Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[wyoDreamer]

Yay, it ran!
That is how it went when Dh tried to get the generators running when we were out of power for 3 days. He has one of the generators running now, but still needs to work on the other 2 - the expensive ones for the camper.

 

[cavemanrich]

I have a medium size generator as power backup in case we loose power. Infrequent,, but it does happen. I don't fire it up unless I know we will be out for a stretch of time.
This is how I treat it.
After power is restored,, I close the fuel supply valve, and let generator run until all fuel is drank out of carburetor. After about 6 months of no use,, I drain remaining fuel from tank,,, and use it in my lawnmowers.
Should I need to use generator,,,,, all I do is fuel up, and start. Starts like new still.
Not removing fuel,, during long periods of no use,, leads to problems.
I treat lawnmowers in the fall same way. I treat snow blowers in the spring same way.

 

[jvls1942]

Rich, that is the way to do it.
I never use my on/off switch. I always turn off the fuel and let the motor run until it quits getting fuel. Unless I am going to start it right back up, that is.
I use non ethyl gas. It doesn't go bad as fast as ethyl.
I think the old lawn mower has an exhaust valve stuck open. OHV .
I have to get some oil to it somehow.

 

[cavemanrich]

Rich, that is the way to do it.
I never use my on/off switch. I always turn off the fuel and let the motor run until it quits getting fuel. Unless I am going to start it right back up, that is.
I use non ethyl gas. It doesn't go bad as fast as ethyl.
I think the old lawn mower has an exhaust valve stuck open. OHV .
I have to get some oil to it somehow.

Are you lacking compression??? Those OHV heads are easy to remove. May be a burned valve,, or sometimes,, just some carbon lodged between valve and seat.
If you remove the head,,, check to see that oil supply is not restricted with gum buildup

 

[jvls1942]

thanks Rich, I don't think I will have to go into the head. Yesterday I got it to run for about ten minutes. until I shut it down. Now it seems to be getting too much gas. I think a good carb cleaning is in order. I don't know if I am up to that challenge. So many wires and sub features. I don't know what they all do, for sure.
I am going to see what the sea foam does first. It seems to run a little better each time I start it up.
can't work on it today. company coming.

 

[cavemanrich]

Now it seems to be getting too much gas.

By description,,, seems the float is not closing the needle valve sufficiently. If it keeps improving with each run,,, maybe the little speck of dirt at the needle valve area will wash out. Just keep starting and running,, since it keeps improving on its own
If you were closer than 260 miles,, I would stop over and service that carburetor for you.
My motto is,,, (kind of funny )
I never met a carburetor I didn't like

 

[jvls1942]

I am getting farther into this lawn mower than I intended to.
my trouble is that when I meet a challenge, I don't have the good sense to give up..
when I am cranking the starter, gas is spraying out of the carb in a fine mist. I suspect the intake valve is not closing all the way.

 

[cavemanrich]

I suspect the intake valve is not closing all the way.

Or just not seating, and sealing as well as before. Wear and tear ,,,a reality in motors.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I should start researching how to maintain/repair some of the equipment I have. I have a really nice chipper/mulcher that will need some TLC. I was using it about 6 years ago and it started raining. I covered it with a garbage bag (just what I had on hand out at the garden) and ran inside. DH got home and saw it out there in the rain and got pissy about it and ranted on me. The next morning, he dragged it into the barn, and it has sat there ever since.
I really want to get it working again and use it, but every time I look at it - I get mad all over again.

I really need to learn how to control my anger and get over it, lol. It is a nice piece of equipment

 

[jvls1942]

I should start researching how to maintain/repair some of the equipment I have. I have a really nice chipper/mulcher that will need some TLC. I was using it about 6 years ago and it started raining. I covered it with a garbage bag (just what I had on hand out at the garden) and ran inside. DH got home and saw it out there in the rain and got pissy about it and ranted on me. The next morning, he dragged it into the barn, and it has sat there ever since.
I really want to get it working again and use it, but every time I look at it - I get mad all over again.

I really need to learn how to control my anger and get over it, lol. It is a nice piece of equipment

I have a chipper a guy gave to me.
He said I could use it as a boat ancor.
It is a small one. I never use it much.
On the web there is a guy on
Youtube.
Steve's small engine saloon.
I think he is from La Crosse, wi
he knows his stuff.