winterizing
- Thread starter jay1957
- Start date
Until five years ago I would have said yes, but now I say no. For the last five years we have been recommending to our customers that they completely drain the fuel systems when storing their units for more than a month. We even try to show them how to drain the carb.
7394
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Rivets- Why the change ?
I’ll try to keep this short, but it was a long process to get to this decision. About 7-10 years ago we started seeing far to many comebacks concerning fuel related problems. At the time we were using ethanol fuel and stabilizer, plus realized that the carbs which were coming out were being set leaner and leaner. As a small family owned business we had to do something about our procedures. First thing we did was to switch to non-ethanol fuel and switched cleaning carbs from soaking to ultrasonic cleaning. This drastically reduced our fuel related comebacks, but we were still seeing fuel related problems on unit sitting for more than six weeks with fuel in them. This was with and without a stabilizer. At this point we decided to run all 4-cycle units, which were not going to be use for a month, dry and remove the fuel from the carb bowls. 2-cycle units, not being used, we replaced the fuel with the premixed canned fuel. Because we are small and have a large amount of repeat costumers, it is easier for us to track our results. We found that the vast majority of customers who followed our directions did not have any fuel related problems. There are many out there that disagree with this method, but it has worked for us, so this is why we recommend this to all customers. Don’t know if this makes sense to you, but changing has been a positive experience for us.
bertsmobile1
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Down here the fuel companies guarantee unleaded for a period of 60 days ex- refinary
If & only if the fuel has been stored in a regulation fuel can filled to the correct level stored in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight.
Or in other words, no guarantee.
As for diesel it only gets a month from the date it is canned so no guarantee on diesel bought at a pump.
While I can get customer to tip out the 2 stroke & run them dry , all together different with the ride ons.
None have tank drains so the best you can do is fit a tap then run the tank down turn the tap off & run the fuel out of the carb.
Stopped selling 4 liter ( 1 Gal ) 2 stroke cans in favour of 1 L ( about a quart ) mixing bottles so get a lot fewer hand helds back a second time.
If & only if the fuel has been stored in a regulation fuel can filled to the correct level stored in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight.
Or in other words, no guarantee.
As for diesel it only gets a month from the date it is canned so no guarantee on diesel bought at a pump.
While I can get customer to tip out the 2 stroke & run them dry , all together different with the ride ons.
None have tank drains so the best you can do is fit a tap then run the tank down turn the tap off & run the fuel out of the carb.
Stopped selling 4 liter ( 1 Gal ) 2 stroke cans in favour of 1 L ( about a quart ) mixing bottles so get a lot fewer hand helds back a second time.
Why not ? Stabilizers are a cheap insurance.
I run stabilizers year long in my small engines fuel, which is ethanol free. This way, fuel is always ready for storage.
I don't use that much fuel per year for these engines, perhaps 10 to 15 gallons in the summer, 5 at most during winter, so a stabilizer bottle last me over a year.
I run stabilizers year long in my small engines fuel, which is ethanol free. This way, fuel is always ready for storage.
I don't use that much fuel per year for these engines, perhaps 10 to 15 gallons in the summer, 5 at most during winter, so a stabilizer bottle last me over a year.
"but we were still seeing fuel related problems on unit sitting for more than six weeks with fuel in them."
I've always drained my Mercury outboard for the winter even though I use stabilizer year round in all 6 of my gas cans. All I can get easily is ethanol gas.
When I bought my Toro MX5050 3 years ago I asked the 3rd-generation shop - Scag, Toro, Stihl, Echo, etc. - what to do during our 4- or 5-month winter with the Kohler 7000. They said to keep using Startron and to drive the mower up and down the driveway or around the yard for 15 minutes every 2 weeks to stir up the gas and the transmission oil. Accounting for bad weather, I manage to do it about twice a month and haven't had any problems at all. But Virginia winters aren't too bad compared to farther north. (I'd always used Stabil, but they recommended Startron.)
I'd never thought about the transmissions on the mower needing to be exercised regularly. About that time I noticed the manual for my 2016 4Runner with part-time hi-lo 4WD says to use the 4WD for at least 10 miles every month all year long to keep it evenly lubed.
John
I've always drained my Mercury outboard for the winter even though I use stabilizer year round in all 6 of my gas cans. All I can get easily is ethanol gas.
When I bought my Toro MX5050 3 years ago I asked the 3rd-generation shop - Scag, Toro, Stihl, Echo, etc. - what to do during our 4- or 5-month winter with the Kohler 7000. They said to keep using Startron and to drive the mower up and down the driveway or around the yard for 15 minutes every 2 weeks to stir up the gas and the transmission oil. Accounting for bad weather, I manage to do it about twice a month and haven't had any problems at all. But Virginia winters aren't too bad compared to farther north. (I'd always used Stabil, but they recommended Startron.)
I'd never thought about the transmissions on the mower needing to be exercised regularly. About that time I noticed the manual for my 2016 4Runner with part-time hi-lo 4WD says to use the 4WD for at least 10 miles every month all year long to keep it evenly lubed.
John
cpurvis
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There are 400 places in Virginia that sell ethanol-free gas.
https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=VA
https://www.pure-gas.org/extensions/map.jsp?statecode=VA