Storing a Splitter outside for the Winter?

The first splitter I bought was a 27T DHT unit from Lowes. It had been stored outside in front of the store during the spring monsoons. I got a good deal on it because it had some rust on it. Got it home and discovered the Motor was frozen with water in the cylinder. After a lot of hassle I returned it and bought a bigger splitter, for less money, on line. The big message I got was "Don't store motors outside if at all possible"! I wonder how many units are sold new that have been stored under similar conditions but still start with rusted cylinder walls? They may last the warranty but service life is lost I'm sure!

 

I got a 35 year old green machine, always outside has been for 35 years does not go vertical so a tote goes over engine.. when it finally dies a new one will be stored inside

 

Did it tip over ? Why does it look so short to the ground ? Almost look incorrect..

 

I bought my Supersplit J model in early 2012. I can count on one hand how many nights it spent outside. Even then the engine and flywheel was covered with a large tote. It still looks new 8 years and in the neighborhood of 150 full cords later. An electrician friend also bought a J model after seeing mine. His has always been outside. We were hired to build him a large pole barn about 3 years after he bought it (2015ish) and I saw his splitter for the first time. I couldn’t believe it was only a few years old. It looked about 20 years old. Faded plastic flywheel cover that was now more pink than red, and cracked from a branch falling on it. Rusty beam and table, took him about 20 pulls to get it started. Just awful. Spend $2,600 and let it get ruined in the New England weather.

 

I'm not understanding. Is it broken?

 

count me in for storing outside covered with a tarp.

 

all my equipment is under roof or in the shop I somehow manage to get everything inside even the 1970's vintage likity splitter is in the pole shed i fix so much stuff for customers that leave stuff out with out covers JB

 

Obviously under roof is the best, might be part of why I'm still using my first and only splitter that I built somewhere around 1980. It's been outside for only the past 3 or 4 years sadly loosing its space under roof to something newer or more valuable.

 

I've never liked leaving equipment outside.
I have a very old garage with a dirt floor and equipment in there seems to fare well regarding rust.

 

My splitter was down along the treeline for 5 years, with a tarp roped over it. It's under the back shed roof now, still with a tarp over it. No rust issues.

 

Yup mine has been outside for 3 years or more now. Covered with a tarp. Never any issues. I don't do anything but chit er' down and cover it and tuck it between my shed and garage. I run non ethanol gas in all my small engines and farm tractor here. Never have issues with it. My advice to anyone is to run non ethanol if you have the choice for small engines or things that don't run every day. I use it in my farm tractor, chainsaws, ATV, snowmobile, splitter, blower, etc. Saws can sit for months and fire up like they were just ran the day before!

 

Are you talking at the pump or pre bottled? Nowhere in MA sells it at the pump that I’ve seen. I believe NH does though, and I work about 10-15 minutes from the state line, so I may get 15 gallons once a month or every other month and start using it in all my small engines. Pre bottled is just too expensive for how much I use.

 

Yup, pump gas. I'm lucky I got a station less than 5 minutes from me that sells non ethanol go juice. I have ran the bottled stuff, but definitely above my pay grade as well. But yeah man, I would recommend doing so! I promise you will be pleased. I live in a rural area and it's funny everyone from around here will be lined up filling jugs at the station. Run it one season and you won't go back to ethanol. Nothing against ethanol! I'm all about farming and giving our big corn farms another avenue to sell grain, but not for engines that sit unused for any amount of time. I run the ethanol stuff in my daily driver car.

 

Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

sirbuildalot none look to be stations except the airports.Can anyone buy fuel at an airport?

 

I’m familiar with several of those locations. They’re small pre bottled cans for crazy $$$$. I was in S. Carolina visiting friends and when I got gas I saw ethanol free right at the pump, for the same price as ethanol garbage fuel. I remember thinking why the hell cant Massachusetts have this.

 

A lot of the ones in NH look to be real gas stations.

 

I know there is one in Hudson NH