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I have a couple of generators I would like to "store" indefinitely without gasoline. I hope I don't have to use them. Once a year I start them, drain the fuel and replace it with new fuel.

I'd like to know if there is a better method. I know if I let them run dry, the float and inside of the fuel tanks could rust and the inside of the carb corrode. I was wondering if I ran them dry, disconnected the fuel hose and removed the fuel cap and let the gas evaporate pver a couple of hot summers day, then sprayed this Sta-Bil fogging oil into the fuel inlet port of the carb and inside the gas tank if that would prevent any corrosion from building up.

Can't seem to post this link to this photo otherwise:

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Start with what engines you have on the generators.
If they are stored inside or outside.
Sitting in a shed that does not condense a lot of water, running the engine dry then when cooled a shot of almost any type of oil down the plug hole will usually suffice.
Start them up mid winter and run them for around a 1/2 hour with about 75% or more of the rated power supply plugged in.
Doing it twice a year will be better thqn once a year as there are electrics inside the generator side that are adversley affected by moisture as well as the engine.

I am doing the same thing with my two generators. My large generator just sets for years at a time without running. My small Honda generator gets used several times through the year for small jobs. My generators I drain the fuel tanks when done with them. You will find on all portable generators have a drain on the bottom of the carburetors in which you don't have to run them dry to drain the carbs. I do keep the crankcases to the full mark with oil, motor oil doesn't go bad with age. I also store my generators inside a dry building. When I dose come time to use them they will start with a couple of pulls on the starter rope. You might want to remove the spark plug and put a little oil on top of the piston if you store them out doors or a wet location.

reynoldston said:

I am doing the same thing with my two generators. My large generator just sets for years at a time without running. My small Honda generator gets used several times through the year for small jobs. My generators I drain the fuel tanks when done with them. You will find on all portable generators have a drain on the bottom of the carburetors in which you don't have to run them dry to drain the carbs. I do keep the crankcases to the full mark with oil, motor oil doesn't go bad with age. I also store my generators inside a dry building. When I dose come time to use them they will start with a couple of pulls on the starter rope. You might want to remove the spark plug and put a little oil on top of the piston if you store them out doors or a wet location.

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Sorry for the late reply. I was more concerned about how to keep the carburetor from gumming up from sitting. Either from fuel sitting in them or no fuel at all. In other words, what's the best method?

I wondered if I drained the fuel out of the fuel bowl, if the float and jets would gum up.

Initially I was going to connect this generator to my 500 gallon propane tank so I wouldn't have to worry about the carburetor gumming up from sitting and it should run for days on end without needing to top off the tank.

But by the time I bought the conversion kit and 50 feet of copper tubing or rubber hose, I was going to have about half as much in this setup as I have in my 6500 KW generator.

No more power failures we have, I didn't think it was worth the cost. Propane around here has always been cheaper than gasoline but now that gasoline has dropped to $1.50 a gallon, gasoline is way more cheaper than propane.

But I've noticed that the local gas company tends to set their propane prices slightly lower than what gasoline is selling for. Since natural gas wells are all over the county I live in. So it's not like they are buying it from someone else. They just have to extract it from the natural gas that comes out of the ground.

I can only say as to what I do. My large generator as I said I drain the tank, fuel lines, and carburetor bowl. This generator will set 1 to 5 + years at a time. When I do need it I put the cheapest gasoline I can buy in it and it is running perfect after two or three pulls on the starter pull rope. My small portable generator is a different story because it gets used more often. As far as gumming up the internal parts of the carburetors I don't known because I have never had any need to disassemble the carburetors on either generator. I have had customers that have brought generators to me to get running after they have set for a long time, but these are the type of people that just turn off their generator when done with them. They just leave the fuel in the tanks and carburetor and it turns to a big mess that gums up everywhere the fuel sits. Now as far as propane go's its been a long time ago since worked on anything that ran on propane. I did work in a commercial shop that did have some equipment that ran off of propane but I just can't remember any fuel problems other that some times hard starting in real cold weather.

I have a lawn mower going into long-term storage in an outdoor shed... maybe 4 or 5 years. I'm concerned about the carburetor, etc. gumming up even with Sta-Bil treated gas. Would the mower be better off if I ran it 'til dry? If so, should the fuel shut-off valve be left in the open or closed position?

A related question... is there any difference in storage shelf-life between regular, ethanol-treated, or hi test gas (each treated with stabilizer)?

Thank you.

Your best bet is to run the entire unit dry. Then drain the carb bowl by loosening the carb bowl screw, DO NOT REMOVE, and allow all fuel to drain out of the entire fuel system. Also, remove the gas cap while doing this. After about an hour, tighten the bowl screw and replace the gas cap. This will insure that all fuel has been removed from the system and you will now have the best chance of no problems when you come back to use it. This is what I recommend to all customers even for off season storage. No need for any type of stabilizing liquids.

With a metal tank I usually give the tank a squirt of oil, it will seep around and the bottom won't rust. My 40 year old noise maker still starts right up with fresh gas, takes a minute or two to energize and put out juice. That machine might have ten hours on it since new, pretty much too noisy to use in the neighborhood.

Gliderpilot said:

I have a lawn mower going into long-term storage in an outdoor shed... maybe 4 or 5 years. I'm concerned about the carburetor, etc. gumming up even with Sta-Bil treated gas. Would the mower be better off if I ran it 'til dry? If so, should the fuel shut-off valve be left in the open or closed position?
"
A related question... is there any difference in storage shelf-life between regular, ethanol-treated, or hi test gas (each treated with stabilizer)?

Thank you.

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See above comments..."drain the tank, fuel lines, and carburetor bowl " is the most common method...as far as using stabilizer for up to 5 yrs...don't know, I use it for up to a year, but not longer///if the carb doesn't have a drain on the bottom, drain the tank, start it and run until it stops

If you're handy and it's not too much trouble to do on your machines, you could remove the carbs, disassemble, carb spray all ports/passages, let dry for a day and either reassemble or leave as-is until you need to use it.

tom3 said:

That machine might have ten hours on it since new, pretty much too noisy to use in the neighborhood.

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I once did a furnace repair for a customer whose power had been off for a week.

As I walked up to the house, I could hear the Generator making generator noises.

Before I left I asked the guy if the neighbor had complained about the noise 24/7.

He said..... "No. I told my neighbor that if he had a long enough extension cord he could plug into my generator. No complaints!"

Sta-Bil is only effective for 1 year. After it starts getting gummy.. I would NEVER use that at all.

On my oldest Harley I pull the spark plugs & "Fog" the cylinders & put plugs back in. & I only use 100% gas.
Seafoam will keep 100% gas good for 2 years.

Any longer I'd drain the carb & empty the bowl as Rivets posted.