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- Sep 7, 2024
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This is nothing really new to me, or other who work on equipment regularly, but a lot of new mowers are quickly developing running issues just after purchase these days.
What I am finding with most of them is old fuel in the tank and lines because they have sat on display for months (some for over a year). Constantly changing weather (even with inside storage) and Ethanol blend fuels do not work well together.
Many sellers and new gas engine equipment owners will not spend the extra money for non-Ethanol fuel to prevent fuel related issues from happening.
If the machine is fuel injected, it might clear up with some pour in Chemtool carburetor cleaner in the tank, to run through the system. If not, the injectors will have to be flushed or replaced. That can be quite a process if not equipped for it.
The ones with carburetors are a little more difficult because the fuel "anti-backfire" solenoid gets gummed up from the decayed fuel that has been left sitting in the fuel bowl. To remove the solenoid generally requires removing the carburetor and taking it apart to clean everything inside.
News flash! This problem is not covered by manufacturer warranty and pickup & delivery by the selling vendor is not free.
Dealers and box stores are constantly creating this problem by letting "ready to load up and go" gas mower machines sitting with decaying fuel in them.
When I was a service manager for a JD dealer, we actually made a portable remote fuel tank that we used for running machines just long enough to place them on display. We also made sure that the fuel had Stabil in it to increase the life of the fuel so it would not decay in the fuel bowl. Even running the carburetor dry by choking it has it dies helps but there is always a little bit of residual fuel left in the fuel bowl.
Just this week I have already had 8 service calls from customers who had purchased new riders and zero turn mowers, but did not want to return to the dealer and wait for weeks for their machine to be fixed.
What I am finding with most of them is old fuel in the tank and lines because they have sat on display for months (some for over a year). Constantly changing weather (even with inside storage) and Ethanol blend fuels do not work well together.
Many sellers and new gas engine equipment owners will not spend the extra money for non-Ethanol fuel to prevent fuel related issues from happening.
If the machine is fuel injected, it might clear up with some pour in Chemtool carburetor cleaner in the tank, to run through the system. If not, the injectors will have to be flushed or replaced. That can be quite a process if not equipped for it.
The ones with carburetors are a little more difficult because the fuel "anti-backfire" solenoid gets gummed up from the decayed fuel that has been left sitting in the fuel bowl. To remove the solenoid generally requires removing the carburetor and taking it apart to clean everything inside.
News flash! This problem is not covered by manufacturer warranty and pickup & delivery by the selling vendor is not free.
Dealers and box stores are constantly creating this problem by letting "ready to load up and go" gas mower machines sitting with decaying fuel in them.
When I was a service manager for a JD dealer, we actually made a portable remote fuel tank that we used for running machines just long enough to place them on display. We also made sure that the fuel had Stabil in it to increase the life of the fuel so it would not decay in the fuel bowl. Even running the carburetor dry by choking it has it dies helps but there is always a little bit of residual fuel left in the fuel bowl.
Just this week I have already had 8 service calls from customers who had purchased new riders and zero turn mowers, but did not want to return to the dealer and wait for weeks for their machine to be fixed.