ORIGINAL: okdreamin
90 % of all repairs on mowers, weedeaters, ect are now fuel related. He said that alot of the carbs are still clogged up after cleaning them and have to be replaced with new carbs. Advised to always keep your fuel tanks full of gas to prevent condensation to bond with ethanol.
Hope this helps later
This is exactly right. I am a small engine mechanic by trade and for the past 2 years, most of my work is fuel related. The ethanol absorbs water, then settles out of the gas. You end up with water/ethanol mix, that turns to a jelly, at the bottom of the float bowl, or tank and low octane fuel on top. The water causes corrosion and the jelly stops up jets. About half the time, I can just flush out the fuel system, and save everything, but the other half is replacement, as the corrosion clogs the passages (especially on the newer EPA lean burning motors), and they cannot be cleaned. The diapram carbs can almost never be saved anymore.
Here are few pics of what I see on a daily basis. The white balls are ethanol "jelly".