Need help

[Rat Rod Mac]

I don't know if this is the proper place for this, but I'll start here and see what happens. I have a 1978 Gravely 816T lawn tractor that I use with a snow blower for the driveway and around the barn yard. Great machine. Here's the catch, it has an Onan engine on it and as I understand it Onan is belly up. Here's what it's doing,,,,, when it's running it runs great, if I shut it off and start it up within two or three days everything is ok, but if it sits for a month or so and I go to start it it floods real bad. So what I do is take the carburetor off of it, disassemble it, blow it out with compressed air, put it back together and it runs like a new one. That is until I go to start it the next time and I have to go through the same scenario again. Normally what I do when I'm done running it is I turn the fuel petcock off and let it run until it runs out of gas and shuts off. This way I don't leave gas in it to gum up the ports and small holes. I found a place that serviced older machines and they were able to get me a carb. rebuild kit and the first time I used it everything worked as it should. Well last night we got a pile of snow so this morning I go to start it and sure enough, here we go again. Torn it apart, blew it out, and went out and finished the job. I'm tired of this, this is not right and I want to make it work as it's supposed to. Here's the deal,, have any of you seen or heard of anything like this before? If I have to buy another carburetor for this tractor I will. Only thing is where. Like I said Onan is belly up. Do you think it has something to do with this ethanol gas we are forced to use now? I have heard that it's hard on plastic and rubber seats. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you. RRM

 

[GManBart]

I'm not familiar with that carb, but trying ethanol free fuel is worth a try. I run ethanol free in all of my small engines, and I'm convinced it makes a difference....zero turn, string trimmer, leaf blower,, generator, chainsaws, etc. they all start better, and even idle smoother.

I found a local supplier using: Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

 

[Opti-Mist]

If you don't have ethanol-free gas available you can treat your fuel with SeaFoam or Mercury Quickleen to help clean up your carb. Both are available at auto parts stores or WalMart.