Recent fuel problem?

dodge man · Oct 18, 2012

I had a problem with my pressure washer a couple of weeks ago and I'm looking for ideas as to why. It was low on fuel so I filled the tank with fresh fuel. It wouldn't start, but it would start with starting fluid, but not stay running. If I kept spraying starting fluid in the carb, it would stay running. I finally pulled the carb, took it apart and put it back together. I didn't find anything wrong, but the fuel in the bowl smelled really bad, that rotten, 10 year old gas smell. After I put it back together, it ran fine. It didn't seem like the fuel line was plugged. This is a Briggs and Straton engine, around 6 hp.

This is where things get a little fuzzy. I'm not sure what was wrong or what I did wrong. My theory is since it was really low on fuel, the fuel went bad sooner than normal. I always use pure gas (no ethanol) and put stabil in it. I always take this route, but of course I'm not 100% sure of the the stabil, or the ethanol free, but I'm 99% sure. I'm also not sure of how long the pressure washer sat unused, could have been as little as 4 weeks to 4 months. Also the fuel I used at the time could have been a couple of months old. So worse case, the fuel was 6 months old when I had trouble. I guess I'm a little shocked at how quickly the fuel went bad. The only time I've smelled fuel that bad it was over 10 years old. The pressure washer is stored in a garage, with a dehumidifier running when needed. The only thing I can come up with since the pressure washer sat with the fuel tank almost empty, the fuel went bad quickly.

kenmac · Oct 18, 2012

I had a problem similar to yours with B& S engine on my tiller. I had to replace the diaphragm in the carb.. Is yours the type where the carb. bolts to the top of the fuel tank ? That's how my engine is built

kensnelling · Oct 18, 2012

With or without ethanol, fuel does go stale quickly these days. Best you can do is keep fuel no longer than 30 days, always use a fuel stabilizer, and don't let fuel just sit in your small power equipment. Run the carb dry, and drain the tank if it has to sit for more than 30 days.

Ken

mrutkaus · Oct 19, 2012

Classic problems. By accident I found that on a new B&S tiller engine (Poulan) if it doesn't start after sitting a while (I probably didn't turn the gas off to turn it off), I take out the bottom bolt and remove the carb aluminum bowl, stick a rubber nosed air hose up right in the middle, don't even look at it, squirt some air in a couple of times, put it back together and it starts/runs ok.

Mike

Diamondpilot · Oct 19, 2012

This is typical. I see it at least once a month in my area when someone brings me a small engine powered item that will not run. You know how small the gas tank is on these things. I had a guy bring me a power washer 2 years ago that he had used about 2 months prior. I would guess that the tank held 20 oz and I drained it getting at least 1/4, or 5 oz, of pure water out of it. The carb was savable but I have also had them so bad after a few moths the carb is internally pitted and damage beyond help. Its either a new $100 carb or just buy a cheap import motor from Harbor Freight and replace which is what I do 99% of the time. Funny thing is of those 15 or so motors I have bought and installed for people I have never had a single complaint.

Chris

3930dave · Oct 19, 2012

Esp. for anything that sits, I always try and keep the fuel tank topped up. Good habit to get into is to fill up again after using the equipment. Up north here, temperature swings are murder for condensation - though condensation is a full tank issue regardless of what your climate is.

I've had good luck (knock wood) with Stabil in my street bike over the winter. Partly due to problems (stuck float) that I had with a seldom-used-but-always-run-dry generator, I decided to chase down Startron earlier this year. I started a thread on here, just search for "Startron". Their site is worth reading, esp. some of the testimonials.

I've had great results with Startron so far. If you need to treat a high volume of fuel, their Marine Startron is the most economical approach. Rgds, Dave.