What's the best method ypu use for storing a small engine, 2- 0r 4 cycle ? Chainsaws are used all year. How about those spring-summer-fall tools ? I've always run the engines dry before putting them to bed until spring, but a local pro says not to.
I always run my lawnmower and snowblower dry, at the end of their seasons. No obvious issue as a result. Both have started right up, when needed.
I used to run them dry. Now I do nothing, and have the same result. Everything starts fine in spring.
Dry is best, unless there is a steel fuel tank...then that is better full up. If there is a shutoff valve, the tank can be full and the carb dry. Any stored fuel should be E free if possible, and stabilized...if E fuel, then it needs a stabilizer that is made for E fuel. I'm a fan of Startron...and everyone that I know that has tried it has become a fan too. Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment Gas Additive Small Engine
If the tank happens to be run dry, then that is the way it is stored. Most of the time there is still some left so I fill up the tank. In the last 18 months or so, I have started putting Seafoam in my gas cans when I fill them up, so that gas is always "conditioned". I used Stabile once, because it was on sale, and won't use it again. I don't know why but it made my snowblower not want to start and after wearing out my shoulder, I finally got smart and hooked it to an extension cord. Still took several tries. And until that stuff was out of the system, it coughed and smoked. I didn't add too much (followed directions since I had never used it before). Maybe I got a bad can, but that is the only time I've had issues with my mowers and snowblowers. Never have any issues with using Seafoam, which I have been using since 2008, so I stick with it.
If it's a Brigs engine I run it dry then add a little bit of gas and stabilizer to it then run it dry again to make sure the carb is cleaned. Brigs carbs always gunk up on me if I dont do it this way. If it's a Honda I just pour some stabilizer in the tank. Hondas fire up for me with no problems.
Looks like "dry" store for most of you. Only our vehicles/ATV have steel gas tanks. The rest are some kind of plastic tank. THX !
Used to be that E-free gas was only aviation. Now there are many E free pumps. But, they're all 90 hi octane and pricey. Downeast E free gas here is around $3./g. I go to higher octane in winter for the saws, but not E free.
E-free around here is hard to find unless you want to buy it buy the pint or go to a marina. I think up north it is easier to find, but still not common. That is interesting - I've had 3 mowers with B&G (one of the mowers was ancient when I bought this place and I still have the other two - all Craftsman). My two snow blowers are B&G (Snowtek and Craftsman) - and, once again, ancient Craftsman that came with the house was B&G too. I have my first Honda engine this year, so we'll see how it does with Seafoam.
I have never bothered w/the gas. On tiller, mower and blower I pull the plug. Give it a squirt of WD-40 and turn it over a couple of times. Another squirt of WD....replace the plug and cover them for the winter. Fire right up in the spring. ....or fall for the blower.
Great timing on this thread. I like to run things dry but didnt always do so. I have heard good things about the seafoam.
I don't empty the tank, if anything I top it off to keep any condensation to a minimum I just always put stabil or now startron in my gas. I also always dose it with MMO, but I do try and remember to shut off the fuel petcock and run them dry. It's been working for me..
That's nice, but that is over an hour away from me - and not in a direction I usually go unless there is some special occasion
Every small engine here gets ethanol free fuel. Period. Yeah, its a little more per gallon but worth it. Kinda of like insurance. We pay hundreds of $$$ every year and hope like heck we don't have to use it! Snow blowers have fuel supply shut off and then run the fuel lines dry. Sometimes I'll start it up during the summer and repeat the process. Gas powered weed eater....pppfffftttt! It has always started without draining the fuel tank. Lawn mowers, same thing. Store them as they stand with no fuel/engine prep. Wood splitter has a honda engine. I cannot sing the praises of this brand engine enough! Has never required more than a few pulls to start it after months of non use! I do shut off the fuel tank. Only time I had trouble and pulled 5-6 times with no result was when I forgot to turn on the fuel tank! Boat engine, I used to add stabil and/or sea foam....but again, switched to "corn-free" fuel and became satisfied with results. Had bad experience with corn gas (from previous year) once. Engine wouldn't run correctly and dumped that entire fuel tank. Replaced with corn free fuel and never looked back! The little bit of extra that you end up paying for ethanol free gas is immaterial. Think about it. You stop for gas, try saving a few dollars for your tools/toys engines and then end up buying a cup of coffee/soda/snacks/smokes/beers etc! Priorities.
So, how do you know if the E free pump has real E free gas ? How can it be verified ? Who inspects the fuels ? There are checks for civilian AV fuel and mil bases. Thought: if I pour my single malt into a jar of E free gas, then what ? Curious minds need to know.
