# Common problems with the Chinese engines.



## Fruggy

Ok, I know you guys are sick of me asking all of these questions, but everything about my 2410 is new to me (Two-stage, Troy-Bilt, Chinese engine).

So far, according to Youtube videos and internet forums: bad/old gas= problems. 

Someone told me that the Chinese engines are ultra-sensitive to gasoline quality. The instruction manual says not to run with gas older than 30 days old. Today I put Sta-bil and fresh gas in the gas can. I know this will avoid several problems associated with the Chinese engine's intolerance to old gas. 

What other problems should I look for and how to prevent...with the except of maintenance? 

Kind of bummed because Tecumseh and Briggs engine will run regardless of fuel or oil quality.


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## 43128

"Kind of bummed because Tecumseh and Briggs engine will run regardless of fuel or oil quality." 

that is not true for newer briggs, they will display the same symptoms as the clones(surging, hard starting, start and die,not starting at all) because all modern engines are jetted lean


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## GustoGuy

Fruggy said:


> Ok, I know you guys are sick of me asking all of these questions, but everything about my 2410 is new to me (Two-stage, Troy-Bilt, Chinese engine).
> 
> So far, according to Youtube videos and internet forums: bad/old gas= problems.
> 
> Someone told me that the Chinese engines are ultra-sensitive to gasoline quality. The instruction manual says not to run with gas older than 30 days old. Today I put Sta-bil and fresh gas in the gas can. I know this will avoid several problems associated with the Chinese engine's intolerance to old gas.
> 
> What other problems should I look for and how to prevent...with the except of maintenance?
> 
> Kind of bummed because Tecumseh and Briggs engine will run regardless of fuel or oil quality.


I own 3 HF Predator engines and I never have never had any problems with fuel issues. I use non oxygenated gasoline for small engines. You can use either Stabil or Sea Foam to stabilize the gasoline.


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## Shryp

I use cheap 87 octane and sometimes have it for over a year and it works fine for me. No stabilizers added either.


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## Oracle

43128 said:


> all modern engines are jetted lean


Stupid question: Can that lean condition be fixed? Is there an adjustment?

thanks


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## Shryp

Oracle said:


> Stupid question: Can that lean condition be fixed? Is there an adjustment?
> 
> thanks


You can open the stock jets with torch tip files or micro drill bits (by hand). Gustoguy uses floss and some polishing compound. You can buy different size jets as well.


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## KpaxFAQ

Buy ethanol free premium if it's available where you live, it's $3.59/a gallon 2 blocks from my house right now. If not available you can go the stabil route, I've always put 2oz of marvel mystery oil in my 5 gal gas can before I fill her up and have never had a small engine carb issue....it's a good clearer and adds some top cylinder lube....


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## enigma-2

All modern engines are now being jetted lean. Federal requirements. Worst are the CARB states. (California, forget who the other four are). Carburetors in those states have really small orifices.
Ethanol gas is a reality everywhere. If you can buy gas without it where you live, do so. If not (not sold anywhere near me that I know of) you must use a conditioner such as StaBil Marine, StaBil Ethanol, or SeaFoam. You don't need much and it will protect your investment. The alcohol starts to separate form the gas in as little as thirty days. Then it will draw water to to itself (makes a gum) and if the alcohol content accumulates too much, can cause the engine to run so hot it can actually melt a piston or burn the valves (see this on weed trimmers).
BTW, I don't think it has anything to do with being built in China. Most are build by one or two huge manufacturers, and they build for companies all over the world. Just built to US specs is all. All current engines must meet US air standards. Global warming and all that. (Not looking for a war on this, just my opinion).


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## 43128

"If not (not sold anywhere near me that I know of) you must use a conditioner such as StaBil Marine, StaBil Ethanol, or SeaFoam."

you dont have to use stabilizers if you follow some basic rules, dont buy more gas than you can use in under 30 days(1 gallon is plenty for most people), dont let gasoline sit in power equipment that is going to be unused for 30 days or more, install a fuel shutoff and burn off the gas from the carb after each use, and buy the cheaper 87 octane gas because it will be fresher, most people will not pay the extra money for premium, so it will sit at the station longer and not be as fresh. i never use stabilizer and have no problems


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## 94EG8

Fruggy said:


> Someone told me that the Chinese engines are ultra-sensitive to gasoline quality.


They're not, they're very similar to a Honda for the most part.



Fruggy said:


> Kind of bummed because Tecumseh and Briggs engine will run regardless of fuel or oil quality.


No, they wont. I never saw anything as picky about gas as a Tecumseh.

That said, ethanol can be a big problem in any small engine, avoid it if you can. Where I am premium gas doesn't have ethanol so I buy premium. Also, remember if you're in a similar situation that whatever the last person pumped is still in the hose, so your first gallon is whatever the last guy selected, ideally pump that that first bit into your car before filling the jerry can. If you have to buy ethanol dump some stabilizer in it when the gas is fresh. Remember, stabilizer wont fix gas that's already gone bad.


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## Wildcat_1

Any thoughts on what you can do for those engines that do start and stop like you mentioned ? My Troy Bilt 3090 is having these issues and wondering if its this fuel issue.



43128 said:


> "Kind of bummed because Tecumseh and Briggs engine will run regardless of fuel or oil quality."
> 
> that is not true for newer briggs, they will display the same symptoms as the clones(surging, hard starting, start and die,not starting at all) because all modern engines are jetted lean


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## micah68kj

Shryp said:


> I use cheap 87 octane and sometimes have it for over a year and it works fine for me. No stabilizers added either.


Non ethanol?


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## Shryp

micah68kj said:


> Non ethanol?


Have to have ethanol. I just use the cheapest gas I can find.


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## 43128

you can take out the main jet under the bowl and bore it out with a torch tip cleaner or a micro drill bit set both available on ebay. just do it in small increment so you do not make it run to rich. once you do this you should have no issues with it running lean or any other weird carburetor related issues as long as you drain the gas at the end of each season. as far as i know you dont even have to take off any of that shrouding


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## micah68kj

Shryp said:


> Have to have ethanol. I just use the cheapest gas I can find.


. I can smell the gas getting that weird smell after a couple months if I don,t use stabilizer.


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## coastie56

Ok guys new member and I have the Storm 2410 with the Chinese motor and Huay carburetor. I used a small drill bit to clean out the main jet that can in fact be accessed from inside the bowl without pulling the shrouds a couple years ago and it ran fine for a year or two but resumed surging last year. I had to leave the choke on one click to run smooth. I read on this forum about the idle air jet on top of the carb under the round idle adjustment screw so I dissassembled the shrouds, pulled the carb, removed the round adj screw, and gently popped the back plastic plug/jet out of the top of the carb. there is a brass insert but I could not see the air meter hole as it was plugged with varnish. I could not get a micro drill bit .05 to go through (It is tiny) so I cut a wire out of my wire brush, sprayed carb cleaner and holding it with needle nose, eventually was able to twist and work the wire through until it popped into the cross drilled opening in the middle of the jet. I reassembled everything and now it runs like new again for the price of a can of carb cleaner. I have been using sea foam for the last 2 or 3 years but this jet orifice is super small. I would have drilled it but I don't have a chuck that is small enough to grab it! I recomend running the thing out of gas but there is no fuel shut off and not a lot of room to install one. Also you probably will have better luck with sta-bil.


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## 69ariens

Stay away from news papers ,rocks, kids toy's stick's and any thing not snow. Augers ,shafts and gear box are weaker than other brands


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## Kiss4aFrog

My 2410 surged badly too. I followed the directions and drilled the jet.
It's better but on my machine I need to go one size bigger as I still have a little surging.


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