DO NOT USE BON AMI or any other abrasive! The Bon Ami "solution" was what GM mechanics were told to use when the small block Chevy engines came out with chrome rings that were difficult to break in. Introducing the Bon Ami, in a controlled amount, was the alternative to tearing the engine down and re-honing the cylinders to a finish that would cause the rings to "wear" in and seal better.
Ever see an engine that's had a head gasket leak? You can tell which cylinder that the coolant was leaking into by looking for the one with NO CARBON. Old-time mechanics used to take a 6-1/2 ounce Coke bottle of water and trickle it down the carb at a fast idle to remove carbon. The water in the cylinder turns into steam, and effectively steam-cleans the combustion chamber. But the key word is TRICKLE, not DUMP...you don't want to hydro-lock the engine and break things.
With a small engine like the Kohler, you might use a spray bottle, like the ones most folks keep on hand for their barbecue grills to keep the flames down.
Ever use an acetylene torch? That's an example of what happens with too lean a mixture. If you want to heat something with a rosebud tip, you use more acetylene [fuel] with the oxygen than you do when you're using it as a cutting torch. Ever hear of N20, or nitrous oxide injection? It works because N20 is 36% oxygen, rather than 20% oxygen like outside air. BUT...to keep from torching engine parts with N20, you also have to inject more fuel. The early adopters of nitrous learned these lessons the hard way.
I haven't looked into what the alky burners did back in the '60's...but I'm sure some research into their experiences might educate us as to some benefits/drawbacks of increasing the alky content of our gasoline-based fuels. With most gas tractor engines having a static compression ratio of 7.5:1 or less, in most cases increasing the octane of the fuel isn't necessary, providing the rest of the engine is in a good state of tune. Now, there are exceptions...if the dynamic compression is higher due to valve timing [a function of the camshaft grind], then a higher octane fuel might be required. But in most low-compression tractor engines, if a higher octane fuel is needed to prevent run-on, that's usually a sign that you have other things going on that should be attended to, either in the fuel system or in the ignition system.
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Today's Featured Article - Restoration Story: Fordson Major - by Anthony West. George bought his Fordson Major from a an implement sale about 18 years ago for £200.00 (UK). There is no known history regarding its origins or what service it had done, but the following work was undertaken alone to bring it up to show standard. From the engine number, it was found that this Major was produced late 1946. It was almost complete but had various parts that would definitely need replacing.
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