What are some steps all of you take with your lawn mower before storing it for the winter? Or do you just set it and forget it?
Steps you take before storing your mower?
- Thread starter LiftBig315
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I would either run or drain the gas out of it. Remove the carb bowl and clean it out. Remove the spark plug and pour some oil down the hole. Pull a few times and pour in a little more.
Some here may change the oil before storing because of acids..but I'm not sold on the idea so I wait until summer to do that.
Some here may change the oil before storing because of acids..but I'm not sold on the idea so I wait until summer to do that.
I always start the mower up and let it run until it konks out, so there is no gas left inside the mower.
I then take the spark plug off and pour a little bit of oil inside the spark plug hole. I then pull the cord a few times, and I then put the spark plug back on, been doing this for 20 years and the mower always starts in the spring.
I do not believe in using that Stabil Gas treatment.
I then take the spark plug off and pour a little bit of oil inside the spark plug hole. I then pull the cord a few times, and I then put the spark plug back on, been doing this for 20 years and the mower always starts in the spring.
I do not believe in using that Stabil Gas treatment.
Originally Posted By: c3po
I always start the mower up and let it run until it konks out, so there is no gas left inside the mower.
I then take the spark plug off and pour a little bit of oil inside the spark plug hole. I then pull the cord a few times, and I then put the spark plug back on, been doing this for 20 years and the mower always starts in the spring.
I do not believe in using that Stabil Gas treatment.
Those are my exact plans...this is my first year as a homeowner, and the first year having to worry about a lawnmower starting next spring
I always start the mower up and let it run until it konks out, so there is no gas left inside the mower.
I then take the spark plug off and pour a little bit of oil inside the spark plug hole. I then pull the cord a few times, and I then put the spark plug back on, been doing this for 20 years and the mower always starts in the spring.
I do not believe in using that Stabil Gas treatment.
Those are my exact plans...this is my first year as a homeowner, and the first year having to worry about a lawnmower starting next spring
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: LiftBig315
Originally Posted By: c3po
I always start the mower up and let it run until it konks out, so there is no gas left inside the mower.
I then take the spark plug off and pour a little bit of oil inside the spark plug hole. I then pull the cord a few times, and I then put the spark plug back on, been doing this for 20 years and the mower always starts in the spring.
I do not believe in using that Stabil Gas treatment.
Those are my exact plans...this is my first year as a homeowner, and the first year having to worry about a lawnmower starting next spring
You will have no problems with following these steps, hopefully you are storing this mower in a garage or shed, if that's the case DO NOT put a cover over it, as moisture can get trapped inside the mower causing problems.
What kind of mower do you have.
Originally Posted By: c3po
I always start the mower up and let it run until it konks out, so there is no gas left inside the mower.
I then take the spark plug off and pour a little bit of oil inside the spark plug hole. I then pull the cord a few times, and I then put the spark plug back on, been doing this for 20 years and the mower always starts in the spring.
I do not believe in using that Stabil Gas treatment.
Those are my exact plans...this is my first year as a homeowner, and the first year having to worry about a lawnmower starting next spring
You will have no problems with following these steps, hopefully you are storing this mower in a garage or shed, if that's the case DO NOT put a cover over it, as moisture can get trapped inside the mower causing problems.
What kind of mower do you have.
Every 4-5 years I take it for servicing...blades loose its sharpness anyway, costs me 60 bux, I get my mower fully serviced, oil and spark plug change, they clean it as well....i use GC in my mower to top it up...every spring, before re-starting I fill it with fresh gas, and it does just fine!
I used to work part time at a lawn mower repair place, in the early spring the lawn mower mechanics were spending most of there time cleaning up carburetors becuase the customers left the gas in the mower over the winter, it just gelled up inside the carburetor.
I try to have an almost empty tank of gas on the last mowing, and I try to add just a little bit of gas for the last mowing so I do not have the mower sitting for an hour trying to run the gas out.
I try to have an almost empty tank of gas on the last mowing, and I try to add just a little bit of gas for the last mowing so I do not have the mower sitting for an hour trying to run the gas out.
c3po,
Last year I left the gas in the Toro/B&S (push)mower to see how it would do. It started just fine the next spring. Of course, I used fuel stabilizer - not Stabil but AMSOIL b/c that is what I had.
Last year I left the gas in the Toro/B&S (push)mower to see how it would do. It started just fine the next spring. Of course, I used fuel stabilizer - not Stabil but AMSOIL b/c that is what I had.
I run with Stabil year around so I don't worry about draining the fuel. I use syn motor oil and I don't worry about changing it before storage. I do clean the bottom of the housing and also the engine real well with Simple Green. That's about it and it does start very reliably year after year.
- run gas out and drain carburetor bowl.
- inspect air filter & replace if needed.
- drain oil.
- remove blade and clean underside of mower, replace blade if necessary.
- replace oil.
- squirt oil into cylinder. Replace sparkplug if needed.
I have had my 6.5HP Honda mower for 4 years and no problems with gunked up carbs, etc. I do run B&S fuel stabilizer and alcohol-free gasoline, though.
- inspect air filter & replace if needed.
- drain oil.
- remove blade and clean underside of mower, replace blade if necessary.
- replace oil.
- squirt oil into cylinder. Replace sparkplug if needed.
I have had my 6.5HP Honda mower for 4 years and no problems with gunked up carbs, etc. I do run B&S fuel stabilizer and alcohol-free gasoline, though.
First, I clean the mower until it sparkles like new and scrape all the dirt and dried grass off the bottom. I sharpen the blade and add Sta-Bil. I start the engine for 2 reasons: to warm up the engine before changing the oil, and to get the Sta-Bil into the carb. I change the oil, drain the gas out of the tank, and start it up again to burn up the gas in the carb. The Sta-Bil is is just to keep any residual fuel from gumming up.
I make sure air filter and spark plug are good, replace/clean as necessary, and put it away.
I make sure air filter and spark plug are good, replace/clean as necessary, and put it away.
Here's what I do to my relatively new Cub Cadet:
1. Drain oil, and fill with fresh 20 oz. of 10w30.
2. Pull rope a few times.
3. Stabil is in fuel -- just mowed, so there is a little fuel in tank. Leave it there until Spring, then fill and enjoy another season.
4. Clean underbelly. I should probably hit it with WD40 as well (but haven't yet).
5. Clean painted portion of top deck (all OEM stickers are removed). Put a sealant (Duragloss AIO) on paint. Remove sealant. All shiny now
.
6. Clean plastic parts with very mild APC.
7. Check/clean air filter.
8. Fold handle, and place in Keter shed.
1. Drain oil, and fill with fresh 20 oz. of 10w30.
2. Pull rope a few times.
3. Stabil is in fuel -- just mowed, so there is a little fuel in tank. Leave it there until Spring, then fill and enjoy another season.
4. Clean underbelly. I should probably hit it with WD40 as well (but haven't yet).
5. Clean painted portion of top deck (all OEM stickers are removed). Put a sealant (Duragloss AIO) on paint. Remove sealant. All shiny now
.6. Clean plastic parts with very mild APC.
7. Check/clean air filter.
8. Fold handle, and place in Keter shed.
Originally Posted By: kkreit01
4. Clean underbelly. I should probably hit it with WD40 as well (but haven't yet).
That is a really good idea. I am going to add that to my winterizing list.
4. Clean underbelly. I should probably hit it with WD40 as well (but haven't yet).
That is a really good idea. I am going to add that to my winterizing list.
Oldwolf,
I would use something other than WD-40 such as AMSOIL Heavy Duty Metal Protector.
kkreit01,
What is APC?
I would use something other than WD-40 such as AMSOIL Heavy Duty Metal Protector.
kkreit01,
What is APC?
I think just about everybody else has said the same, but here I go:
-Open a beer (usually some Octoberfest brew this time of year)
-Wash/clean deck, remove embedded gras clippings, etc.
-Run tank until dry
-Change oil
-Remove plug, fill with a bit of oil, pull cord to distribute, repalce plug
-Remove rear wheels, clean self-propel gears/driveshat, lube, re-install wheels
-Store in outdoor shed
-Drink another beer
-Open a beer (usually some Octoberfest brew this time of year)
-Wash/clean deck, remove embedded gras clippings, etc.
-Run tank until dry
-Change oil
-Remove plug, fill with a bit of oil, pull cord to distribute, repalce plug
-Remove rear wheels, clean self-propel gears/driveshat, lube, re-install wheels
-Store in outdoor shed
-Drink another beer
So, what type of oil do y'all use in the spark plug hole?
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