Lawnmower and small gasoline engine advice and tips needed

self | 4 16 2018 | self

[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:

1. Do you use synthetic oil? What brand and what weigh?
2. Or do you use regular oil? What brand? What weight?
3. Both of the above are climate dependent    You will use different oil if you live in New Mexico compared to Minnesota
4. How often do you change your lawnmower oil?
5. -
6. Is it OK to use 94 octane premium gasoline right from the beginning? As soon as I start using this new lawnmower?
7. Will using 94 octane gasoline stress out the Briggs Stratton engine? Make it run too hot?
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?
9. -
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
11.  
12. How much hotter do small air cooled lawnmower engines get compared to water cooled automobile engines
13. Is there a superior gasoline filter I should buy and install on the Briggs and Stratton

[ealgeone]

Use Trufuel in your small engines. Pure gas.

[editor-surveyor]

.
Use only SAE 30 oil in small engines!

That is what is shipped with every mower.
.

[robroys woman]

Use Trufuel in your small engines. Pure gas.

---

My zero turn has a 6.5 gallon tank. :(

[editor-surveyor]

.
Correct!

The difference in price is not worth the ultimate headache of alcohol corrosion, and swelling of plastic orifices in the new carburetors.
.

[Red Badger]

Never second guess the mfr’s recommendations...................

[4yearlurker]

Yes ,just use a straight 30 weight oil for small engines.

[central_va]

What’s wrong with 10w30?

[editor-surveyor]

.
If you have the 22 HP Brigs engine, you can use regular fuel with the marine additives in it.

One bottle of the marine additives will probably last for the life of the mower.

[9422WMR]

Try reading the damn manual. Most, if not all of your questions are answered there.
Best recommendation? Don’t use ethanol fuel.

[yarddog]

I have worn out several mowers in my lifetime.

I was just thinking a few days ago that the engines were the one thing which just kept on working. Briggs & Stratton always were thought to be superior until Honda, but actually they all have worked until the things just rusted out or broke down.

I don’t do anything except run them. What ever gas I get at the station. Just plain 30 wt. oil. I have replaced the air filter but only because the old one was oil soaked.

[editor-surveyor]

.
Can’t lubricate as long nor as well as 100% oil.

10W30 is 25% “viscosity improvers.”

[UCANSEE2]

What’s wrong with 10w30?

10w30 has detergent. SAE 30 is a NON-detergent oil.

[Paladin2]

http://fuel-testers.com/marine_additive_gas_treatment.html

[outofsalt]

"Is it worth the effort to buy gasoline with ZERO ethanol in it?"

This!

[Born to Conserve]

The most important time for a small engine is storage — run the best, cleanest gas through before you run it dry for the winter.

If you want to remove the alcohol from the gas, add water. The alcohol and water separate from the gas, leaving it dry and alcohol free. You’ll loose a couple octane points.

[taildragger]

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.

Motor Medic combined w/ Aviation Fuel got the saw running. 100LL @ the small airports, no Ethanol, much cheaper than the quarts at the box stores, some pumps are self serve via a credit card.

Their is a new AV fuel being rolled out "Swift Fuel" 94 no-lead, see if you can find it in your area....

[TexasGator]

My lawnmower ran fine for 12 years on 10% ethanol.

[bigbob]

Just always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and never follow advice you get on the innerwebs and you’ll be fine.

[TalBlack]

Based on my experience with that Troy Bilt don’t put gas in it. It will fail and be un fixable. Period.