the fuel now days is alot of it

Reading between the lines there is no such thing as a maintenance free mower. There are plenty of mowers on which maintenance has been deferred though. There is an urban legend going around regarding current gasoline blends causing mower problems. It is nonsense. Just maintain your mower and use reasonably fresh gas and all will be fine.

Reading between the lines there is no such thing as a maintenance free mower. There are plenty of mowers on which maintenance has been deferred though. There is an urban legend going around regarding current gasoline blends causing mower problems. It is nonsense. Just maintain your mower and use reasonably fresh gas and all will be fine.

Reading between the lines there is no such thing as a maintenance free mower. There are plenty of mowers on which maintenance has been deferred though. There is an urban legend going around regarding current gasoline blends causing mower problems. It is nonsense. Just maintain your mower and use reasonably fresh gas and all will be fine.

Honda carbs are reliable enough. No worse than any other. In fact, many are set up with bowl drains -so that is a plus. I do think using a fuel treatment when you buy the fuel and keeping the container sealed and kept in a temperate environment goes a long way. As an example in my world, I see people with Briggs autochokes have startability issues if they are attempting to up and run on 3 month old fuel- where as it probably would up and run if it were the older primer system. Fuel treatments can help alcohol type issues plus protect varnishing issues from sitting as well.

I think OP is engaging in a little "good old days" wishful thinking.

While I agree that E10 and E15 have been hard on small engines, and that EPA emissions calibrations have required leaner and leaner engines, not everything new has been negative.

Modern engines have electronic ignition and most are now OHV or OHC, permitting higher compression and better fuel efficiency.

If your old "family mower" was made before the early 1980's it had a breaker point and condenser ignition, requiring periodic maintenance. And most engines (Briggs, Tecumseh, Clinton, etc.) had points under the flywheel, which was a pain in the butt. Kohler and some others had an external breaker box, but even Kohler put the condenser under the flywheel. This was also true of almost every chainsaw and stringtrimmer into the 1980's.

For me, the golden age was mid-1980's through late 1990's. Electronic ignition, limited or no emissions calibration, and no "limiters" or fixed jetting to inhibit proper adjusting of air-fuel mixtures.

Tomplum is on the right track. Read what he says.

Park P ...Park it and forget or get REAL ! This is not Rocket Science if you can't Run with the Big Dogs Stay at Home ! 2-Strokes are Kids Play . They require a little Mechanical Applitude. If your not up too it stick with the 4-Strokes . PLEASE LISTEN to Tomplum & GG and get with the Program and...don.t start another Boring Thread on the same subject !

Ewalk, it is spelled aptitude by the way. If you cannot spell it, you probably do not have any? It is not about rocket science or mechanical aptitude, but the fact that parts fail and malfunction which costs me money to buy parts.

RB, it may be an urban legend, but Tecumseh recommends running the carb dry when using 10% ethanol. I read that in the operating instructions Since I started doing that, I have had way less starting and running troubles. I also dose the gas with a little MMO. Just saying is all.

ANYTHING- from the most crap HF engine to the most delux-o-matic mower co engine will run consistently that you buy today with cared for fuel and normal maintenance. I could do the Roadbike thing and repeat it ten times, but you seem smarter than that. The real Lawnboy died a long time ago. Tip a glass and move on! andyma, I like reading you posts, but Tecumseh engines also went away, though the curse of the Chief lives on...

Park P unfortunate that you don't have the same basic ability of creative editing to cross reference to simple small engine mechanic's . Then perhaps you would under stand why today fuels can wreak havoc with small engine carburation. It is not the engine manufactuer who changed the composition and alcohol content of current American Based Gasoline . Ethanol has caused more than a few small Engine Manufactuers to lose some sleep. However some of the better units do have components that are more compatible (resistance) to Ethanol attack than others. As far as preventative measures within the varnish or guming residue , can only be avoided by proper fuel usage and treatment. As for trans problems the lawnboy Durforce had numerous downsides the carb , ignition module and not least transmission were suspect to say the least. Sorry for the typo , I think you were able to understand the drift of the conversation , repeating subject matter over more than one thread is redundant that was the jest of my point. Having been a member for over 4 yrs I find it hard to believe you are not aware from previous threads of the inherent shortcomings of certain vintage yr Duraforce and Ethanol based fuel issues ?