Hey Jeffcat

Texasmark1

Well-known Member
A year or two ago you put me onto the right carburetor for my BS V twins. You also suggested I use only premium fuel. It's proven to be well worth the extra price. It has that little extra whoopie to get "might start" engines going. Recently noticed in the chain saw. Used to be I would cut, set it down and let it idle while moving things and the engine would die. No more, it just sits there and waits for the next task. When starting, takes half the pulls to get it going. Same with the mowers.

I never paid much attention to the suggestions in owner's manuals about using 89 octane gas when I used 87 in my truck and it was too easy to fill up the small tanks with the same gas. Now I go to the trouble to stop and restart the pumps with 93 with additives and life is good.
 
Texasmark1, You had better watch out as the cheap gas/ethanol gang will be jumping all over you!!! Thinking that better quality fuel in small motors makes them run better and less maintenance is against their bylaws. LOL

I have bought better gas for my small engines for 15 years or more. Life is much better that way. Maybe the gas blends in other parts of the country are different but here in North-East Iowa the 87 octane gas will not work very well in small motors. But hey keep right on using it fellows. Myself and my son make good money in the spring fixing/repairing the small motors that get stored with cheap gas in them from the year before. Usually $50 -100 repairs. I would bet that money would buy several years of better gas for them.
 
Note that the "89 octane" fuel specified in the owner's manual is probably Research Octane Number (RON). US and Canadian gas pumps list the "Anti-Knock Index", which is the average of the RON and Motor Octane Number (MON) ratings. 89 RON is roughly the same as 86 AKI.

Premium gas is not going to improve starting over regular gas, all other things being equal. However, Reid Vapor Pressure can have a dramatic affect on starting, vapor lock and shelf life. You will not find the RVP posted anywhere, even though it is regulated at the local, state and federal level. In general, winter grade fuel has a higher RVP than summer grade, and E10 fuel is allowed to have a higher RVP than ethanol-free fuel. Low RVP improves shelf life and reduces vapor locking. High RVP improves starting, particularly in cold weather.
 
Thanks there Tex. Crummy gas just used to drive me crazy. One of the V twin Briggs engines on my Husqvarnas absolutely Hated regular. The gas jockey at the stattion pushed the wrong button on the pump. While mowing it would balk and hiccup, and just not the same power. Drained the cheap gas out and poured it into my truck. Filled the Husqvarna with hi-test and one half a round of mowing she was happy as could be. Now to add a story. Have a big bad old Gravely C-10 commertial walk behind with a 28 inch Dog eater snow blower on it. All year round it would start perfect with hi-test gas. Choke out, turn key, it would go urrump, and would start in one revolution. This is a Kohler "K" series cast iron engine. Now for the problem. When the snow flys and you need the machine to start ........nope!! These engines are a little cold blooded. Found the solution though. Went over to the local Airport and bought a few gallons of AV gas. Stuff is 101 octane. Also cost is close to $10.oo a gallon of. Had to readjust the carb to use it though. Turn in the air screw about 1/2 turn and the main jet was almost a full turn. Now around 20? weather she pops right off. AV gas has a tiny bit of lead in it. Is also stable for four years. Also no ethinol to corrode your carb. Anddddd it works!! On your Briggs engines I recomend you buy a set of NGK IRIDIUM plugs on Ebay. Half the cost of local store. Part number you want is BKR6EIX-11. Look at the photos. When you start your tractor with these plugs it will start so fast you can't let go of the key quick enough. Worth every penny. Have fun and thanks for the reply.
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I agree with JDSeller and Jeffcat about the fuel. I've been buying the 89 octane no ethanol gasoline at the local Mobil station for the last 2-3 years. Thje only problenm I'm having is with the 20 hp B & S Intek V twin that I bought from a previous owner. I'm gonna rebuild the Nikki carb soon, it blows black smoke on a hot startup and sucks gas when running. I have a spare engine I bought, gonna rebuild that carb and put it on the 2002 Troybilt.
 
You said twin V Briggs. If that has the NIKI don't bother fixing it. Go on Ebay and just buy a new one. It will cost less than the repair kit. Not even $50.oo. You get everything brand new and all the gaskets you need. Those third generation carbs work fantastic. Spectacular throttle response and perfect idle. Just follow the directions. That plate with the two lips on it if I remember correctly goes with the lips on the bottom and faceing towards the engine. Really...just junk the old one.
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Not a petroleum engr. but my engines start faster and sometimes "catch" where they failed to catch before; no brag just fact....fact enough to spend 30-50 cents more per gallon to get the 93. Using the same snake oils.

Course what the refineries don't tell you is what else you get besides higher octane in your premium fuel. More than likely that is the starting aid that I'm experiencing not as you say pure octane boost only.
 
I just got a couple of boxes of 4 for my 4 BS V twins......$25 and some change, free shipping, no tax. Coming out of California, be here in a week or so......"boat mail" since it's free...but the season is over so what. We'll see how they work. Really a good price for a high performance plug that lasts indefinitely. Thanks
 

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