Is There Something I Can Add To Old Gas To Help A Mower Start

We've all been there.

You lot make your way to the garage or shed, ready to tackle the day's yard work, but to find that your backyard mower won't start.

Did you know that bad gas is one of the most frequent causes of small engines not starting? Read on to learn about how to diagnose and treat engines affected with bad gas.

top view of red lawn mower not starting because of bad gas

How long can gas be stored earlier it goes bad?

Whether in a gas tin can or in your mower, gas can go stale and lose its volatility in every bit little as thirty days. Using Sta-Bil Storage Fuel Stabilizer can increment storage time up to 24 months. Of course, many factors contribute to how long gas can exist stored, including storage location, temperature, condition of the fuel container, and more.

What are the symptoms of bad gas?

If your lawn mower is hard to outset, idles roughly, stalls out, or makes a "pinging" audio, y'all may have a case of "bad gas". And no, we're not talking almost the later on-effects of dinner at your favorite Mexican restaurant.

How can I tell if the gas has gone bad?

The easiest way to diagnose gas is to smell the fuel in question. Oxidized gas has a sour smell and is much stronger smelling than fresh gas. The other method is to drain a sample from your machine's fuel tank or your gas can into a clear glass container. If the gas is dark in colour, information technology has more than likely gone bad. See the prototype below for a comparison between the colour of fresh gas (Left) to gas that has oxidized (Right) and should non exist used in your equipment.

compare gasoline colors in clear glass jars

Note the colour of fresh gas (Left) compared to gas that has oxidized (Correct)

What should I practice if my equipment has bad fuel?

The best solution is to bleed the gas from your equipment and supersede with fresh gas. Remember to properly dispose of the old fuel.

How can bad gas affect my lawn mower?

If fuel was stored in the unit for an extended period, areas such as fuel lines and the metering needle may accept go gummed upwards from the old fuel mixture. Every bit gas ages, hydrocarbons in the fuel mixture evaporate and the remaining fuel becomes tacky or varnish-like. This can cause deposits and blockages in your equipment's fuel organization. In severe cases, professional cleaning of the carburetor and a possible carburetor rebuild are the only cure for this state of affairs.

To verify this condition, remove the spark plug(southward). If you tin can't odor fuel in the combustion cylinder or see or smell fuel on the bottom of the spark plug, the fuel passageways are probable obstructed. If the carburetor is clogged, the use of spray carburetor cleaner and pressurized air may articulate the obstruction. If this fails, then y'all should contact an experienced engine service center to have the system professionally and thoroughly cleaned.