I need to get a riding mower

[WV460hunter]

I've only used pure unleaded. Not sure what previous owners used.

I should use non ethanol especially in this older mower but I can't find any within my local area.

 

[Dave P.]

I don't look at ethanol in small engine fuel as a good thing but.....it's not harmful IF...IF...you buy and use it within
about 45-60 days. Keep it in well sealed, clean cans, and don't let it get old. It's not the using it that creates most of the
fuel system issues, it's the letting it sit around for months at a time.
It has very poor "shelf life" and the ethanol will attract water vapor, get enough of that in the fuel and it will begin to
oxidize metal parts. Below you can see examples of it "jelling" as it gets old and a sample of rust and oxidation in the
pic on the right side. Starts usually as a clear jell then turns green.
Sometimes we take pictures when customers are wanting warranty coverage and hopping up and down claiming they always use
"fresh fuel". Manufactures will not give away free carburetors when they look like this inside.
I've got some pics somewhere of the entire float and bowl as a solid green/brown glob

 

[WV460hunter]

Not

Nope, it's in the crankcase, muffler, and peed out on the ground where it was parked. Will be able to see the dead spot in a
few days.

Nothing like an incontinent Mower.

 

[Taterman]

Well the phone rang early this morning and it it was the Amish guy and his friend on the way to pick it up. I thought he forgot about me. He said it would be $25 to clean the carb which is pretty cheap. Hopefully he's able to get it running, we need some other work done and he could be a great local contact.

 

[Actnbill]

That sounds great..... You probably can't find a more honest guy to work on your mower...

 

[Taterman]

That sounds great..... You probably can't find a more honest guy to work on your mower...

Man, you're not kidding. Picked up at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday and dropped back off at 7:30a.m. Friday.
Carb is cleaned (needle was clogged), oil changed, sharpened the blade and even added a shut off valve in the gas line.

The total - $59.50

It rained so I didn't get to use it, but it started instantly when he drove it off the trailer and it sounded great with no smoke or gas smell.

 

[powder smoke]

This will be the first mower I've ever bought as we lived in a townhouse for 25+ years. I might pick up a used Cub Cadet from a friend here but they is starting to look like it will fall through so I may have to buy a new one.
The two I've looked at so far are a John Deere 48" zero turn and a similarly priced Cub Cadet 50" zero turn. The guy at Home Depot said they'd had less returns or issues with the Cubs and that their Kawasaki engine is better than the JD.

Can anyone help steer me in the right direction? We have and acre and a half to mow and it's already pretty long .

I have had a Cub Cadet Zero Turn for about seven years now!
It seems to be bullet proof! I have acres of lawn I would recommend you look
into these my experience with them are great

 

[powder smoke]

Does Kubota make small mowers? I had a friend way back when who had a Kubota tractor and he didn't have any major problems with it.

Sorry, just finished reading Kentuckyyeti's post. It appears they do.

Tractors are not mowers you will be better off getting a GOOD MOWER
Cub Cadet served me very well!

 

[Dave P.]

Man, you're not kidding. Picked up at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday and dropped back off at 7:30a.m. Friday.
Carb is cleaned (needle was clogged), oil changed, sharpened the blade and even added a shut off valve in the gas line.

The total - $59.50

It rained so I didn't get to use it, but it started instantly when he drove it off the trailer and it sounded great with no smoke or gas smell.

That guy must have just time travelled from about 1965 and hasn't caught up on his pricing!
Talk about working for the fun of it.....

 

[larry8]

Whenever I put in new gas I always add some Sta-Bill to it. Never have to worry about it even if I let it sit for a year.

 

[Actnbill]

I go to my local small airplane airport and buy ethanol free gas..... A little bit more expensive, but I never have to winterize or treat the fuel in my mowers, snow blower, 2 stroke stuff etc.....