Shop Time w/T.W. Friends

Now that is different!!

 

I bought a new Tohatsu 3.5 because i was tired of messing with my old Johnson colt. It was working OK Saturday, then stalled and took 40 pulls to get it restarted. That was annoying. I left the canoe on top of the truck overnight, then when I backed in the driveway a few minutes ago, I hit the overhang on the porch and busted the trim board. Son of a

 

Ouch

 

Yeah, it was amazing to catch. I rarely left it out without the cover on it. The black roof and stripes were easy to pick out from the larger pic.

 

Can't like that.

I have found there is something about pulling a rope start that makes me go from
to in about 7 pulls.

 

That's why I like my Honda. Usually one or two pulls and it fires right up!

 

Double like

 

It seems every Briggs rope start engine fires right up when cold but is a pig to get restarted when hot.
Both the Swisher walk trimmer and the old Snapper shredder are that way even though there is about a 35 year difference in age.

 

Never had a Briggs that started right...

Ironically all the Tecumseh engines I had started perfect despite all the hate they get.

 

Who makes poulan chainsaw engines? Those suck! I threw one in woods, got about 3 uses and engine locked up

 

My friend had a Poulan from the early 90's and beat the absolute shit out of it. She just recently had to replace it in 2021 I think? Pretty good if you ask me.

I've got a throwaway Ryobi gas that I beat the snot out of and it still runs. Always use quality gas/oil and good bar chain oil. Might have some to do with it.

 

The old ones were good. Newer one nope..this was around 2008 or so.

 

I actually tried to save it. Got a made in USA carb kit for it, but still wouldn't run right. Finally looked into the cylinder wall and it was way too scored. Guess the cheap 2 stroke oil made carbon that broke off and finally scratched the piston and liner.

 

For decades Tecumseh was the snowblower engine, they served well, go karts and many lawn tractors too.

I have several and have never had an engine problem, not even an engine inconvenience. The oldest is a 1968 Ariens.

 

This has a funny visual...

 

It locked up solid. I had it over a year so i couldnt return it eventhough i only used it very little. I was so mad i didnt even take it apart

 

^^^^
This has a lot to do with it I believe, along with air filter service.

About 25 years ago I bought a big Jonsered 2065 chain saw, I still remember word for word what the dealer said:

"These are high performance engines, use the highest octane you can find and a premium 2 cycle oil. You can buy it from me or somewhere else, I don't care, just use a premium oil."

I have used that advice for all my 2 stroke equipment and they have been trouble free all these years.

 

I think earlier on I was using VP canned fuels and more recently ethanol free 90 octane with Echo Red Armor oil. Before that on other equipment I had an abundance of Klotz Racing Castor oil left over from my Nitro RC car days. That stuff was super dirty, but the yard did smell wonderful afterwards

 

Way back around 1982 we got a new Lawn Boy 2 cycle mower.
The dealer said: "Lawn Boy went to a lot of trouble to develop a ashless oil, use it and your mower will last longer."

40 years later I sold it still running fine and never apart, the fellow drove around 100 miles to buy it, apparently they have quite a following.

 

About 2016 I bought a MTD built string trimmer, naturally (boring person that I am) I read the manual. It stated "use full synthetic 2 cycle oil" and came with a bottle of MTD branded oil.

When I needed more I went to Slowes (where I bought the trimmer) and they had NO full syn oil... I found the identical MTD product at TSC and used it several years.

The last time I bought some full syn VP branded oil, odd as it sounds the trimmer seemed to start quicker and run better with the MTD branded oil.

It works OK, but when I use up the VP I will try the MTD again to see if it's real or just in my head.