Kind of a beginner to small engines ...

[tgrudzin]

Never really bother much about lawn mower/snowblower maintenance. Usually just ran the carb dry, but now caretaker for a mower 45 miles away, owned by MIL. So i want better performance for her.
So, my wife purchases summer gas, 2-2gals cans early in the season. For MIL gas lawn mower. Many sites say not to use gas over 30 days without Stabilizer? Should I worry about summer gas?
Should I stabilize my 2 gallons of 50:1 snowblower oil? I know I won't use it all in the next 30 days.

Also, for storing the lawn mower, some says to add oil into the cylinder at end of season. What do you do differently about the first start of the summer? Or winter for snowblower?

 

[Kamele0N]

http://www.repairfaq.org/samnew/lmfaq.htm

 

[Alex_V]

I've had ethanol free fuel last 3-4 months in my garden tractor without requiring any service afterward. Oil in cylinder is (or was) recommended, but I don't consider it necessary for seasonal storage. I haven't taken particular storage measures with many 2-cycle engines, but my small 4-cycles never complain from just having E-free in them when shut down.

 

[JC1]

I always use stabilizer in the gas. When the tank is almost empty I put a shot of stabilizer in the tank until the tank is dry.

At the end of the season I use fogging oil in the cylinder. I've never had issues with starting. My lawnmower is 14 years old. Snowblower is 6 years old.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: tgrudzin
Many sites say not to use gas over 30 days without Stabilizer?


That's correct.

Originally Posted By: tgrudzin
Also, for storing the lawn mower, some says to add oil into the cylinder at end of season.


Don't do that.

 

[Donald]

If you have unused fuel dump it in your car.

I run stabilized E0 fuel in my OPE all season. NY has E0 gas at some stations.

I use blue StaBil.

Run engine until it's out of fuel for most OPE.

If your going to put oil in the cylinder use fogging oil or some bar or for chain saw. Both have a tacky component so it sticks to the cylinder wall and does not just puddle at the lowest point.

 

[fdcg27]

Running an OPE dry usually results in easier starting in the spring even using fuel from the previous year.
Leaving it wet may help to prevent leaking carb gaskets, though.
If you leave one wet you may find a little shot of ether useful in bringing it to life in the spring. After that, it should run fine with no further hard-starting problems.
OPEs are simple engines that don't need a whole lot of care and don't really need any special prep for winter storage.
Give the four strokes an oil change every year or two and the engines should outlast the machines they're installed on, just like the engines in our cars.

 

[jeepman3071]

I've worked on small engines for about 12 years now, they are a passion of mine.

As far as fuel and stabilizer... it really does make a difference how equipment is stored. Is this machine staying in a heated garage, or outside getting rained on and exposed to the elements? The best guarantee you won't have any problems is to drain all the fuel and run the equipment completely out of fuel. This is the 100% sure fire way you won't have bad fuel, because there is no fuel. The second best option is to use fresh fuel and a double dose of MARINE stabilizer. The regular red stuff or "ethanol treatment" stabilizers are fairly useless. If the gas is already 30 days old, there is no point to putting stabilizer in it, since non-stabilized fuel lasts about a week before the ethanol attracts water. This WILL corrode carburetors, eat fuel lines, etc.

As for the oil in the cylinder or spraying fogging oil into the cylinder, I haven't seen a need for it. I would only do this on say a 4-stroke outboard engine on a boat, or something that is stored outside uncovered from the elements. If used, less is more. You only need a very tiny amount.

I also DO NOT recommend using starting fluid. I've seen cracked blocks, heads and pistons from people using it. It is pretty easy to keep spraying it in there trying to get an engine to start and get carried away.

 

[propuckstopper]

Quote:
Don't do that.


Why?

 

[bvance554]

Originally Posted By: propuckstopper
Quote:
Don't do that.


Why?


Because there is simply no need to.

 

[fdcg27]

I've used and owned various OPEs of both the two stroke and four stroke flavors for nearly forty years now, so the advice that I gave you is borne of long experience.
The only passion that I have for these engines is that I need them to run well when cutting wood, cutting my 3/4 acre of grass and clearing the snow from my 120' long driveway.
These handy servants beat the heck out of a hand saw, a reel push mower or a snow shovel.
These are tough engines that aren't fussy about fuel or oil used as long as they have enough of both.
Incidentally, I've never found any fuel stabilizer to do anything other than lighten my wallet and ether used sensibly will do no harm at all.
Others may have differing opinions.

 

[Lubener]

I would use stabilizer religiously for 2 cycle mix and wouldn't hurt for 4 cycle engines but I have had untreated gas smell and perform fine 6-8 months later when stored in 5 gallon cans.It will go bad earlier in smaller quantities but in 30 days, I doubt it. I have a 76 year old Ford tractor which sits in a barn and at times for 8 months without starting.I shut the fuel off, run the engine till it dies and forget about it. It starts everytime. I do not use stabilizer either in the gas tank.