Small engine storage

[JDgreen]

I may be a minority, but I prefer to store my power toys (mowers, tillers, chain saws, etc) for the winter with no fuel in the tanks. I usually run them until the engine dies from lack of fuel, then soak up the remaining fuel in the tank with a paper towel, and when possible I remove the bolt holding the card float bowl, then blow into the fuel tank to force any remaining gas in the line out. It's easier to just use fuel stabilizer, but I had several negative experiences with it.

What do you prefer to do...empty the gas or add stabilizer?

 

[lizard]

Diesels.......just leave with a full tank...........But 2 strokes run them bone dry......then put a coulpe of drops of oil down the spark plug hole and rotate a few times replacing the spark plug.
Petrol goes off after a while.......so keep the tank full.....or bone dry.
Try lighting old fuel with a match.........it will not even burn and it stinks!:ashamed:

 

[Two-Stroke]

I'm not obsessive about getting every drop out of the tank but I do believe in getting all the gas out of the carb if I'm not going to run an engine for more than a month.

I think that the addition of ethanol to gasoline has made matters worse -- does anybody know about that?

 

[KennyV]

I

I think that the addition of ethanol to gasoline has made matters worse -- does anybody know about that?

When alcohol was first added to motor fuels, suppliers discovered that old poor grade fuel could be enhanced with the addition... There was so much of that done that it became a real source of bad batches of all kinds of blends...

Today just like in past years, try to buy your fuel from the busiest stations you can find. You will generally get a better, more consistent blend of a fresher fuel...

In todays market you are going to find ethanol in ALL motor fuel, with the exception of aviation and in some places marine gasoline...:smile:KennyV

 

[JDgreen]

When alcohol was first added to motor fuels, suppliers discovered that old poor grade fuel could be enhanced with the addition... There was so much of that done that it became a real source of bad batches of all kinds of blends...

Today just like in past years, try to buy your fuel from the busiest stations you can find. You will generally get a better, more consistent blend of a fresher fuel...

In todays market you are going to find ethanol in ALL motor fuel, with the exception of aviation and in some places marine gasoline...:smile:KennyV

Well stated...I too wonder how much the quality of todays gasolines is dependent upon adding ethanol. For me, who only puts about 2000 miles per year on his car and truck, a full tank of fuel lasts for months. I do not use gas stabilizer, but the labels on the Sta-Bil brand clearly state that alcohol is not part of the mix in the bottle. It makes me wonder what they use in their product.

 

[lizard]

In Australia the best fuel is Aviation fuel in a 44 gallon drum, it has a Octane rating of 106......and the drum is fully lined internally.......so not rust or contamination.
Ethanol is no good it causes problems........I do not use it!

 

[junebug1701]

I may be a minority, but I prefer to store my power toys (mowers, tillers, chain saws, etc) for the winter with no fuel in the tanks. I usually run them until the engine dies from lack of fuel, then soak up the remaining fuel in the tank with a paper towel, and when possible I remove the bolt holding the card float bowl, then blow into the fuel tank to force any remaining gas in the line out. It's easier to just use fuel stabilizer, but I had several negative experiences with it.

What do you prefer to do...empty the gas or add stabilizer?

I do both! I use the blue Marine Sta-Bil in my fuel and run the tanks and carbs dry for storage. What kind of negative experiences have you had with fuel stabilizers?

 

[Deerebeer]

I may be a minority, but I prefer to store my power toys (mowers, tillers, chain saws, etc) for the winter with no fuel in the tanks. I usually run them until the engine dies from lack of fuel, then soak up the remaining fuel in the tank with a paper towel, and when possible I remove the bolt holding the card float bowl, then blow into the fuel tank to force any remaining gas in the line out. It's easier to just use fuel stabilizer, but I had several negative experiences with it.

What do you prefer to do...empty the gas or add stabilizer?

I like you prefere to drain all fuel from system making sure engine will not start again. I then remove the spark plug an squirt a few shots of motor oil from a (oil can) the old fashion kind with a trigger. I the either hand crank or crank the engine over with the starter until I'm satisfied the oil has been dispursed in the cylinder wall. I then reinstall sparkplug or plugs finger tight with the sparkplug or plugs wire off so I remember to tighten in spring.

 

[Deerebeer]

I like to run all of the fuel out of the tank and make sure the engine will no longer run. I then shoot a few shots of motor oil into the sparkplug hole or holes hand crank the engine over 6-10 times reinstall the plug or plugs finger tight with the plug wire off so I remember to tighten it in the spring.:thumbsup:

 

[173abn]

I'm in the run em out if gas cat. except my diesels which I keep the tanks full.I think I'll use the stablizer in the Grasshopper.My Yanmar I use all yr.round and have never had an issue.I read on another forum there's two things you never want to run out of fuel,an airplane and a diesel. russ