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  • From: Don Yellman <dyellman@earthlink.net>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Gasoline Contamination
  • Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 00:20:32 -0400

Betty:

1. First off, I think you can discount the possibility that the absence of lead in fuel is a cause of problems in your garden equipment. The purpose of lead in gas was actually to make it less volatile and reduce pre-ignition in high-compression engines. Unleaded gas should burn better than gas with lead in it.

2. While I agree with Lon that running the carburetor dry and draining the tank, and a little shot of oil to protect the cylinder walls, are excellent fall maintenance steps, you mention that you did try to run the carb dry and even added stabil to the fuel at the end of the season. To Lon's suggestions, I would also add checking and cleaning the air filter, if necessary. Engines run better and longer with lots of clean air.

3. There are really only two common things that can cause an engine to completely fail to start: fuel and ignition. Old style engines with breaker points used to cause problems when the points became burned or dirty, but with the advent of breakerless electronic systems, ignition problems have become quite rare. Even spark plugs last longer with the breakerless ignition, and they seldom go bad catastrophically. That leaves the fuel system as the number one suspect in starting problems.

4. Is there any chance that your fuel has picked up some water between the gas station and the tank of your equipment? Could there have been some water in your gas can, for example, or at the bottom of the fuel tank itself? It only takes a teaspoon or so of water at the bottom of your carburetor bowl to block fuel flow and make an engine impossible to start. Being heavier than gasoline, the water will just stay there until is is drained out the bottom. Many carburetor designs incorporate a removable bowl held in place with a machine screw that can be taken off with the appropriate size wrench or even a pair of pliers. You can easily do this yourself. Just remove the bowl, (shut the fuel flow off first, or it will all run out), inspect it for water and dirt, and wipe it out with a piece of clean towel paper. Make sure the little rubber gasket around the top of the bowl is in place and intact when you replace it.

5. I know that a lot of small engine shops make quick money by simply draining the water from carburetors, starting the engines, then billing the customer for some imaginary repairs. No problem there, they are just a little smarter than their customers. But if you can check little things like this yourself, you can reduce the expense and, above all, the aggravation of sending your equipment out for repairs.

Rgds, Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA
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