doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT: 2,2,4 tri methyl pentane anyone?

Fighting with a problematic push mower. Got left too-long without fuel stabilzer and the gasoline gelled in the carb.

Bought some "snake oil" at the local NAPA that supposedly will fix the problem. The MSDS on it is a wee-bit frightening, I must say. Anybody here have any experience with it?

Moniker is "VP Small Engine Fuels, Fix It Fuel".

Lloyd,
If you can get the float bowl off from the bottom, you can “usually” get by with using plain old starting ether to blast the guts of the carb out. Pay attention to the needle and seat and whatever gack is in the float bowl. A few times in the boonies, I have soaked the internals after removing the bowl with WD-40 or Liquid Wrench, an hour or so, and come back with ether. This is the quicky method, used when you are trying to get going, and, not always successful, but, worth a try. Don’t be tempted by the cheap little replacement carbs on Amazon or EBay, they seldom come through like a rebuild to the original. The ether is even more flammable than you remember, so, outside with no sources of open flame. Double check your oil, if you pulled on it enough with a stuck float and the choke closed, you might have a bunch of nasty fuel in the crankcase. This never ends well.

Good luck.

Best,
Ted

Lloyd, Ted gave you good advice. A spray can of Carb and Choke cleaner or plain old lacquer thinner is also good for cleaning out the float bowl, needle, and seat. Often, the little bolt that secures the float bowl has some small passages that need to be cleaned too. Sometimes the carb passages will also be gunked up from the old ethanol gas, and a thin wire along with solvent will clear them. Some guys also use an ultrasonic cleaner to clean carbs and parts.

A couple months ago, I bought a real nice little 1000 watt Honda Generator for a whole $20.00 at a Swap Meet. The seller told me it sat for several years, and was running fine when he stored it. But he couldn't get it started, and didn't want to pay to fix it. It had a good strong spark, and great compression, and looked like it had low hours. It took me all of two hours to remove the carb and gas tank, clean them, and add an inline fuel filter. Filled it up with fresh gas and it started on the second pull, and runs like a champ.

Before storing my mowers, chain saws, weed wackers, and other small engines for the winter, I run out all ethanol gas and run some non-ethanol gas through them. I seldom bother with fuel stabilizer, except in my emergency power generator. Here's a website that lists all gas stations nationwide that sell non-ethanol gas:

https://www.pure-gas.org/

Ether can be tricky stuff.

I remember my father telling me about how nervous he was as a medical student in Liverpool’s Chinatown in the 1920’s when he had to give an ether mask anaesthetic to a woman in labour under an incandescent gas mantle.

The good old days. Glad I missed ’em.

Best,
Ted

Ether, huh?

I recall watching my first cat spay op ---- the op room was a converted basement cellar with no windows or ventilation, the anaesthetic was ether soaked on cotton wool in a jar, the surgeon was qualified (perhaps a bit old school) and never removed his cigarette from his lips throuhghout the procedure. Boy, was I relieved to leave that "theatre" !!

Not seeing starting-ether (like I commonly used to). That would be where I would usually begin with this type of problem. I'll pull the carb (again) and soak it in this 2,2,4 stuff (a fellow should have chemical gloves from what I'm reading-up on this product...carcinogen, teratogen, mutagen, explosive, etc.). None of the familiar chemicals ever seem to be available anymore.

I already cleaned it once with conventional spray carb cleaner but it's still not drawing fuel from the bowl. I can start it by dumping fuel into the carb throat but it only runs for a second or two. I normally wouldn't bother any more with it but I have time to kill before the opener here on Saturday. Not seeing many birds so-far this year BTW (too-much rain in May & June I fear).