Honda GX390 in the winter, not good

[ottawarob]

Yeah on the gas. If by premium you mean around 92 octane... dont. You need to run a lower octane in that engine...87-89 but yes...high quality non-ethanol most importantly. The guy above said the cold weather kit works well. Also maybe some sticky lubricant on the part that wants to freeze.

Im from Alabama so we definitely have different weather problems. My wife is from New Brunswick, though!

Around here you can only get ethanol free in 91 octane. Pretty sure the manual says it's fine to run a higher octane in it.

 

[Ford850]

Ethanol free is usually 91 here too. I'll take the e-free benefits over any power loss of the higher octane.
Ottawarob - let us know if you find a cold weather kit from Honda. I searched quite a bit last year when this was discussed in the other thread, but I could only find an option for generators that connected to the generator power outlet. They were designed for the long running time of generators in extreme cold.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

No it's not necessarily going to give problems but in principle, low octane is suited for lower compression engines and high octane is suited for high compression engines...like chainsaws. Octane is increased by an additive only to control the intensity of combustion. It does NOT increase power. You'll actually lose a little bit in lower compression engines.

Well, I never said it makes more power, but it does make my Vanguard run better...

You originally said "don't"... I'm saying you CAN do it, and it doesn't hurt a thing.

SR

 

[Motorboatin]

Honda engines are know to be problematic in the winter....same with Briggs....and I don't think the cold weather kit will help. We have a Honda generator that doesn't like the cold

Tecumseh engines are the best for cold weather

 

[tomplum]

If you are not blowing dirt and debris around, try it w/o the air filter element and put the top of the air box back on to run. But yes, check to see if there is a kit for this.

 

[ottawarob]

Ethanol free is usually 91 here too. I'll take the e-free benefits over any power loss of the higher octane.
Ottawarob - let us know if you find a cold weather kit from Honda. I searched quite a bit last year when this was discussed in the other thread, but I could only find an option for generators that connected to the generator power outlet. They were designed for the long running time of generators in extreme cold.

I will!

Going to get a new plug for it and if that doesn't do it, I think I'm going to throw in the towel and take it to the small engine place nearby see if they have any ideas. Maybe next year I'll have a heated workshop built, so I can try thawing it out when it gets screwed up in the cold.

I could see selling the blower and putting a plow on it in the future, at least a plow would still be useful and way less likely to cause the snow clouds that contribute to the problem.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

The "kit" is a piece of tin that directs warm air off the muffler toward the carb, and yes it does work.

You could make something up yourself...

SR

 

[wesp521984]

Around here you can only get ethanol free in 91 octane. Pretty sure the manual says it's fine to run a higher octane in it.

Yeah it will run fine. It's just not the most ideal especially in weather cold enough to effect combustion. But yeah I would definitely run that before any kind of ethanol fuel.

 

[wesp521984]

Well, I never said it makes more power, but it does make my Vanguard run better...

You originally said "don't"... I'm saying you CAN do it, and it doesn't hurt a thing.

SR

I want saying that it would hurt anything just that it's not ideal especially if it's cold enough to affect combustion. Air cooled engines run very warm and they are tuned accordingly. I would definitely run the high octane EF before any kind of ethanol mix, though.

 

[tomplum]

So Sawyer Rob makes a good point which may help you out. Or you could see if you have a difference w/o the filter element. A normal snow thrower engine from yesteryear plus some gensets have the capability to hold some of the warmer air around the carb and linkages. The 10% ethanol is not the bain of a small engines existence on its own. Especially in winter. True ,ethanol can attract moisture and can complicate fuel storage. In the winter, it actually can be a buffer between excessive moisture and fuel issues. Stabilize it and you will do fine. There isn't much harm in trying.