Is there a good fuel additive for lawnmowers?

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We inherited a small lawnmower with the house we bought. It's a 21" self propelled walk behind Troy Bilt, not very old, maybe 5 years. I have changed the air filter, oil, and checked the plug. Was running well, but has been a bit sluggish lately, and even konked out a couple of times, but it restarted. Is there anything else I should check? It just seems like a fuel system issue. Am running fresh 87 octane, but it has ethanol in it I'm sure. Will non ethanol gas help? Is there a fuel filter on it? Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks, Ed
 
I'd mix in a tiny amount of Techron fuel system cleaner on each fill up. Supposedly ethanol fuels are tough on some of the plastic parts in the fuel system. My dealer suggested running Startron additive. I ran out of that and just started using Techron and a few drops of MMO each fill up. Keeping the carb clean is they key to happy running. Non-ethanol fuel would be a help, but expensive. My local dealers wanted $30/gallon. Forget that.
 
Originally Posted By: vwmaniaman
Put a quarter cup of seafoam in there next fill up.


+1. A tank or two before I change the oil, I run a dose of B12 or Seafoam, which seems to keep things nice and clean.
 
I buy a cheap bottle of Supertech Fuel Injection/Carb cleaner in the automotive aisle at walmart.

Every time I put gas in my self propelled Deere, I put about a cap full of the stuff into the tank.

Since I started doing that the engine does not sputter at all, and starts on the second pull every time.

I think the supertech cleaner is $2.50 for the white bottle. At the rate I'm using it, it will last a year, and we mow nearly year round
 
Plugs are cheap. Replace it. Just my opinion.

I buy a 5 gallon can of non-ethanol fuel in the spring. Lucky me Boise has it available. Usually I buy 91 octane. I add 2 oz of MMO. I use it all season long. If I have any left over it goes into one of my vehicles. I think I will add a dash of some Techron to the next tank fill in my mower.
 
I run a cap full of MMO in every tank. That's so I don't have use a dose of Berryman's B 12 Chem Tool. B 12 will clean out a carb often enough so that I try it before I take the carb apart. Sea Foam is too expensive.
 
Non-ethanol 90 octane rec fuel is the only thing I use in my small carb engines. Change the plug and run some fresh rec fuel through it, put the 87 octane you have left in your car where it gets used much faster.
 
Maybe a small fuel filter between the tank and the carb. And clean out the fuel tank and whatever additive you choose run some carb cleaner through the engine where the air filter goes. Change/clean the air filter often. Sharpen and balance the blade, too.
 
It's usually the carb jet. The one in the bottom of the bowl.
Only once have I ever seen a spark plug cause problems. Most 4 stroke lawns begin and die with the same plug. The carb needs a good cleaning. The wire used in bread ties with the paper stripped off works well.
After you clean it good, treat the gas with Sea Foam or Star Tron and you will probably never have issues again.
 
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all good answers..................
 
Clean the air filter first. You may have a bit of water in the fuel. Dump the tank if possible. If the carb has a float bowl, loosen the nut and drain the carb. Check the gap on the spark plug. Buy a can of Berrymans or Techron. Buy yourself a gallon of the highest octane gas you can find. pour a healthy dose of either product into the tank and then fill with gas. Also check the kill cable where it attaches to the engine. Make sure the cable is pulling the kill plate far enough from the engine. Chime in if this doesn't help.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
There's no such thing as a mechanic in a bottle. Carburetors have to be disassembled every year.


Actually there is ....
grin.gif


It's worked for me so far.

 
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