What do most of you do for seasonal storage?

[webfors]

Looking to prep my new snow blower for storage until next winter. I've heard different opinions, but would like to hear from fellow BITOGers. One of my buddies says to run it dry, so there's no need to worry about stale gas. I've heard that stabil is used by some here with success if you want to leave gas in.

I've also heard people pull the plugs and throw some oil in the cylinder.

Anyway, do you small engine lovers follow a strict procedure for longer term storage? If so, I want to hear all the details!

 

[Quattro Pete]

I follow the owner's manual when it comes to both my snowblower and my lawnmower, which means drain gas, run it dry, then pull the spark plug, pour some oil into the spark plug hole and pull the cord a few times to distribute the oil.

 

[mechjames]

Put a stabilizer in your remaining gas, then run it til it dies. Even when it dies, a little bit of gas will be remaining in the float in the carburetor, and with the 10% ethanol content, will varnish up a bit.

 

[gomes512]

Stabil in gas then run it dry.

If damp humid area, fog cylinders with fogging oil.

Turn over three times to disperse oil.

Brush down and gap plug.

Change oil.

Oily rags in exhaust and intake to keep the critters out.

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: mechjames
Put a stabilizer in your remaining gas, then run it til it dies. Even when it dies, a little bit of gas will be remaining in the float in the carburetor, and with the 10% ethanol content, will varnish up a bit.


I splurged and put 91 octane in it, which has no ethanol according to Ultramar (the company I purchased the gas from).

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I follow the owner's manual when it comes to both my snowblower and my lawnmower, which means drain gas, run it dry, then pull the spark plug, pour some oil into the spark plug hole and pull the cord a few times to distribute the oil.


Any oil?

What's fogging oil?

 

[Quattro Pete]

I just use straight 30-weight oil.

Fogging oil is just oil in a spray can, like this:
http://www.amazon.com/STA-BIL-22001-Fogging-Oil-av/dp/B000H7CKAY

 

[eljefino]

Wife "fogged" my cylinder one year tipping the mower up on its front wheels, typical flathead briggs spark plug facing the ground. Oil slowly oozed into the cylinder.

Next spring, the starter rope only pulled a couple inches then got real stiff.

Removed spark plug, paper toweled out the oil, cranked the plug-less engine to spit out the oil, gassed it up, topped off the oil, ran like it never had an issue.

I'm normally of the sta-bil and leave-it-full camp, out of laziness. I also overdo the pink sta-bil on the theory that a little extra won't hurt anything. If my equipment has a petcock then I shut it off and run it out... but the mowers just sit with what's in them.

Sometimes I spray anything stamped metal like the starter shroud, mower deck with a little WD40 right on top of all the grime etc. Stuff sits in a lean-to with dirt floor, needs a little protecting, and honestly a little more than I can give it.

 

[boraticus]

Drain fuel from tank, run engine with empty fuel tank until carb runs out of fuel. I live in a relatively dry climate and don't bother with the oil in the cylinder. You can either change your oil now or wait till fall. I usually do mine in the fall. It really doesn't matter.

Rinse any possible salt off the machine then grease all fittings you know of. Tip machine forward, remove bottom plate and carefully put some engine oil on the chains. Make sure you don't get oil on the friction disk. Also lightly oil the the shaft that the friction wheel slides on being careful not to get oil on the friction pieces. Lube inside cables with WD-40. Lube shift linkage with a spray grease or heavy oil. I like to use Crown 7043, a tacky spray grease made for outdoor chain, gear and cable lubrication. It sticks like gorilla snot, keeps joints lubed and rust free. While you're at it, pull the wheels and grease the axles. Slightly over-inflate the tires to keep them from flat spotting. Cover it and put it away.

 

[demarpaint]

I've stored them dry and with gas in the tank. I found if the machine is going to be used the following year I had less problems storing them with a full tank of gas and not running them dry.

FWIW here's what I do. Fill the tank with fresh gas, add stabil, and about 2-3 ounces of MMO to the gas, put the cap on and rock the machine to mix it up. I run the engine for about half an hour, just before I shut if off I fog it with MMO. I drain the oil, refill with fresh clean oil. When the head is cool enough to touch I remove the plug, squirt about a tablespoon of MMO into the cyl. put the plug in with the wire disconnected wait about 15 minutes and pull the cord. I connect the plug and put it away. I've been doing this for several years and the machine starts on either the first or second attempt the following season. I found running them dry for seasonal storage was more trouble than it was worth. Storing them for a year or more I do it differently.

I do all the cleaning, oiling, greasing as mentioned in the post above mine.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I've stored them dry and with gas in the tank. I found if the machine is going to be used the following year I had less problems storing them with a full tank of gas and not running them dry.

FWIW here's what I do. Fill the tank with fresh gas, add stabil, and about 2-3 ounces of MMO to the gas, put the cap on and rock the machine to mix it up. I run the engine for about half an hour, just before I shut if off I fog it with MMO. I drain the oil, refill with fresh clean oil. When the head is cool enough to touch I remove the plug, squirt about a tablespoon of MMO into the cyl. put the plug in with the wire disconnected wait about 15 minutes and pull the cord. I connect the plug and put it away. I've been doing this for several years and the machine starts on either the first or second attempt the following season. I found running them dry for seasonal storage was more trouble than it was worth. Storing them for a year or more I do it differently.

I do all the cleaning, oiling, greasing as mentioned in the post above mine.


I have found the same to be true. I put in marine fuel stabil for ethanol, run it a bit to make sure the stabil fuel reaches the carb then shut it off with 1/4 tank remaining. I think keeping fuel in the carb keeps out the air which oxidizes and makes gum. Running it dry leaves fuel dampness and vapors to oxidize and condense. Ive tried both ways and 1/4 tank fuel with stabil + fresh 89 fuel in the spring gives less trouble.

 

[webfors]

Excellent advice all around! Just added stabil (already had MMO in it from blending in the gas can), ran it for 15 minutes. Drained the oil out, put fresh 10w30 in and ran it again for 10 minutes. I estimate there's 1/4 tank of gas left.

I'll fog the cylinder with MMO as soon as she cools down and work on the greasings next.

 

[cos]

I use Stabil in a full tank and all my small engines start and run well the next season.

 

[doitmyself]

Up north, storing equipment in the cold from fall until spring presents less problems of fuel oxidation in my opinion. But, I still use a stabilizer.

With summer and/or longer storage,and the fears (real or not) associated with E-10, it would probably be a good idea to drain those small tanks every 3 or 4 months (put it in the car), refill with fresh stabilized fuel, then run it for 15 minutes. This might negate the need to fog the cylinders too.

Just an idea to add more maintenance duties to our hectic lives.

 

[Mr_Joe]

I used to run the engine dry but not anymore. Now I fill up with 91 octane non-ethanol gas, run it in, add stable, full tank. After that I put a little 'fogging oil' in the spark plug hole, & pull it over a few times.

 

[DaHen]

Originally Posted By: boraticus
Make sure you don't get oil on the friction disk. Also lightly oil the the shaft that the friction wheel slides on being careful not to get oil on the friction pieces.


While on the subject of friction wheel.
During my yearly maintance, I usually hit the drive plate, the part that gets some rubber on it from the friction wheel, with fine sand paper to clean that rubber residue and what little rust that accumulates off.

 

[pottymouth]

I make it a habit to put Stabil in all my gas cans before I go to fill them up. This way, all my pieces of equipment are always using treated fuel and I don't have to worry too much about it.

I like to run the two strokes dry before storage, but the four strokes can sit the way they are. Only the snowblower goes for more than about 6 months without being used and nothing has ever given me any trouble.

 

[webfors]

Well, she's put away for the season. Thank you to everyone for the advice!

 

[Jeepster_nut]

Originally Posted By: DaHen
Originally Posted By: boraticus
Make sure you don't get oil on the friction disk. Also lightly oil the the shaft that the friction wheel slides on being careful not to get oil on the friction pieces.


While on the subject of friction wheel.
During my yearly maintance, I usually hit the drive plate, the part that gets some rubber on it from the friction wheel, with fine sand paper to clean that rubber residue and what little rust that accumulates off.


Something even easier and less abrasive to the wheel is some gasoline on a paper towel. I do the same thing- remove that black gunk from the wheel- I use brake clean as well. Just a suggestion...

 

[webfors]

Brake cleaner is safe on the wheel?