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OT: Lawn mower is having trouble

M

Mike CA

Well-known Member
I'm asking this question here because it's the only forum I visit here, and you people are smart.
I think I killed my mower. I came home from cruise and we were out of gas, so I grabbed the small 1 gal can which had some left, poured all of it in, and went to work. The next week it started having trouble. It was running very rough, and has been continuing to do so ever since. I realized about 2 weeks ago that the small can had 2-cycle fuel/oil mix in it for our blower which we got right before I left, and had forgotten about. So... I put 2-stroke fuel/oil in my mower.
I drained the tank, replaced the fuel filter, replaced the spark plug, and replaced the air filter. I sprayed some carb cleaner in the carb, but can't really get in there good. The new spark plug is looking black when I take it out to check it.
Now, when I first start it, it sounds great. But when it warms up it sounds like it's dying with lots of misses and slower than usual speed.

So... what can I do? If I have to take it all apart to clean it, then I'm taking it to someone. But is there anything I haven't done that I should?
 
I think it may depend on how much oil you have in how much gas.
I will pour 3-4 month old 50-1 chainsaw gas in my H and it doesn't
seem to bother it at all, but that is usually less than a gallon of mix
going into 5-10 gallons of gas, so it is pretty diluted. I am not
sure what effect it would have to run a heavier mixture, but I don't
see why it should cause a problem unless there were bits of dirt or
whatever in it that could plug up the carburetor.
Zach
 
sounds like you might have replaced the spark plug when there was still some oil in there and fouled the new plug. If you're sure you got all the old 2 stroke mix out of the tank, lines and carb, I'd try one more spark plug and see if that fixes it.

Like Zachary said, I've dumped 2 stroke gas into tractors or motorcycles that were half full of good gas before, but never tried running a 4 stroke on straight 2 stroke mix, but I can't see how you would have hurt anything beyond the sparkplug.

Straight gas in a 2 stroke however has ugly results, I wouldn't recommend it :lol:
 
4000 Ford...Honda powered log splitter...2 chainsaws...string trimmer...leaf blower...ALL get the same gas that is "mixed" for the 2 cycle stuff included in the list above. Tractor and log splitter couldn't care less about a bit of oil in the gas.
 
2 cycle mix wouldnt hurt anything its actually what i use in all my stuff that sits very long to prevent corrosion in gas tanks and carbs, sounds like water or dirt got in your gas
 
Not seen you on much lately Mike. As for your problem try a hotter plug with that mix or it will foul out fast. Also does that carb have a float bowl or is it one with out?? If it has the float bowl you might pull it off and spray carb cleaner in the jet to make sure it is not clogging up. I do that all the time on mowers I get in for hauling them away and then pass them on to others who need them
 
Hi Old. I was deployed until mid June, and we're only home for 5 months... actually home for about 3 and a half (the rest we're away training) until we leave again end of November.

I'll see if I can pull the carb out. It's a new mower, so I didn't want to mess too much with it. Also, what Chevy said about the spark plug may be true. I may have replaced it too fast, so will try a new one.

Thanks guys.
 
2 cycle oil mixed gas will NOT hurt a 4 cycle engine. It might foul the plug, but that is about the extent of it. If you have fresh gas going through, and have cleaned out all the rest, something else is wrong.

I cannot think of one thing other than fouling the plug that 2 cycle mix would do to a 4 cycle engine. Quite possible that is it s coincidence that something else is wrong, and happened close to the time you used the mixed fuel.
 
No answer to your question but wanted to give you a "big thank you" for the service to the our country!!!! Best of luck and be careful. God Bless.
 
Hi Mike make sure the plug has exactly
the right gap lawnmower engines are
fussy about that. Also try pouring some
gum out Carb cleaner right into the air
intake on the Carb with the engine
running fast. It will bog the engine down
and make it smoke but will clean the
varnish from Carb and valves. You might
have a varnished Carb if it was sitting
awhile. And also thanks from our family
to yours for the sacrifices endured while
serving our country and may God bless
and protect you.
 
Any reason "Gum Out" as opposed the carb cleaner I have on hand? And this is a new engine where the operator doesn't control the throttle. It self adjusts.
I had sprayed out the air intake portion with carb cleaner, but now while it was running. I could try that.
 
(quoted from post at 18:22:33 09/05/11) 2 cycle oil mixed gas will NOT hurt a 4 cycle engine. It might foul the plug, but that is about the extent of it. If you have fresh gas going through, and have cleaned out all the rest, something else is wrong.

I cannot think of one thing other than fouling the plug that 2 cycle mix would do to a 4 cycle engine. Quite possible that is it s coincidence that something else is wrong, and happened close to the time you used the mixed fuel.
Click to expand...

I agree with Tom. It might foul the spark plug, but that is not likely. I think the most noticeable side effect would be a very slight blue haze from the exhaust.
 
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