What would you do - mower sat 5 yrs

[ram_man]

Well I am moving into my house this weekend. I will need a lawn mower very soon. A push mower would be just fine.
I have one offered to me for free but hasn't been run in 5 years. It's a little Briggs. Would you keep that one or buy a new one. Also what kind of oil should I run? Thanks everyone.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Buy electric one. It paid for itself in fuel use. Not mentioning clean air and low noise.

 

[cmorr]

How big is your property.

If you can get away with an electric mower I would go that route

 

[2James1]

Would run the free one as long as I could. After all it is free. Change the oil to something like Rotella 10w-30. Replace the sparkplug. Change the airfilter. And see how long it will last.

 

[Spazdog]

Take the free one. If you can restore it to running with minimal cost? Problem solved.

If you can't, put it on the curb (it won't stay there long. Someone will get it to fix or for scrap) and get a mower that you really like. If you take decent care of it, you will have it for a long time.

I like SAE30 G-Oil in my Briggs. My Troy-Bilt was a housewarming gift almost 10 years ago. It was run on 10W30 Quaker State Synthetic (Autozone clearance 1.99qt) for several years and then I discovered the G-Oil.

 

[MONKEYMAN]

As an old, successful shoe salesman once told me "if it is free, it is for me".

 

[FZ1]

Originally Posted By: 2James1
Would run the free one as long as I could. After all it is free. Change the oil to something like Rotella 10w-30. Replace the sparkplug. Change the airfilter. And see how long it will last.
+1. No electrics,thank you. Real men use gas and oil in their mowers.

 

[Donald]

Is this your first house and lawn?

mower items to consider:
1) push or self propelled
2) mulch or blow out the grass or bag
3) riding tractor
4) electric or gas

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: MONKEYMAN
As an old, successful shoe salesman once told me "if it is free, it is for me".


Agreed...

I just spent $4.23 for a carb diaphragm and gasket for the FREE Poulan 22" with a 4.5Hp B&S, runs great, no doubt would be easy $50 piece on C'list...

My back yard would laugh at a electric, the 5.5Hp Honda works hard and both the little 3.5Hp B&S struggle badly...

 

[ram_man]

Yard is .25 acres . I think a push mower is sufficient? It's my first home.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: ram_man
Yard is .25 acres . I think a push mower is sufficient? It's my first home.


I would think so. I mow our .4 acre with a Craftsman self propelled.

 

[JHZR2]

Five years doesn't bother me. I'd probably do a tune up with carb cleaner, maybe new carb gaskets, spark plug, etc.

I'd run amsoil acd personally, but a good sae 30, 5w-40, 15w-40, or syn 5 or 10w-30 would do.

 

[simple_gifts]

I would go electric if you don't want to spend time rehabing something else. You just bought a house, you'll have plenty of other things to do.

I have an electric corded one; 16 years old or so, and < $1 in maintenance.

 

[chainblu]

If it will start and run, by all means use the free one. Assuming it's in good condition, even if you have to get it 'tuned up' at a repair shop, it's still cheaper than a new one. But again, assuming it's in good condition. If it looks like junk, it probably is.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: MONKEYMAN
As an old, successful shoe salesman once told me "if it is free, it is for me".

 

[daves87rs]

Go with the free one...

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: FZ1
No electrics,thank you. Real men use gas and oil in their mowers.


Real men don't need toys to inflate their manhood.

 

[beast3300]

Get the free mower, run it until it has no gas left. Change engine oil (I like T5 in mine). Then fresh gas (I use 89 Shell in mine). After a few mows, replace the spark plug. Done.

 

[MrMeeks]

Get the EZ start spark plug.They have a very thin wire center electrode and this makes starting easier.Use sta-bil too.

 

[JethroBodine]

Originally Posted By: ram_man
Well I am moving into my house this weekend. I will need a lawn mower very soon. A push mower would be just fine.
I have one offered to me for free but hasn't been run in 5 years. It's a little Briggs. Would you keep that one or buy a new one. Also what kind of oil should I run? Thanks everyone.


I had a mower sit for 16 years...one shot of ether and it started right up. I use Rotella T5 10w30 and gumout in the gas.