Posted on 04/16/2018 7:50:15 AM PDT by dennisw
I want to keep this new Troy Bilt lawnmower running great. It is the TB230 with 163cc* Briggs & Stratton® 725EXi Series engine http://www.troybilt.com/equipment/troybilt/troy-bilt-tb320-walk-behind-mower-12avb2a3711
My questions are:
Bad Boy with Kohler. 27 hp I believe. I have a couple other lawn mowers for the little stuff, a 2 cycle weed whacker, 2 cycle chainsaw, four cycle rototiller and “push weed whacker”, and a 1960 John Deere tractor. The one that I worry about the most is the tractor, since it was designed for leaded fuel.
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>> “10w30 has detergent. SAE 30 is a NON-detergent oil.” <<
Not true! There is no longer any oil on the market that isn’t fully protected with colloidal additives.
I’ve eliminated gas with ethanol in ALL small engines. Everything runs better from chainsaws and string trimmers to tillers and lawn tractor. Not going back. Corn is for eating not burning.
+1
1.Do you use synthetic oil? What brand and what weigh?
-Synthetic oil is truly conventional oil with specific additives, or a truly synthetic that is used for highly selective application. For a simple engine, not worth the cost.
2.Or do you use regular oil? What brand? What weight?
-Two stroke or small engine oil. Any brand. 5W.
3.Both of the above are climate dependent You will use different oil if you live in New Mexico compared to Minnesota
-Is there a question? Altitude has everything to do with fuel mix, nothing to do with oil.
4.How often do you change your lawnmower oil?
-I check it at the end of every season, typically changing it if the viscosity is too high.
5.-
-I’m gonna pretend you didn’t ask that...
6.Is it OK to use 94 octane premium gasoline right from the beginning? As soon as I start using this new lawnmower?
-Octane is an measure of how susceptible to detonation a fuel happens to be. Your motor is a low-compression type and 89 Octane is more than sufficient. Were it to be Turbo or Supercharged, you might consider higher Octane rated fuel. Otherwise, unnecessary.
7.Will using 94 octane gasoline stress out the Briggs Stratton engine? Make it run too hot?
-Only if you added alcohol to the mix.
8.Is it worth the effort to buy gasoline with ZERO ethanol in it? My closest place is ten miles away so I would have to buy a few gallons to make it worthwhile....and add stabilizer or not?
-Ethanol is alcohol and causes problems with small engines as well as their fuel lines. Non-ethanol fuel is preferable.
9.-
-See #5 above.
10.What is a good additive for the 10% ethanol gasoline that we find everywhere. Additive For small engine use with this 10% ethanol gasoline
-No need. Keep your fuel clean and check your hoses often.
11.
-Please, how can you ask that???
12.How much hotter do small air cooled lawnmower engines get compared to water cooled automobile engines
-Air cooling is far more efficient with small engines as well as more cost effective. If you are just cutting the grass, air cooled is simplest and best. If you plan on putting the engine into a scooter, consider water cooling.
13.Is there a superior gasoline filter I should buy and install on the Briggs and Stratton
-”Superior” is subjective. You can purchase $100 filters, but they will need replacing as often as a $5 filter.
I have a tb230:
87 octane gas with ethanol is fine
Pennzoil sae 30.
Sharpen and balance the blade every 4 uses.
Runs like a top.
I use 93 octane premium gasoline and 10W-30 semi-synthetic lube oil from Schaeffer of St. Louis. Schaeffer is a compounder, bringing several advantages into their products.
I dump the oil as soon as it turns dark.
The fuel system of the Kohler can handle the alcohol as long as you use the marine additive.
The issue is metal carburetors with bronze orifices which don’t absorb the alcohol and swell.
Plastic carbs have to be drained for storage or they quit working quickly (and they are not cheap to replace).
No corn laced poison fuel for any small engine or vintage stuff.
Use only regular unleaded ethanol-free.
I use multi-weight synthetics in my small engines. 10W-30. The “Tech” brand from Walmart.
Use it in my cars too. Significantly less than the name brands and every bit the same. These oils are refined and packed in the same facilities. Just change the labe on the container.
Use regular gas treated with Ethanol Shield.
I have stored fuel in my generator for over 4 years with gas treated with ES with no issues. IMO the best fuel stabilizer on the market bar none.
Available at Home Defect.
Geezus just fire it up and cut the grass already. :-)
I know you just bought a new mower, but others might want to consider avoiding all the gasoline/ethanol/oil/carburetor issues and buying a corded electric mower like the Ryobi they sell at Home Depot.
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Do you run your mower in sub-freezing weather?
If not, SAE 30 is best for the engine in every way.
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None, do NOT use ethanol gas.
[2 things I will add “Mechanic in a Bottle” Holy-Moly that stuff is amazing. We got an old ( actually in good shape ) school chainsaw running after a fuel pulls.]
Fantastic stuff! I saved a new generator with it after storing it with crap Sta-Bil.
Use Ethanol Shield from the same company. I’ve stored fuel for upwards of 4 years with it.
What you said, I mean it is only a $300 mower, after 5 or 6 years ya throw it away and get a new one. Now if it was a $3000 mower ya might want to take a few steps to keep it around a little longer.
Use CD-2 in the gas if you can find it. Usually at Wal-Mart
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