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Vic Smith Vic Smith is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,310
Default 2009 2-and-4 stroke No-Stabil Old Gas report.

I said before I'm lazy, so I never used Stabil or run out the gas in
my lawn equipment. But more important, I've never had problems.
I just stop using the engines when the green stuff stops growing.
Then start them up again when I have to start hacking again.
Craftsman 4-stroke mower with a Honda 5 hp.
Craftsman 2-stroke weed-whacker - about 80cc.
Sixth season for both. Original plugs and everything.
The mower had a little gas left and got fresh gas added.
Changed the crankcase oil.
Started first pull.
Weed-whacker had a pint of last year's mix showing in the transparent
tank, and started after 4 or 5 pulls, which oddly enough is better
than normal. But maybe I'm getting better at quickly opening the
choke when it catches. It's touchy.
I did notice the weed-whacker started idling real high after a bit of
whacking. Maybe something is getting gummed up.
Looks like it has an idle screw I'll futz with later if I have to.
Had to stop because it needs a new spool, as it wont feed line. Line
gets stuck in the spool. Might be my fault, as I've used a bigger
diameter line than it calls for since season 2. The skinnier line got
ate up too fast. Anyway, a new spool is cheap enough. Plastic.
I'm thinking some carbs are more susceptible to gumming up than
others, but I don't buy the notion of gas going bad in six or seven
months, which is the idle time around here.
Used old gas many times.
I'm not advising about Stabil, just saying I'm lazy and been lucky so
far. Might catch up to me.
Then too, after 6 years you sort of want to buy new stuff anyway.
hehe.

--Vic