 GMT -5
Okay..check the fuel filter and rebuild the carburetor. Also fuel level looks low. I'll try topping off the fuel first since that's easy. Why the heck didn't I think of that? GRRR If that's not it, where is the Fuel Filter and do I remember somewhere in this thread it said who might have a carb gasket set? I'm comfortable rebuilding the carb if I can get the parts.
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Post by 1975 Super XL on Sept 8, 2018 18:20:17 GMT -5
The main fuel filter is attached to the end of the fuel line, inside the fuel tank. There is usually also a wire screen inside the carburetor that also acts as a filter, it is on the opposite side of the inlet needle and can be cleaned while the carburetor is taken apart.
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Post by vankjeff on Sept 9, 2018 19:30:19 GMT -5
Okay..check the fuel filter and rebuild the carburetor. Also fuel level looks low. OMG you're right. The fuel tank is almost empty. That would explain it seeming to mainly only die when I pick it up to try using it. I hope filling it fixes everything but I doubt it. I say that since when this first started happening, there was more fuel in the tank, maybe 1/4 tank but maybe less. But, at one point I accidentally spilled some out by tipping it up to do something on it when the gas cap was off and soaking to hopefully free up the check valve & filter in it. I need to mix up some new gas with 2-stroke oil. What ratio is the fuel/oil supposed to be at? 32:1? 40:1? 50:1?
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Post by rowdy235 on Sept 9, 2018 22:07:49 GMT -5
Glad to see making some progress!
I've never heard of any fuel pickup issue like you mention but i suppose it is possible. I'd check the fuel filter, make sure its clean, and then just to be safe i'd fill the tank up as full as you can. If its still having the same issue, I would assume its time to tear into the carburetor.
EDIT: sorry, missed the second page of posts. Oh well, looks like you've got it figured out! Ask 10 people you'll get 10 opinion on fuel mix. I run a good quality oil and non-ethanol gas at 32:1 in all my equipment, new and old. I figure its probably a little rich for the newer equipment but with the modern oils you hardly ever foul plugs so I figure better to have a little more lubrication than not enough.
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Post by sweepleader on Sept 10, 2018 7:50:40 GMT -5
I also run 32:1 or 40:1 in everything, it is not critical. Leon runs 80:1 but that is scary for me. Remember that less oil means more gas in a gallon, carb settings will be somewhat different. NO ethanol.
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Post by vankjeff on Sept 10, 2018 15:40:22 GMT -5
I also run 32:1 or 40:1 in everything, it is not critical. Leon runs 80:1 but that is scary for me. Remember that less oil means more gas in a gallon, carb settings will be somewhat different. NO ethanol. OMG ... SUCCESS!! I'm feeling dumb but happy. My problem must have been just a low fuel level all along. It just ran great for me after I stopped off the tank. It did die a few times since the L & H mixtures aren't really set right nor is the idle speed. I just kept revving it since I've grown so used to it dying that I wanted to keep it spinning. And when it would die, I'd need to move the Choke to full Choke to get it to easily be restarted. So, that must mean that one of the mixtures needs richening but which one, L or H? Also, from what you know, does our gas in California have ethanol in it and is the cheapest grade OK?
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Post by vankjeff on Sept 10, 2018 17:09:36 GMT -5
Glad to see you making some progress! I've never heard of any fuel pickup issue like you mention but I suppose it is possible. I'd check the fuel filter, make sure its clean. I'd hoped to pull the fuel pickup line out the gas cap hole to see if there's any screen or filter on the weight on the end of it that I could brush clean. But the line that is on only lets it come about 1/2 way to the gas cap neck so I couldn't figure out how to even look at it, much less actually do anything to it. I took an old piece of clothes hanger wire & made a little tool that I could use to hook that & pull it out to be worked on but that was a no-go. I guess since as you can see in my other posting, just filling up the tank with premix fuel seems to have fixed my biggest problem where it kept wanting to die. Now I need to tune the carb and maybe even get it to idle.
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Post by vankjeff on Sept 10, 2018 17:20:09 GMT -5
The main fuel filter is attached to the end of the fuel line, inside the fuel tank. There is usually also a wire screen inside the carburetor that also acts as a filter, it is on the opposite side of the inlet needle and can be cleaned while the carburetor is taken apart. How do I get to that weighted thing that I see down in there on the end of the fuel pickup line inside the tank? The line isn't long enough to let me drag it out the gas cap neck. Also, can you give me a diagram or a photo with an arrow pointing at the inlet needle & the wire screen that is by it? I'm not afraid of pulling a few screws to get the carb off & to see inside it. Heck, I should probably even try to buy a carb gasket rebuild kit while I'm at it since this thing is so old. Does anyone have one? I remember seeing that they're no longer available online somewhere which might have been on some official site.
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Post by rowdy235 on Sept 10, 2018 17:56:23 GMT -5
I've never seen a fuel hose that was too short to come out the filler. I guess your only option would be to disconnect the line from the carb and remove the entire line, but I have no idea how you'd go about reinstalling it lol. Gas "grades" are usually just octane levels, of which regular will be fine for the equipment we run. CA has ethanol as do most (all?) states now. This is a good site to find non-ethanol gas: www.pure-gas.org/ . The stations in my neck of the woods that sell it only sell premium, and it usually runs about a dollar more than regular per gallon. But you WILL have problems if you continue to run ethanol, its a when not if situation. FWIW I always run sta-bil in case I don't use all the gas right away (keeps it from going bad at least for a while) Aside from that most hardware and box stores sell pre-mixed non-ethanol fuel in cans, but they are spendy. Probably a good option if you don't use the blower much though.
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Post by sweepleader on Sept 10, 2018 18:56:59 GMT -5
Pay the premium and get ethanol free gas, it will be cheaper than repairing the machine repeatedly, and how much do you use in a year? One gallon? Maybe not even.
Adjust the high speed screw for max engine rpm, then richen it (back the screw out) a little so the engine roughens slightly.
Then turn up the idle speed until the engine will continue to run before adjusting the idle mixture.
With the engine running on its own, adjust the idle mixture screw for max speed, reduce the idle speed screw till the engine gets rough.
Re-adjust the mixture to smooth out and max speed, reduce the speed screw, repeat till the idle is low but smooth.
If the acceleration to high speed is bad, richen the idle mixture a little and try acceleration again, repeat till all is well. High speed should remain good during idle adjustments.
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Post by vankjeff on Sept 10, 2018 19:55:59 GMT -5
I've never seen a fuel hose that was too short to come out the filler. I guess your only option would be to disconnect the line from the carb and remove the entire line, but I have no idea how you'd go about reinstalling it lol. I figured out that if I really wanted to mess with it, I could pull the tank & unhook the fuel line from the carb. Then to reassemble it I'd get a longer piece of similar hose & feed it in thru the top of the tank & get it to come out the neck. Then after I attached the weighted pickup piece, I could pull the hose up thru the top of tank and cut it off to a proper length before attaching it to the carb. But for now I'm gonna leave it alone.
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Post by vankjeff on Sept 11, 2018 1:03:07 GMT -5
…... FWIW I always run Sta-bil in case I don't use all the gas right away (keeps it from going bad at least for a while) I'm thinking about just adding STA-BIL to my normal pump gas with some 2-cycle oil at 40:1. I looked STA-BIL up and it says it said that it protects engine parts from moisture and even from ethanol so you don't need to drain your tank or worry about fuel in your carb during the winter hurting your lawn equipment.
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Post by stillsawing on Sept 11, 2018 4:08:42 GMT -5
Premix fuel is an answer to the ethanol and the mix ratio. The two big saw manufacturers have their own fuel in various sizes. The extra cost is about the same as 2 bottles of oil and a carb kit. Just dump it in, fast, safe and easy.
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Post by rowdy235 on Sept 11, 2018 8:55:19 GMT -5
…... FWIW I always run Sta-bil in case I don't use all the gas right away (keeps it from going bad at least for a while) I'm thinking about just adding STA-BIL to my normal pump gas with some 2-cycle oil at 40:1. I looked STA-BIL up and it says it said that it protects engine parts from moisture and even from ethanol so you don't need to drain your tank or worry about fuel in your carb during the winter hurting your lawn equipment. View Attachment
I wouldn't rely on StaBil to protect anything from ethanol. I do run it in every tank just to keep the gas fresh though. Years ago they made a blue colored stabil that was called ethanol treatment. $1200 later rebuilding the entire fuel system on my boat I am not convinced.
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Post by vankjeff on Sept 11, 2018 12:33:44 GMT -5
I'm thinking about just adding STA-BIL to my normal pump gas with some 2-cycle oil at 40:1. I looked STA-BIL up and it says it said that it protects engine parts from moisture and even from ethanol so you don't need to drain your tank or worry about fuel in your carb during the winter hurting your lawn equipment. View Attachment
I wouldn't rely on STA-BIL to protect anything from ethanol. I do run it in every tank just to keep the gas fresh though. Years ago they made a blue colored STA-BIL that was called ethanol treatment. $1,200 later, rebuilding the entire fuel system on my boat, I am not convinced. OK thanks. I guess I should find a local source then for ethanol-free gas and buy a gallon of it. I only mixed up 1/2 gallon of new pre-mix the other day anyhow. So, I could just empty the tank on my blower back into the gas jug and then burn the pre-mix in my car or my 4-cycle push mower, right? I'm pretty sure you'd agree that little 2-cycle oil in the gas wouldn't matter in either, right? On that subject, should I be using ethanol-free gas in my 4-stroke mower too?
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Post by Clasec on Sept 11, 2018 12:51:37 GMT -5
I wouldn't rely on STA-BIL to protect anything from ethanol. I do run it in every tank just to keep the gas fresh though. Years ago they made a blue colored STA-BIL that was called ethanol treatment. $1,200 later, rebuilding the entire fuel system on my boat, I am not convinced. OK thanks. I guess I should find a local source then for ethanol-free gas and buy a gallon I only mixed up 1/2 gallon of new pre-mix the other day anyhow. So, I could just empty the tank on my blower back into the gas jug and then burn the pre-mix in my car or my 4-cycle push mower, right? I'm pretty sure you'd agree that little 2-cycle oil in the gas wouldn't matter in either, right? On that subject, should I be using ethanol-free gas in my 4-stroke mower too? If your car has a catalytic converter I probably wouldn't burn the premix in it. The mower on the other hand is probably okay.
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Post by vankjeff on Sept 11, 2018 12:56:04 GMT -5
OK thanks. I guess I should find a local source then for ethanol-free gas and buy a gallon I only mixed up 1/2 gallon of new pre-mix the other day anyhow. So, I could just empty the tank on my blower back into the gas jug and then burn the pre-mix in my car or my 4-cycle push mower, right? I'm pretty sure you'd agree that little 2-cycle oil in the gas wouldn't matter in either, right? On that subject, should I be using ethanol-free gas in my 4-stroke mower too? If your car has a catalytic converter I probably wouldn't burn the premix in it. The mower on the other hand is probably okay. Thanks. I would have probably just used it in my mower anyhow. So, 4-cycle mower engines don't care about ethanol in the gas?
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Post by undee70ss on Sept 11, 2018 13:18:08 GMT -5
So, 4-cycle mower engines don't care about ethanol in the gas? Yes, they do. You would have the same problems as 2 strokes, gummed up carbs, plugged jets, rotted fuel lines.
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Post by sweepleader on Sept 11, 2018 13:43:24 GMT -5
What Clasec and undee said, I agree completely.
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Post by vankjeff on Sept 11, 2018 14:46:04 GMT -5
So, 4-cycle mower engines don't care about ethanol in the gas? Yes, they do. You would have the same problems as 2 strokes, gummed up carbs, plugged jets, rotted fuel lines. So, it sounds like my best solution is to go buy a new 5-gallon gas jug to fill with ethanol-free gas for my push mower & to make up some pre-mix blower fuel with the gas in it after I get home. Then I'll just start using my 1-gallon for ethanol-free pre-mix for my blower & I'll only mix up 1/2 gallon at a time for the blower. I'll need to find a local gas station that has ethanol-free gas but at least now I'll be buying 5 gallons each time instead of just 1 gallon. I'll put STA-BIL in the 5 gallons can everytime before I fill it up. This will actually make things a little easier since I won't need to go get gas as often since right now my mower empties that 1-gallon jug pretty quickly. I found 5 gallon plastic jugs at Amazon marked KEROSENE that only cost $13.44 that are blue instead of the red GASOLINE jugs that cost 2x, 3x or 4x more. I'm sure gas won't hurt the plastic can or cap. 😉 www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IPS42S0/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1# But apparently I can't buy it & have it shipped to me in California (it says that on the Amazon site since it knows where I live) So, I guess I gotta go Red and expensive. Bummer. I'm such a cheapskate. 😉
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