Some Helpful Advice- Please Read This!

[+subby1]

Folks, the ethanol in the gas is RISING, and creating more and more problems, so please take note of what I am going to tell you, and you folks won't have so much trouble with your equipment.

 

1. I don't mean to insult anyone's intelligence here, but ALL 2-stroke (99%) Weed Eaters, Blower, etc. require that you mix OIL with the GAS. While most men know this, I have had a few women bring in some almost brand new weed eaters, and we have noticed there was NO OIL mixed in with the gas. Running 2-stroke engine on gas without oil, will ruin the piston rings QUICK!!! This means your new machine is just a pretty paperweight. You can ruin the engine in no time from this. So, ALWAYS make sure to mix your oil with your gas on things like weed eaters, blowers, and those smaller-than-mower machines. Most of these machines will have info ON THE GAS CAP. (such as 40:1 or 50:1...this means you need to go buy some oil that is made to mix with ONE gallon of gasoline. Read your owner's manual to see which ratio is required for your machine. If you buy a used machine, a simply google search will show you what the oil-to-gas mixture is. Sometimes it is stamped on the gas cap, but not always. When in doubt, just call me...I can probably tell you quickly what the mixture should be.

 

2. PLEASE, for the love of Pete, USE STABILIZER in your gas that you use for your mowers and ALL of your outdoor equipment. Personally I use the product called STA-BIL (see the image below). This was not always necessary in the past, but the powers that be are using MORE and MORE ethanol in gas today. Ethanol is pure EVIL to the components in your carburetors. It degrades rubber and synthetic plastic components in as short as 60 days. Ethanol also ALLOWS MOISTURE- yes, WATER, to accumulate in your gas, which will cause rusting of carburetors. This ethanol is BAD NEWS FOLKS!!!! A good stabilizer works very simply by converting the ethanol into either a viable, combustible component, or neutralizing it altogether. You can thank your government for this predicament, btw....we should be EATING our CORN and not using it for fuel......stupid, stupid, stupid!!!. But government pretty much says it all.

 

3. Keep your equipment stored inside a shed, garage, or at least under a tarp. ALWAYS use a leaf blower or something to clean your machine after use. A big problem with riding mowers is that a lot of grass clippings accumulate on the top of the cutting deck, so when these clipping get wet from rain, they do not dry out for a long time and will rust your deck in a heartbeat!! It is actually better to just blow the machine off than to even wash it. If you're not savvy about how to wash a mower, I would recommend that you do not wash it. There are air holes in the filter housings, and you could soak your air filter in water!! Not good at all!! Also try to cut your yard later in the day when the grass is DRY. Cutting wet grass, or cutting early when the dew is still on the grass will rust your cutting deck from the underside.

 

If you folks will follow these simple steps, then you would be surprised how long your equipment will last. I still use my own personal equipment and I have NEVER had to rebuild a carb on anything I own, and my machines are 20-25 years old!!

 

Lastly, some people will say to run your gas out before storing. This is okay for mowers, but for weed eaters and other 2-stroke (gas/oil mix) machines, it is BETTER to leave fuel in them during storage. The gas will evaporate, leaving just oil in the carb. The oil actually protects the think membranes, flap valves and the diaphragm. But, ONLY if your gas has been stabilized. Here's the product to use- the directions are on the bottle, but if you use this brand, it's like this- you add 1 ounce of STA-BIL per 2.5 gallons of gasoline. So if you had a 5 gallon gas can, then you would add 2 ounces. If you are using a 1 gallon can, then it would be 0.40 Oz. (just under a half ounce per gallon). NOTE- the image is for marine engines, the standard brand is RED, but either is okay to use. I think the marine stuff is higher though.

[Riograce]

I just posted this to my FB page - thanks, Subby!

[+subby1]

I just posted this to my FB page - thanks, Subby!

 

Good for you!!! I mean, hey...people can ignore this and I can rebuild their carbs EVERY YEAR. But, I think part of GOOD business is to offer GOOD advice to help people out. I certainly need all the business I can get, but I would rather it be something that needs fixing, not based on this particular problem.....which is probably 70% of what I have to fix on a daily basis. How's your JD cutting now??? All good??

[Riograce]

How's your JD cutting now??? All good??

 

[+subby1]

Excellent! Glad to hear it!

[LtDantheFireMan]

Good info Glen. Thanks for fixing my pressure washer. Runs like a champ. Just washed the driveway and ran it for 3 hours with no probelms except now my back hurts.

[+subby1]

Good info Glen. Thanks for fixing my pressure washer. Runs like a champ. Just washed the driveway and ran it for 3 hours with no probelms except now my back hurts.

 

Sorry about your back. But glad to hear it's running good! Thank you for the business.

[Animal]

Good information Glenn,I will keep your suggestions in mind.

[MJF]

tysm

[mei lan]

Subby knows things.