OK, I know this isn't a lawnmower forum but right now I have no one else to turn to for help. Bought this nice Troy Bilt lawnmower with a Honda GCV160 engine last summer, it has run well until today. I've always run it on ethanol free gas UNTIL NOW. Two weeks ago I purchased some 87 octane gas with up to 10% ethanol from a local retailer.

Their advertising says it contains no more than 10% ethanol. The Honda engine manual says their engines can handle 10% ethanol. The engine starts, runs for a few minutes then DIES. I pull the rip cord and it starts again, runs for a few minutes then dies.

I checked the air filter, it was dirty so I took it out then gently beat it on the concrete and wiped it off and the inner housing with a rag. Reinstalled the air filter, started the engine again, same deal.

Tonight I'm going to purchase a honda tune up kit which includes a new sparkplug, new oil and new air filter. I'm thinking of swinging by a gas station I know that sells ETHANOL FREE gasoline and fill my fuel container. Then I'm thinking of draining both the tank and the carburetor then filling up with the new ethanol free gas.

Any and all ideas are appreciated because my lawn is getting a little TALL.

The ethanol free fuel topic comes up quite often on forums. I only use ethanol free fuel in my '71 Corvette and all of my lawn equipment. Ethanol fuel ruined my new gas tank on the Corvette (it turned to tar) and I've experienced needle valve/float problems on my lawn equipment.

You might want to give the carburetor a good cleaning. Good luck!

__________________

1993 190E 2.3
2001 SLK230
1971 LS5 (454) Corvette Convertible

Ethanol fuel messed up my Stihl chain saw.

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Jim

It isn't the ethanol in the fuel that caused the problem, it was varnish in the fuel bowl. When you added the ethanol-poisoned fuel, it loosened up anything that was safely "stuck" to the bowl and is now clogging your jets.

I have a GCV160 on my Honda pushmower and it is a fantastic engine if you keep the carburetor cleaned out. Drop the bowl and clean out the jet in the nut that comes off with it. That should get you going again. When you're finished mowing, shut off the fuel valve and run the engine until it dies. Been doing that with poisoned fuel for 6 years and not had to clean the jet since I started doing it.

Make sure your TroyBilt mower has a shear-key on the blade hub. Honda pushmowers do not (STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID IDEA), meaning if you accidentally clip the curb like I did, you now have a bent crankshaft.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 157K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 125K (SLoL)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Gone and wanting to forget:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™) [Definitely NOT a Benz]

Good advice from Diseasel 300. There is enough water in enthanal to allow the evil white rust to form inside the fuel system. If you have a set of jet drills, increase the main jet from .023 to .025. It will help an already too lean epa engine. I had to replace the carburetor on another GVX160. Happy mowing.

If the mower sits for long periods, you might want to add a fuel stabilizer. I'm using it in my mower. So far, so good.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Went this morning to buy five bux worth of no ethanol 87 octane gas. I'm going to dump the ethanol poisoned gas and use only no ethanol going forward.

I'm going to drain the tank, drop the bowl and clean the jets, then refill with the no ethanol gas. I like the idea of drilling out the jet to oversize, any idea where I can purchase the jet drills to do this?

The Honda carbs have a pretty good jet drilling already. Clean out what you have and you should be fine. Briggs engines almost always need the jet drilled because of how lean they run (poorly!).

Where I live there is no option to buy ethanol-free gas. I've been using the poisoned fuel for years without incident. The keys are to run the bowl dry after use and dump the fuel when you're done with the mowing season. Fuel that sits will attract moisture from the air and will form a gel that clogs everything up.

Good usage habits will keep you running for a very long time trouble-free.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 157K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 125K (SLoL)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Gone and wanting to forget:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™) [Definitely NOT a Benz]

Had an idea; I located a new bottle of Gumout Regaine Complete Fuel System Cleaner. What if I drain the fuel tank, put in the Gumout, then refill with ethanol free gas? Could that save me having to clean the carburetor? Gumout is pretty good stuff.......

The metering jet that gets clogged is in the bolt you remove to drop the bowl. Literally a 1 bolt job to clean out. I doubt the gumout will take care of it, I have maybe a 25% success rate with solvents cleaning out gunked up internal parts

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 157K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 125K (SLoL)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Gone and wanting to forget:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™) [Definitely NOT a Benz]

I agree...before I switched to ethanol free fuel in my lawn equipment my pressure washer wouldn't start. It wasn't getting fuel so I dropped the bowl and the needle valve was stuck. I pulled it out and it had a green sticky substance on it. Gave it a good cleaning and re-installed the needle valve, float and bowl. It started right up and no problems since.

__________________

1993 190E 2.3
2001 SLK230
1971 LS5 (454) Corvette Convertible

Time is money. I took a turkey baster and drained all the poison ethanol gas out, then pulled the fuel line going to the fuel shut off to finish the drain. Then added 10ml (approx 1/3 ounce) of Gumout, then filled the tank with fresh ethanol FREE 87 octane gas.

I moved the mower to the patio, then shook the lawnmower back and forth to mix up the Gumout with the fuel. Started the engine, it died several times before running continuously. I then went inside to change into long pants and tennis shoes, then mowed the entire back yard. The Honda engine ran well.

Though I was prepared to drop the carb and clean the jet, I was happy the Gumout seems to have worked out. I'm planning on running the Gumout on a second tank of fuel just for good measure. BTW, 1/3 ounce in a one third gallon gas tank is approximately DOUBLE the usual Gumout recommended dosage. Ethanol in the gas has to be BAD BAD BAD for ANY gasoline powered engine. This experience has convinced me to stay away from it when filling the 1991 560SEL.

I then rewarded myself with a Blue Bunny Ice Cream snack....if you haven't had them, I can highly recommend them as a way to stay cool in the hot summertime heat!

A special thank you to everyone to helped out, I couldn't have done it without you!!

I ran ethanol gas in my bikes for years when it was the only thing available. As long as it doesn't sit too long you're usually fine.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

Scotch and water beats Honey Bunny ice cream.

When I have problems with my mower, I clean or change the air cleaner and replace the spark plug. That routine seems to work every time. Spark plugs don't work more than one season in my mower.

You might want to find out why. If they're getting fouled, you might need some carburetor work. If not, you may have a weak ignition coil. Sparks plugs should last for several years if the engine is healthy.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 157K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 125K (SLoL)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Gone and wanting to forget:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™) [Definitely NOT a Benz]