Winter storage advice

[Vanousb]

Draining the gas and dropping a little oil in spark plug to store away my Echo and honda trimmers for the season. Starting to put away a couple older honda push mowers. Just wanted to ask how others prepare mowers for off season storage. How about bigger zero turn mowers? Always looking for ideas to improve equipment performance and longevity.

 

[7394]

Well, I don't drain the gas, instead I add the appropriate amount 1 oz per gallon of gas using Seafoam* to stabilize the fuel.. Never had a problem..

1st winter for my new Toro Z which I already have added Seafoam to the fuel, but my other mowers I always fogged the cylinders, then put the spark plugs back in.. The Z will get fogged too..

& Everything gets a good cleaning. I don't wash 'em. But blow them off & wipe them down. And I do wax my stuff too..

 

[robert@honda]

In the metro Atlanta area where I live, all gasoline sold contains at least 10% ethanol, and even adding a fuel stabilizer does not help much. So, I always fully drain the tank and carburetor on my mower at the end of the season, and dump leftover fuel in the can into my car's tank. I then fill up 2 x 5 gallon cans with stabilizer to run a generator during power failures / ice storms. Start over with fresh fuel in the spring.

If I could buy some non-ethanol fuel without (driving to a marina or airport and paying $5 a gallon, for it) I'd suspect treating it with fuel stabilizer would do just fine and last for a least six to nine months with no issues.

 

[Carscw]

In the metro Atlanta area where I live, all gasoline sold contains at least 10% ethanol, and even adding a fuel stabilizer does not help much. So, I always fully drain the tank and carburetor on my mower at the end of the season, and dump leftover fuel in the can into my car's tank. I then fill up 2 x 5 gallon cans with stabilizer to run a generator during power failures / ice storms. Start over with fresh fuel in the spring. If I could buy some non-ethanol fuel without (driving to a marina or airport and paying $5 a gallon, for it) I'd suspect treating it with fuel stabilizer would do just fine and last for a least six to nine months with no issues.

You better get some gas for the snow blower. I think we going to get hit hard with snow this year.

 

[robert@honda]

You better get some gas for the snow blower. I think we going to get hit hard with snow this year.

The day I really need a snow blower in Atlanta is the day I move to Florida. :tongue:

We usually get a good dusting in late January, early February, and every 5-7 years there's a good-sized dump of snow that completely paralyzes the city for a few days.

 

[Carscw]

The day I really need a snow blower in Atlanta is the day I move to Florida. :tongue: We usually get a good dusting in late January, early February, and every 5-7 years there's a good-sized dump of snow that completely paralyzes the city for a few days.

I am only 2 hours north on 75 from you.

We got 6 inches last year when Atlanta got the ice.

With the record lows we had this summer we getting snow this winter.

Maybe like back in 93

 

[7394]

I guess we are lucky to still have 100% gas, & reasonably priced, it is the only gas I use in my mowers.

Carscw- I hope your winter weather prediction is wrong, since I'm north of you is SE of TN..

 

[Carscw]

I guess we are lucky to still have 100% gas, & reasonably priced, it is the only gas I use in my mowers. Carscw- I hope your winter weather prediction is wrong, since I'm north of you is SE of TN..

I hope I am wrong also.
I hate the cold and the snow.

 

[Lawnboy18]

I am only 2 hours north on 75 from you.

We got 6 inches last year when Atlanta got the ice.

With the record lows we had this summer we getting snow this winter.

Maybe like back in 93

Come on over here! We get a foot or two sometimes. I still go out and do my things.

And now I will have fun in 4wd with the Chevy. The Ranger was way too loose (in all ways).

For storage, I run all my handhelds dry. I do use STIHL oil which contains fuel stabilizer (that is what they claim) so that helps too. I then clean all my equipment and store it. The mowers will have fuel stab and run dried that way if there is some fuel left in carb, ethanol will not eat the carb.

 

[exotion]

I simply run my equipment for 5-10 mins every couple weeks.... Throughout the winter go outside with a cup of coco make a lot of noise come back in easy as pie never have issues.

The only part of the ethanol that hurts things is when it sits in the carb so I just run them to operating temp. I also go through and rebuild most of my equipment in the winter anyway.

Draining your carb can be worse than leaving gas. Nothing like leaving room for condensation to build. Also your letting rubber parts dry up