All you mechanics out there, HELP! Seems that the gas we put in the tank last fall for the winter season has caused a number of our carburators (how do you spell that anyway??)to gum up . . . phrase used by the lady I called about our new generator not starting. We had started it up several times during last winter, but with spring forgot about it and now won't start, along with weed wacker and push mower. Can you tell me how I can ungum the carborators without taking them all to the Sears repair shop - suggestion made when I called about generator. I thought there might be some spray or additive that will correct the problem. If I need to tear the carborators apart, ok, but really don't know what I'm doing. Guess it's time to learn. I need to take a small engine repair class so this won't be so frustrating. Thanks

-- (betsyk@pathwaynet.com), November 15, 2000

Answers

In the future use gasoline "Stabilizer" such as STA-BUL" You can try "Carburetor Cleaner", get it at a parts store or nearly any place that sells engine additives. I have a generator that is real hard to start and I use starting fluid, not reccomended by manufactures but it does the job. Dump the old gas out of the engine, use new, & new oil/gas mixes.

Also, I have at least 5 2-cycle engines not including 3 chain saws, each one has a different oil/gas ratio. I complained to my chain saw guy and he told me that he uses only one mix for all the different equipment he repairs and sells, 50:1 and now that is what i use. He reasons that if you use a good 2-cycle oil such as Husky or Sthil they are of superior grade. So no matter if it is 25:1, 32:1 or 50:1 I use the same mix and have not had any problems over the past 3 years. Still I put gas stablizer in my mixes for over wintering, use Either, (starting fluid) for hard starters and carb cleaner now and then.

-- Hendo (OR) (redgate@echoweb.net), November 15, 2000.

A couple of products work fairly well to clean out a carb. One is Gumout gas additive, the other is Marvel Mystery Oil. Either one is added to the fuel and mixed in ,then the engine is run. The Marvel Mystery Oil has worked better for me on the quadrajet carb on my Chevy. If you use the Marvel, it will smoke quite a bit while its running through the system, but this stops with the next tank of fuel.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 15, 2000.

We got a bottle of PRI-G and poured it in the tank. I put a little in the bowl. (you know the top of the Carb) let sit overnight. Cranked up next day. Sorta smoky for about 5 minutes then went to working like always. Hope this helps.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), November 15, 2000.

Betsy, always, always, use a fuel stabilizer, such as Sta-bil, the directions for ratios is on the label, you can get it at any farm supply store. We put this right into our bulk gas tank when we have it filled once a year, then it's done and we don't have to remember to put into all the equipment that we use.

The best all around gas and diesel additive/carburator cleaner, and injector cleaner, is a product called "Sea Foam" it's been around for decades, and is the best out there, in our opinion. Follow the directions on the can (comes in pint size cans) for ungumming your carburator. It's a little hard to find, we had to call 4 different auto supply stores, but it was worth the search. Everyone swears by it. Good luck! Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 15, 2000.

Betsy, are you ready to tear into those carburetors? They can be cleaned up, but it's not easy. Take one off, and pay close attention to how the linkage hooks up to it. You will have to put it back together later. Take the carburetor completely apart. There will be several small parts in the float bowl, including delicate springs and jets. Pay very close attention to the way these parts are put together and the way they move. Draw pictures or take polaroids if you need to.

When you get the carburetor completely apart, clean it thoroughly with carburetor cleaner. You can get an aerosol can for a couple bucks at Wal-Mart or Advance.

You can do this job if you will be very careful to remember how the pieces come apart and go together. If you decide you need outside help, you could at least take the carburetors off the engines yourself and take them to a small engine mechanic to be cleaned. You would save the cost of diagnosis and removal of the carburetors.

Good Luck with it.

-- Jim (catchthesun@yahoo.com), November 15, 2000.

Betsy, don't worry about it ya pussy run those some bithces till they blow

-- Robert Paul Millhouse (bigdog@hotmail.com), January 30, 2001.

I know what kind of problem a gummed carburator can be. I have a 1973 Honda Trail 90 whose carb. got gummed because of old gas, ( at this time I did not know gas would gum like that.) I ended up disassembling the carb. to clean the jet and get the gunk out of the bowl. since then, I've been useing Amoco white gas in my tanks, I don't know if the white gas has additives that will gum the carb. or not, so far I've had pretty good luck with it, I try and keep the tank full at all times. I also drain the tanks if the gas starts smelling weak. I'm tring this now and have been doing so for a few years now. I also have a 1970 Honda 450 that I do the same thing with. I hope the Amoco white gas works. So far so good.

-- Charles Dollar (Charles Dollar @ Southwire.com.), February 02, 2001.

Betsy, I don't know where you're located as far as winter cold, but that may have an effect. At least it does on diesel. What we do for those lawnmower/tiller items rather than spend the money to dilute the fuel with winterizing oil, is drain most of the gasoline that we can. Then stick a rag in the gas tank from the bottom on out the fill opening, and let it hang down outside the tank. This will wick-away and evaporate any remaining fuel. On the log splitter, there is a shut off valve under the fuel tank, which we close and let the engine sputter itself off from lack of fuel. Otherwise, the Gumout Carb. Cleaner, mentioned before, is good stuff to spray in there while it's running, or after you've torn it apart. Use a big econo size baking pan or washtub so you don't lose all those teeny parts, springs, ball bearings, etc. Also, get yourself a parts breakdown photo before attempting dissasembly. Perhaps the library can help.xxxxxxxxxx

-- Action Dude (theactiondude@yahoo.com), February 05, 2001.

I have looked at Wal-Mart, NAPA, and K-Mart for Sea-Foam. They don't carry it on the West coast. Do they carry it under another name?

-- Bill Swift (res05gnu@gte.net), March 29, 2001.

You can find Sea Foam at NAPA auto parts stores for about $6.

-- Steve Thompson (red1994z28@yahoo.com), May 07, 2001.

next time before storage run all the gass out of them. its when gas sits it turns to varnish, if it sits too long the carb will be screwed up forever

-- joe barker (nevermind@hotmail.com), August 30, 2001.

We have this problem too--our weed whacker, push mower, and sickle bar mower all gummed up. Can one buy new carburetors instead of cleaning? I'm afraid to take them apart, but am gathering up nerve to do it any month now:-)

-- Elizabeth in E TX (kimprice@peoplescom.net), August 31, 2001.

Sta-Bil is a good additive for all small engines. Do not use more than recommended, as engine damage may occur. Some 2 cycle oil already has a stabilizer added to it. DO NOT clean these carbs with any cleaner containing acetone, such as B-12. Acetone will ruin the rubber gaskets and diaphragms, turning them to mush. Remove all rubber and plastic parts first. Some small 2 cycle carbs have rubber check valves that cannot be seen even after disassembly. Use starter fluid with caution (best to use regular gas) as broken rings can result from the higher explosive of starter fluid. I work on these machines for a living, and have seen all the above damage occur. See http://smallengine.8m.com for tips and hints on this equipment.

-- nathan (kc5vlf@yahoo.com), January 11, 2002.

truely thier is no better answer than taking the carb off and rebuilding it, that is the bottom line. But the sea foam does help i have used it, available at fleet farm. Also you may want to change the spark plugs, many people have showed me no starts when the spark plug has never been changed.

-crazyace

-- CrazyAce (sunyboy@lycosmail.com), January 25, 2002.