4-stroke cleaner? Nah!

[SplatterTone]

The 12 year old Craftsman yard tractor is sitting in need of more repair. Recently, I did some major welding of cracks, reinforcing of the deck and frame, and built a new, super-heavy-duty front wheel beam. But yet another part crapped out.

So, as a small challenge, rather than jump right on repairing the tractor (yet again), I figured I'd try mowing the two acres (not flat, but with hills and ditches, not user friendly) with the 21-inch walk behind. The first time wore me out. Sunday was my fourth time, and I handled it quite well. Getting tough here, we are. But I suspect I'll get sick of this crap before long and get the tractor fixed.

One thing I noticed was that the 21-inch uses MORE gas than the tractor -- definitely some efficiency issues here. And, with no wind, and my back yard surrounded by trees and bushes, it leaves a haze in the air like fogging for mosquitos. It occurred to me that maybe in the lab, a 4-stroke tests out cleaner than a 2-stroke. But I'll bet in the real world of lawn mowers, after the new has worn off, a reasonably well designed 2-stroke will run much cleaner than the crapola 4-stroke (B&S) engines on most mowers.

Even though I change the oil on the B&S crap engine, it hasn't taken it long to start running dirty. And most people rarely change their lawn mower oil. A 2-stroke, by nature, requires a constant supply of new, clean oil. So, I'm thinking that, over the normal life of a walk-behind mower, a reasonably well desigined 2-stroke would be environmentally superior to and more durable than the alu-min-ium, splash-oiled 4-stroke waste of metal on most mowers.

I would like to invite the government EPA lab folks to come see the haze generated by my year old EPA-approved B.S. B&S and suggest they get out of the lab once in a while to view what happens in the real world.

[MartyNeilan]

It was time to buy a lawnmower again, and I wanted to keep the price in check. I recently went to Lowes and bought a manual push mower with oversized rear wheels made by TroyBilt in the good ol' USA... with a Honda engine!

So far, it runs much better than my old TroyBilt with the B&S engine and knocks about a half hour off my mowing time, despite the supposed power assist of the old mower.

They also had a nice shiny green mower with deer logos all over it (and a B.S. engine), but it was hard to justify spending double the price for approximately the same thing.

[SplatterTone]

In all fairness to B&S, the 13-HP commercial engine on the tractor is still rock solid. There is a world of difference between their big commercial engines and the al-yoo-min-ium junk that goes on the low end stuff. I suspect the same is true for most low end stuff where a 2-stroker would probably run cleaner after the new wears off and still be low cost.

[Tom]

It sounds like you need to hunt down an old Lawn Boy two stroke.

[ken k]

some people pay good money to join a gym, just think of the exercise you are getting!! Of course you are breathing in all the exhaust from the mower too so I do not knwo which is better. I have read that lawn mowers are one of the largest sources of polution on the planet. (Mowers and cows.)
k

[cjk]

I have a Black and Decker corded electric push mower which I bought in 2004.

As far as maintenance goes, ALL it needs is blade sharpening. It needs NOTHING else.

As long as my yard is within extension cord limits, I'd buy another.

No oil changes. No gas required. Just plug it in. It requires less maintenance than a vacuum cleaner.


And no, I've never run over the cord. The grass is green. The cord is orange. It's pretty simple.

[SplatterTone]

I have a Black and Decker corded electric push mower which I bought in 2004.

I have one of those to hit a terraced section where small and light mower is easier to handle. Very light weight and handy for trimming.

I have one of the later Lawn Boy 2-stroke, but it just ain't the same as the old brown models. I don't know what they got wrong, but something.