Small Engine Tips and Tricks

The following are some of the top tips and tricks that every small engine owner should know. These will work for most small engines including small handheld and larger engines.

Use Non-Ethanol Gasoline

Use only non-ethanol gasoline in your small engines. Gasoline with ethanol will absorb water form the air over time and cause the ethanol to separate from the gas in a reaction called phase separation. This can cause the octane of the gas to decrease and introduce water to your fuel system resulting in no start situations. Non-ethanol gas is also know as Marine Gasoline and may not be readily available at every gas station. Contrary to popular opinion, non-ethanol gasoline will go bad over time and must not be store for more than a year if possible.

Use a Quality Stabilizer in Your Gas

I recommend using a high quality stabilizer in your fuel. Purchase a bottle of StarTrom Enzyme Stabilizer and add a cap full when you refill your gas can. This is especially important if you are using gas with ethanol. StarTron will help to prevent phase separation and will also keep non-ethanol gasoline fresher for longer. I have personally used StarTron to treat two year old gasoline and was surprised to find that I had no issues in using that gasoline in my equipment. But as always “your mileage may vary.”

Drain the Gasoline from your Carburetor at the end of the Season

Simply running the carburetor dry is not enough to protect it during long periods of non use. Install a gas shutoff between the fuel tank and the carburetor and turn the gas off. Then drain the carburetor by either opening the drain plug if equipped or by removing the bowl. This is also a good time to check the status of your bowl gasket and replace if necessary.

Never Mix Old Gas and New Gas

Mixing new gas into a fuel tank that has old gas in it will cause the old gas to precipitate. it is always best to use as much gas that is currently in the tank as possible before refueling. Any precipitate may be sucked into the carburetor, especially if you did not drain it, and cause clogs within the jets. This can be a costly to repair.

Spark Plugs – When in Doubt, Swap it Out

If for some reason your equipment will not start and you are certain that the fuel system is not to blame then you may want to consider changing the spark plug. Over time spark plugs can become fouled by burned oil and incompletely burned gas. Simply swapping it out for a new one will usually fix these non start conditions.