Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
”Unless there's a short stint of full operating speed the oil isn't being splashed to places it needs to get to. This means that everyone who thinks they know better than the engine designers and slow start their machines at low idle may actually be doing more harm than good.”
Craig in Canada, That’s another good reason to use a top oil product like MMO, Lucas UCL or even some 2-stroke oil … and to put a squirt (no more than a teaspoon) in the spark plug hole and pull it over manually a few times before storage.
I've been using fogging oil at the time of storage and a puff before the first start. When I think of it during storage season I'll usually give the rope a pull and return it to approx TDC compression stroke again.
Quote:
I used to start under full throttle, with the choke on, and run it this way for about 20-30 seconds before I’d idle down for a more thorough warm-up (1-2 minutes) before removing the choke and applying significant load on them. Many of the machines I ran (Dad’s snowblowers, wood splitter, etc …) would not run without stalling any other way. Haven’t really run any of these machines in a couple years … but all are still running strong despite the fact that Dad isn’t nearly as attentive (or should I say retentive?) to maintenance as I was.
My EPA carb GCV140 powered Honda Masters mower has a one-control throttle/choke. I let it run choked only until it will run without it. Then I only let it run fast until it will run at idle, then I warm it up only long enough to fit the bag, check the height, tighten the knobs and off I go.
My GC160 powered Honda power washer has separate choke/throttle controls. It only stays choked until it'll run without, and gets a little idle after running at speed for a few seconds while I uncoil the hoses and hook everything up.
My 1986 Tecumseh HM80-powered Toro snowthrower has separate choke/throttle controls and usually gets started around mid-speed. Again, I click the choke off as soon as it can handle it, and usually spin it down to near idle for a bit of a warm up since it's a cold weather machine. I give it a lighter load for the first pass or two before chewing into the EOD. I do the EOD "first" after the equipment is warm for a couple of reasons: 1/ if something breaks on the machine, the last thing I want to shovel by hand is the EOD 2/ I usually go out onto the street and help anywhere from 2 to 9 neighbours clear their driveway before 3/ returning to my driveway full of nice, clean SALTLESS snow to flush all of the salt out of the machine before putting it back into the garage.
I know you know this, but one thing I keep in mind is the super-rich mixture while on choke. Rich mixtures increase fuel dilution in the oil, pollution and produce less heat than a leaner mixture. I find the machine warms up far faster getting it off choke as soon as possible. I judge how "ready" the machine is by checking the EGT with my hand.
