[AT] Modern Gasoline

Thu Aug 25 13:51:04 PDT 2016

They used them a lot on vertical shaft engines when I was a small engine
mechanic (going through electronic school). The throttle shafts would wear
'til they had 1/16" gap all around and the engines would keep running. If
the diaphram got stretched too much though, we had to replace it. I kept a
fleet of 20-something commercial (Sensation) mowers with cheapo Briggs 3
horse engines running (in Phoenix summers). Blades sharpened and air
filters cleaned daily, oil changed every 2 days, wheel bearings about every
3-4 months and carbs would take service about monthly. Engines would last
4-6 months. Until the last quarter of life, they would all start first
pull. The carbs were very resilient given the abuse they saw.

Ken in AZ

On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 11:29 AM, Stephen Offiler <soffiler at gmail.com>
wrote:

> This is interesting stuff, and it's the reason I posed the question.  I'm
> not sure if I've ever seen one of these types of carbs.
>
> SO
>
> On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 12:49 PM, <rlgoss at twc.com> wrote:
>
> > But there were actually several different designs of those carb/gas tank
> > combinations that looked alike but operated differently. Some had a
> > built-in settling bowl that the built-in gas pump had to keep
> > full-to-overflowing for the engine to run.  The fuel pump was FOREVER
> going
> > bad so I bought replacement diaphragms in lots of 10 so I didn't have to
> > make a shopping trip whenever I needed one.
> >
> >
> > Larry
> >
> > ---- Mogrits <mogrits at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Stephen,
> > >
> > > In a word: simplicity.The old Briggs carbs had no floats to get
> > saturated,
> > > no needle and seat to stick or wear out, no tiny passages and no float
> > bowl
> > > to collect crud to ruin the above mentioned parts. I guess they used
> the
> > > entire tank as a "bowl". I realize they are limited in that the carb
> must
> > > sit on top of the tank, but man, were they simple. If the motor
> wouldn't
> > > start or run correctly, you just unscrewed the gas cap and looked in
> the
> > > tank. If you saw water or trash in it, two bolts had it off and
> emptied.
> > >
> > > Warren
> > >
> > > On Tue, Aug 23, 2016 at 8:17 AM, Stephen Offiler <soffiler at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi Warren:
> > > >
> > > > Interesting.  From a purely technical standpoint, how is the old B&S
> > > > venturi carb superior?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > SO
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Tue, Aug 23, 2016 at 7:50 AM, Mogrits <mogrits at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Stephen, I have no idea, as I haven't left gas in one that long,
> but
> > if
> > > > > someone would mate the old Briggs and Stratton venturi carb (no
> bowl
> > and
> > > > > float) to the Honda OHV design with electronic ignition, they would
> > have
> > > > > the ideal small engine.
> > > > >
> > > > > Warren
> > > > >
> > > > > On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 12:45 PM, Stephen Offiler <
> > soffiler at gmail.com>
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Do those Chonda engines run on 18-month old gas like the real
> > thing?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > SO
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 10:24 AM, Mogrits <mogrits at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Charlie, that should indeed work as a replacement for him. I
> put
> > one
> > > > of
> > > > > > > those on a Murray 20" push mower body to create what I call
> > > > > > "Frankenmower".
> > > > > > > Starts just like a Honda, and cuts through most anything
> without
> > > > > > complaint,
> > > > > > > including "monkey grass" or lariope. Some people have adaptor
> > issues
> > > > > > mating
> > > > > > > them up, but the review section of the Harbor Freight page
> gives
> > > > > > solutions
> > > > > > > to almost all of those.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Around here we call them "Chondas", as they appear to be
> > knock-offs
> > > > of
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > Honda OHV design.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Warren
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > On Sun, Aug 21, 2016 at 6:47 PM, charlie hill <
> > > > > > charliehill at embarqmail.com>
> > > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Dick wouldn't this work as a replacement for the 5.5 vertical
> > > > > > > > http://www.harborfreight.com/55-hp-173cc-ohv-vertical-
> > > > > > > > shaft-gas-engine-carb-69731.html
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Charlie
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > > > From: Dick Day
> > > > > > > > Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2016 11:20 PM
> > > > > > > > To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> > > > > > > > Subject: Re: [AT] Modern Gasoline
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Several years ago, I converted our 15-year old Generac
> > generator to
> > > > > LP.
> > > > > > > It
> > > > > > > > always did start easy (electric start) but with LP I can
> > connect it
> > > > > to
> > > > > > > our
> > > > > > > > 500gallon LP tank if we ever got stranded by a blizzard.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > My other gas implements (push mower, 2 garden tractors, power
> > > > washer,
> > > > > > > > tiller) don't always start as easy even though I would let
> the
> > gas
> > > > > run
> > > > > > > out
> > > > > > > > in the fall.    My plan was to convert every gas engine we
> had.
> > > > I've
> > > > > > > also
> > > > > > > > got a Troy Built sickle mower. That was next on my list to
> > convert
> > > > > > until
> > > > > > > I
> > > > > > > > discovered that there are no engines I can buy to replace the
> > > > > vertical
> > > > > > > > 5.5hp Briggs that's on there.  I don't think that converting
> > it to
> > > > LP
> > > > > > > would
> > > > > > > > necessarily hurt the engine but decided not to take a chance
> > and
> > > > > never
> > > > > > > got
> > > > > > > > around to the other engines. I retire next spring. Once that
> > > > happens,
> > > > > > > I'll
> > > > > > > > get back on my LP conversion project.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > On Sat, Aug 20, 2016 at 3:34 PM, Stephen Offiler <
> > > > soffiler at gmail.com
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I just pulled out my power washer and realized it has not
> > been
> > > > run
> > > > > > > since
> > > > > > > > > March 2015.  Half a tank of fuel still sloshing around.  On
> > the
> > > > > > > upside, I
> > > > > > > > > am always careful to turn off the gas and run the carb dry.
> > I am
> > > > > > also
> > > > > > > > > careful to add Sta-Bil as soon as I purchase gas.  We have
> > > > ethanol
> > > > > in
> > > > > > > our
> > > > > > > > > gas around here like in most places in the USA.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > It started on the first pull.  Literally.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Engine is a 9HP Honda GX270 (I think).  I suppose there
> > might be
> > > > > > > > qualities
> > > > > > > > > of the engine (strong spark, strong fuel vaporization in
> the
> > > > carb,
> > > > > > > > > whatever...) that help it run on crappy old gas.  Or
> > something.
> > > > > I'm
> > > > > > > > still
> > > > > > > > > shaking my head in amazement.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > SO
> > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > AT mailing list
> > > > > > > > > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > > AT mailing list
> > > > > > > > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > > AT mailing list
> > > > > > > > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > AT mailing list
> > > > > > > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > AT mailing list
> > > > > > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> > > > > >
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > AT mailing list
> > > > > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> > > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > AT mailing list
> > > > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> > > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > AT mailing list
> > > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > AT mailing list
> > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> >
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>