To: The same mountainbike; wxf048
Thank you for taking the trouble to investigate the Tecumseh engine. I have a lawnmower that I bought in 1988 and it still has its original Tecumseh engine. I now know that I may able to get parts if needed.
“Same” makes some good points. I feel we may differ in our opinions on the ravages of ethanol somewhat, as even though small engine fuel systems have been improved to handle it, their filters are small or non existant and we each live in areas of varying humidity, making our experiences differ. I’m happy that our state and national reps. are 4square against ethanol use do to it’s affects on our local industries. We are a poor state and it’s nomal for us to use equipment that is generations old let alone 9 years.
Dag, you made a good point about its potential effect on state and municipal budgets. The dollars of which come directly out of our pockets. These budgets are currently “strapped” as it is, having been drained by a tough winter and depleted tax revenues (business is down, houseing in the sink, etc.). For us also to have to replace and/or repair equipment for this farcical farm welfare program (ethanol) is a travesty.
I guess this issue has become a little personal when I look at the bill pile up while one of my outboards is in the shop having it’s 3 carbs worked on and a water separator installed. Small motors just don’t take to running on added water very well from the ethanol water absorption.
Just knowing too that the FAA does not like standard car ethanol laced gasoline for small plane use with it’s enherrant gas line freeze potential at altitude from excessive water in the gas, tells me something. As one pilot told me, ethanol had a habit of creating very large lawn darts out of what was once a small airplane with an ICE engine. Now they are forced to pay nearly twice the per gallon cost, just for the politics. Who is really saving?
Fishermen are equally big complainers of this added “crapola”. One of my outboard’s manual says specifically, I should not run this garbage in it ( in so many words) So, I have to buy airplane fuel or poor added glop and buy water separators.
Who likes it…the small and marine engine repair people are working over time; they gotta Be taking home a bigger check.
Sadly, ethanol is like taxes: it’s forever. The feds will never respond to the mounting body of evidence that ethanol creates problems and solves nothing.
Ah, well, life goes on…
but it makes them look like they care about the environment, and that brings the voters to their side.
As an oxygenate replacement for MTBE and one of cheapest, ethanol seems to be a compromise between politics, law suits and economics. Short sighted politicians seemed to feel it made the environmentalist, the farmers and the voters happy. It’s just too bad there aren’t more engineers in congress ( if there are any).
I suppose anything can be made cheap if you subsidize it. Even Al Gore is now against it.
I’m all for the environment and in living off a well I would not like my water test finding MTBE (nasty stuff) in it. But, it would be worth a few extra cents a gallon for a more practical solution. I think the solution might just be to offer off shelf gasoline W/o this stuff, for who knows what per gallon, then let the recreation vehicle sector collapse; This is another stupid solution that’s working it’s way into the market now.
Water separators (only 100 bucks) and yearly maintenance is another costly solution; for a lawn mower and weedwacker ? Politicians just hire out their lawn care and rent their jet skis on our buck anyway. When you see one snowmobiling, just remember how many different ways you and I pay for it.
At least MTBE can be easily removed. I have a bubbler that removes Radon…it also removes MTBE or gas.
Ha ha ! I used the same scam with my beloved wife last week. “Dear, how could I possibly mow the lawn with gas that might destroy our mower?” Yessssss!
Wait 'til your wife visits and finds out you’ve scammed her. You may live to regret having done so.
Not to worry, mountainbike. She had me when she heard me laugh as I said it. The lawn is mowed.
The local gas stations here have labels that state MAY CONTAIN UP TO 15% ETHANOL. And whether caused by the ethanol or some other additive I have needed to remove the carburetors and clean the jets in the spring on several engines and this spring 2 engines with OHVs required freeing up stuck valves also. I have added Sta-Bil to the lawn equipment fuel for many years.
A little research reveals the average yield of corn per acre is 160 bushels, a bushel of corn yields about 2.5 gal of ethanol, so one acre of corn makes 400 gallons of ethanol. A car averaging 12000 miles a year at 30MPG equals guess what? 400 gallons! One acre of corn per car per year.
“One acre of corn per car per year”.
I’ve been thinking about buying an acre of ground and planting corn so that I can fuel may car for a year. However, this year we have had an unusually wet spring and many farmers planted beans instead.
Our sewage disposal plant runs a lot of its equipment on sewer gas. Americar, would you calculate for me the number of acres of beans I will need in seasons where I don’t get my corn in?
“She had me when she heard me laugh as I said it.”
You scamp, you. But that’s why she loves you. That and you are easy to read. 
“…would you calculate for me the number of acres of beans I will need in seasons where I don’t get my corn in?”
Just convert your car to natural gas and the beans will fuel it forever! But you might not want to deal with the collection equipment you have to wear.
I have never had a problem with ethanol in my old mower, the 2" tree stump I thought I could clear killed my engine. 78 to 98 no problem. The thing I could not understand is the old mower had a throttle speed control, because of whatever law the new one does not. I was told when asked it was an emissions thing that there was no speed control. I used to use less gas, only bumping up the rpm as needed. Now my only choice is to run at full throttle or off. Can you tell me why that is better?
If the crankshaft is bent it can be straightened, waterboy. Remove the blade, remove the engine, pour the oil and gas out and find a good small engine shop.