Export thread

I don't have enough space in my garage and the city wanted too much $ for permits and inspection to build a bump-out, so I need to store my mower on the slab behind my garage, covered. I stored my snow blowers there, under a tarp, and they're fine.

I have serviced boats for a long time and working for dealers, we always used some kind of corrosion inhibitor, but some of those are just Silicone and I really don't want to use anything like that. I did polish and wax the shroud because it looked like crap and I know that will provide protection for the paint, but it does have some bare metal (not worried about the Aluminum so much) and I'm just curious about how others store these when they can't keep them inside of a garage or larger shed. I plan to build the shed, but it won't happen immediately.

Thanks.

Recommend taking battery inside @ give it a charge every so often,. I overinflate tires by 6 lbs or so over spec. Helps them from flat spotting too badly.

A waxer, my way as well. Makes cleaning it off easier in season. Either drain gas, or use 100% gas ,,

7394 said:

Recommend taking battery inside @ give it a charge every so often,. I overinflate tires by 6 lbs or so over spec. Helps them from flat spotting too badly.

A waxer, my way as well. Makes cleaning it off easier in season. Either drain gas, or use 100% gas ,,

Click to expand...

I removed almost all of the gas and ran it dry, but I do add StaBil for gas with Ethanol. It's really not hard or time consuming to do this stuff and I had lubed everything when I got it. Battery is out, tires are up, engine is fogged. Twice, since I had to start it in order to go over the edge of the slab.

Not sure who worked on it before, but the complaint from the previous owner was "White smoke" and when I looked in the tank, I saw tiny grass clippings and parts from a spout from a CA compliant gas container. Since it requires removing a whole two bolts and a hose clamp to disconnect it from the filter, I drained the tank and let the gas settle- it went into a 1 liter water bottle and it was very cloudy. No phase separation, but I saw more than 1/2" of water at the bottom after it settled. The rest looked fine and smelled fresh. The white smoke ended as soon as I ran it with fresh gas. OTOH, the blue smoke that couldn't be seen before, was pretty dense.

Gym123 said:

No phase separation, but I saw more than 1/2" of water at the bottom after it settled.

Click to expand...

That is phase separation

I run in then fill tank 100% full with Sta-Bil Storage Formula and 100% unleaded. For me keeps the fuel lines from drying out over the winter compared to dry storage. Used to replace lines all the time. Little fogging oil in each cylinder. Wax the deck and apply used motor oil to the underside of the deck. Slather it on the blade and all. Great way to recycle used oil. Breathable waterproof cover or no cover. If you Ziplock bag it, it can and will rust. Sheet of plywood or something to keep Mother Nature off of it. Need some airflow under there to slow the rusting down.

leave deck in highest position..

My Z is up on the wheel dolleys I made so long ago.. Makes it easy to push sideways or whatever..

7394 said:

That is phase separation

Click to expand...

Nope. Phase separation is a milky layer of mixed Ethanol and water. This was just water that settled out of the temporary mixture. For all I know, they may have used gas without Ethanol and it was exactly the same as what I used to see before we had to use that crap.

slomo said:

I run in then fill tank 100% full with Sta-Bil Storage Formula and 100% unleaded. For me keeps the fuel lines from drying out over the winter compared to dry storage. Used to replace lines all the time. Little fogging oil in each cylinder. Wax the deck and apply used motor oil to the underside of the deck. Slather it on the blade and all. Great way to recycle used oil. Breathable waterproof cover or no cover. If you Ziplock bag it, it can and will rust. Sheet of plywood or something to keep Mother Nature off of it. Need some airflow under there to slow the rusting down.


View attachment 70240

Click to expand...

I plan to build some kind of structure for the slab with enough height to allow me to put the push mower over the rider's shroud. That way, I can store it lower and prevent me effing up my shoulder, like I did a week ago Sunday. I haven't decided on the exterior, but I think T-111 may be a possibility- that will make adding vents easy. Having shrink-wrapped and uncovered a lot of boats, I know that moisture inside of a cover is a big problem. I may add a fan on a timer to it, to circulate the air.

Gym123 said:

I plan to build some kind of structure for the slab with enough height to allow me to put the push mower over the rider's shroud. That way, I can store it lower and prevent me effing up my shoulder, like I did a week ago Sunday. I haven't decided on the exterior, but I think T-111 may be a possibility- that will make adding vents easy. Having shrink-wrapped and uncovered a lot of boats, I know that moisture inside of a cover is a big problem. I may add a fan on a timer to it, to circulate the air.

Click to expand...

Think the fan deal might be overkill. Simple daily wind should suffice. Your mower so build it up if you like. As you are doing, build some kind of lean-to shed deal'io.

Gym123 said:

Nope. Phase separation is a milky layer of mixed Ethanol and water. This was just water that settled out of the temporary mixture. For all I know, they may have used gas without Ethanol and it was exactly the same as what I used to see before we had to use that crap.

Click to expand...

In fuel storage, phase separation occurs when enough water contaminates the gasoline, causing the ethanol to attach itself to the water molecules and leaving two distinct layers in the storage tank.

7394 said:

In fuel storage, phase separation occurs when enough water contaminates the gasoline, causing the ethanol to attach itself to the water molecules and leaving two distinct layers in the storage tank.

Click to expand...

Right- the cloudy water/Ethanol layer and the gas on top- I wrote that mine was just gas on top of liquid water and it was only cloudy after shaking the bottle, but it settled out later. There's no milky layer and in phase separation, the only way to remedy it is to remove the layer with water/alcohol.

Again, I have seen plenty of bad gas by working on boats and what I had isn't what I saw in those fuel systems.

slomo said:

Think the fan deal might be overkill. Simple daily wind should suffice. Your mower so build it up if you like. As you are doing, build some kind of lean-to shed deal'io.

Click to expand...

The slab is behind my garage and the only time enough air moves is during high wind.

This may be a moot point, though- the cost of living here has become unaffordable- the shiny new property tax and water bills arrived and the increases are insane, so I'm not staying here.

Life is trying to price us out of living...

7394 said:

Life is trying to price us out of living...

Click to expand...

I'm trying to understand why my water bill is $200/quarter when average use is only 4,000 gallons. I mean, I know why- it's all of the fees for environmental, sewer, etc but it's ridiculous. And I can't have a well because of the water quality in this area.

I used to have septic, on city water, bill was $28 month.

Friends that have city sewer pay 75% more than the water bill..

7394 said:

I used to have septic, on city water, bill was $28 month.

Friends that have city sewer pay 75% more than the water bill..

Click to expand...

One problem here is that the bill for my duplex shows two fees that are twice as much as a single family home and when I traded messages with the Mayor (small city), he thought I have two water mains and sewer laterals. It's not a lot per quarter, but over more than 25 years, it adds up. We have our own water treatment facility and they just spent a bundle for improvements- I don't remember seeing any notices about it, just that the rates were going up.

This city has lost its charm......