Dead Small Equipment

[crashz]

I must be doing something wrong. My new pressure washer and my new Stihl chainsaw will not start. I've barely used either one, and both have sat for a while. This year I went to start them and they will not run. Actually, the saw ran for a little while, but died and will not re-start.

Blame the ethanol gas?

No - both have been run on the premium gas in the tin cans without ethanol. I left the gas in the saw, but the the pressure washer was run empty. The saw sat for about 1 year, the washer much longer (3 yrs?).

What am I doing wrong? The push mower (also new) and snow blower (old) are fueled with regular gas, get left each season and start with one pull. Dump the canned gas?

 

[big bubba]

is it fresh fuel regardless of ethanol? maybe dump the existing fuel from tank. replace with fresh ethanol free fuel. then try again.

 

[stuckmotor]

Recently, my push mower wouldn't run and the fuel looked watery. I had to dump the fuel and drain the carb twice before it ran again. May your problem be as easily solved.

 

[newbury]

My relatively new (5 years, maybe 50 hours of use) medium Stihl weedeater (FS 90?) will start well on non-E gas left for months over the winter, but not fuel left over the summer months.

Routinely I buy a gallon of non-E gas, mix w/ stabil, an appropriate dash of Seafoam and a good brand of oil for my weedeater, leaf blowers and chainsaws (all Stihls). I may use a half gallon or more, then be gone for 2 or 3 months. The leaf blowers and chainsaws don't seem as sensitive. But I've noticed that the weedeater doesn't start as well if the gas (kept in a separate container) has sat over warm summer months in my non-climate controlled shops versus over the winter months.

For example this trip down I had about a quart of "old mix" left over from May. I filled up my 021 saw, my 355 leaf blower, my FS90. The 021 and 355 worked fine. I spent over 15 minutes trying to get the FS90 to run well. It would fire, run for a minute or two, then not respond. Got fresh gas and mix, ran fine.

Are the push mower and snow blower 2 stroke?

 

[crashz]

Fresh box store fuel (we can't get non ethanol except for in tin can at hardware stores). I buy it in two and four stroke configurations, but the blower and mower just get pump gas.

P. washer, mower and blower are four stroke, saw is two. I do usually drain any old nasty fuel out, or as in the washer, I ran it dry to clear it out.

Storing the gas and machine in the shed. I wonder if that has something to do with it. One thing I've noticed is that the canned gas does not smell like gasoline.

 

[Dftodd]

If it's only been sitting for a little while, you can try some sea foam in the fuel tank to remove small amounts of water. Doesn't work for large amounts of water though. That's usually my first try if my push mower won't start in the spring.

Generator sat for quite a while. Had to drain the tank, and soak the carb in carb cleaner to get the gunk out. Ethanol in gasoline is horrible on any equipment that sits for any length of time. Local stations offer non ethanol gas as an option. Always make a point to get the non ethanol gas for my lawn equipment. Especially the new zero turn

 

[fried1765]

Fresh box store fuel (we can't get non ethanol except for in tin can at hardware stores). I buy it in two and four stroke configurations, but the blower and mower just get pump gas.

P. washer, mower and blower are four stroke, saw is two. I do usually drain any old nasty fuel out, or as in the washer, I ran it dry to clear it out.

Storing the gas and machine in the shed. I wonder if that has something to do with it. One thing I've noticed is that the canned gas does not smell like gasoline.

You can buy all the non-ethanol gas you want, at most any airport.
!00LL ....100 octane octane low lead. About $5.50/$6.00 per gal..

 

[Egon]

Pull the air filter and shoot two or three shots of WD 40 into the carb.

 

[s219]

Could be anything. The generator likely has a float on the carb, right? Sometimes even running them dry, a small amount of fuel stays in the bowl and will then varnish up the float causing it to stick. I've seen them stick wide open and stick closed. Both cause problems when you try to start up the engine many years later!!

 

[tomplum]

Your best defense is to use a stabilizer no matter what fuel you use plus run the equipment monthly if you can, quarterly if not. The fuel in the carburetor is exposed to the atmosphere where the lighter constituents that make the fuel start better leave first. Eventually fuel deteriorates to the point of not being able to start the engine and can plug main jets and seize float valves. If you are not going to start the equipment periodically, drain the system complete of you treated fuel. This includes removing the bowl / draining the carb complete.

 

[JRobyn]

I really appreciate small engine makers who put a DRAIN SCREW in the bottom of carb bowls. It's the ONLY way to really get them totally empty. I too have had just that few drops left in the bottom by running the engine dry cause gum/varnish/hard starting.

 

[MossRoad]

Pull the plug and inspect.
Leave it out.
Fill the fuel tank completely.
Pump the primer bulb if equipped.
Pull the starter and see if fuel/air comes out the plug hole.
If no, drain fuel tank and inspect fuel line and filter.
If yes, reinstall plug, shoot a short burp of starting fluid into the carb and see if it fires on that.
If yes, probably a fuel system problem... carb, fuel line, filter
If no, probably a spark issue.

 

[davek78063]

They say the measure of a man is how many small engines he can keep running. I always run mine with the non ethanol fuel and run them dry. I would also find a good small engine mechanic. Sometimes these big box engines aren't the best quality. I had a Husqvarna chainsaw that I always had trouble starting. Took it to the mechanic and he had it for a few weeks and now the thing runs awesome and starts on first or second pull. I also agree with the other comment about running them frequently. The more I use mine the easier they seem to start and the better they run.