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Mower: Toro Recycler model 20384 (self-propelled)

A number of folks have told me that I should not store gasoline for my mower (and snow-blower) for more than a few weeks. Storing gas long term, even just for a few months, is bad for mower operation - will gum the carburetor. They also told me that Stabil does not provide good long term storage of fuel. Their recommendation is to store gas for no more than 4-6 weeks and if I can't use it in my mower, put it in my car.

Comments?

I store all my seasonal equipment with gas in tank, (snowmobiles,lawn mower, snow blower). You want to avoid ethanol if you can. Also use 91 or 92 premium non ethanol would be the best choice. If you cannot find non ethanol there are stabilizers formulated specifically for ethanol. Seafoam is a good choice to use for long term storage. Short term should not be an issue as long as it does not have ethanol in it. Another concern is the environment the equipment is stored in. In a garage where temps are not too drastic you probably do not need to add a additive to fuel (non ethanol) for a normal off season 6 months. I store my snowmobiles this way, just try to leave a gallon or 2 in tank then fill up with fresh gas before I ride them. Never had an issue related to fuel.

I would agree with you friend and put the fuel in your vehicle after six weeks. When people purchase mowers or tractors from us we tell them to use a 1 or 2 gallon gas can. That way you are less likely to have fuel stored for a longer period of time.

There are so many variables to this it is not funny.
Humidity, dew points , max & min temperatures and the actual composition of the fuel itself.

Thus the big variation in peoples actual experiences.
Draing the tank, runing the carb dry & puting the old fuel in your car is the never fail procedure.
From here on in things will vary.

I can leave my bike 1/2 full of petrol sitting outside under a cover for a year and it will fire up second kick.
My landlord leves his bike sitting for a week and his won't start.

His tools hang from a pegboard and look like new
mine will go rusty overnight

We are 500 yards apart

As bertsmobile1 said, it's just crazy. For ethanol storage I use either the marine-grade Stabil or the newer Stabil 360. I also like StarTron. I especially like Pri-G though they are awfully proud of it and may not be available in your area. The closest I found to me was about 60 miles. I ordered it on the internet.

I would kinda agree with Bertsmobile, to many variables. Considering that the equipment today is designed and made to run on 10% ethanol I have no problem with using it in any of my equipment. I burn 93 octane in all my equipment and have for the last ten years and never had an issue with ethanol gumming up carburetors and screwing up fuel lines and I personally have never used any type of stabilizers either. I think there like fishing lures.

Ric said:

I would kinda agree with Bertsmobile, to many variables. Considering that the equipment today is designed and made to run on 10% ethanol I have no problem with using it in any of my equipment. I burn 93 octane in all my equipment and have for the last ten years and never had an issue with ethanol gumming up carburetors and screwing up fuel lines and I personally have never used any type of stabilizers either. I think there like fishing lures.

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Remembering Ric is a professional so his equipment gets used a lot more and is maintained to a higher standard than most home owners and being in Florida he does not have a 5 month winter spell.

The two gallon method works for me (home owner) . It forces me to turn over the ethanol (10%) frequently. I do run out sometimes. The trimmer and chain saw get doped with Stabil at fall shutdown. During winter long stretches of non- use I dope the tractor tank with stabil. Never any gumming or no- starts. The equipment is inside.

I've had very good luck using Stabil in pump gas.

But I've had even better luck after switching over to alcohol-free gas in all of my small engines (both 2 and 4-cycle).

Go to Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada and find a station near you. And it smells like gasoline, not like paint thinner!

You can let that sit in your equipment for months and months without any issues. I don't winterize anything anymore. I just keep the fuel tanks full and all of my equipment starts right up in the springtime.


It's the alcohol in the pump gas that attracts moisture, and that moisture is what causes the corrosion in the carb. Plus the alcohol affects the rubber parts, no matter how much they claim otherwise. I have gone to buying fuel line by the 25' roll now, and it is the alcohol-RESISTANT stuff (makes no difference, it still gets rock-hard from the alcohol).

Ric said:

I would kinda agree with Bertsmobile, to many variables. Considering that the equipment today is designed and made to run on 10% ethanol I have no problem with using it in any of my equipment. I burn 93 octane in all my equipment and have for the last ten years and never had an issue with ethanol gumming up carburetors and screwing up fuel lines and I personally have never used any type of stabilizers either. I think there like fishing lures.

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Its not the ethanol that gums up carburetors, ethanol attracts water and slowly eats up gaskets , fuel lines and turns them to mush. I use Stahbil, Phazer or Startron that's recommended for ethanol fuel.