I am very adamant about draining my snowblower and lawnmower engines during the offseasons. My friend here at work is against it. He insists the moisture and condensation build up and can ruin the insides and the carburetor.
Anyone have thoughts or opinions on this?
I add stabilizer to the gas and leave it in.
Running it dry is best, as gas evaporates it leaves a coat of varnish which eventualy makes you needing a carb rebuild.
Mix stabilizer and leave it full. Even better to start it and warm it up a couple of times over the off season. Every couple of months, all the dirt bikes and equipment come out and get started. Neighbors must love it.
Without disassembling the carb, there's no way to get all the fuel out. What's left will gum up.
Clearly we have some differences of opinion.
I usually run it dry. I have only had one time when I had a problem with any of the small motors and that was one of the few times that I just used stabilizer and did not run it dry. That has worked for me for 45 years, I think I will stick with it. I never experience a problem with rust or condensation etc.
I have always run it dry, including choking it as it starts to die to get the most fuel out of the carb.
I always use stabilizer with a full tank, run it for a few minutes, top up the tank and put the machine away. If you are going to run it "dry", that can't happen unless you "drain" all the gas from the carburetor. Any residual gas that is not treated with some sort of stabilizer, stands a chance of gumming up something. Just my opinion.
Oxidation is the problem. The stabilizers are antioxidants and obviously removing air from the tank is a good idea. Heat and light would also accelerate. Gas stored in an inert sealed, preferably metallic system should last forever.
Don't bet on it. Some metals can catalyze the formation of cyclic pinenes in fuel. Most old car owners are familiar with the dreaded odor of 'Pine-Sol' in the fuel when their car is taken out of long term storage. And jet fuel has always had a problem with bacterial growth in storage tanks. As they say at the Subway Sandwich shop or wherever, 'It pays to eat fresh'.
Joe
Why risk old gas not starting next year, 6 months is old and gas goes weak and sour even with stabilizer, stabiliser may keep it from gumming up the carb but it may have no octane to fire in a year.
leave the tank full and the system full. IF you're anal about stale gas after 3 months, (which it won't be) then dump it, refill and run the machine a few minutes. You could treat with stabil, but some folks here don't think too much of it. It works for me.
sBullshit. Just flat wrong. We routinely leave the tanks full (and sometimes without stabilizer) in our salt/sand spreaders for the 9 months they sit. They start fine ater sitting.
sWhy risk old gas not starting next year, 6 months is old and gas goes weak and sour even with stabilizer, stabiliser may keep it from gumming up the carb but it may have no octane to fire in a year.
I just got an old SA 200 welder running again today. It had been sitting for more than five years. Had to completely go through the carburetor, ignition system, and empty a couple of gallons of varnish that used to be gasoline. Gungy.
There's a limit on how long it can sit. But I'm like you. I've got stuff that doesn't get ran for six months or more. I just add some gas, or tip it over and dump what's there, add new, and fire it up. I really think leaving things empty is worse than leaving some gas in them.
Steve
Yes, I remembered this after posting. Doubt if it is much of a problem and point was to keep out oxygen. Metal or glass are best for this. I get a little concerned about plastic tanks because oxygen can permeate plastics at vastly different rates depending on plastic.
newer gasoline has shorter shelf life and fewer volatiles.
drained some into a small pan a week later a gummy oil remained. my best buddy didnt believe me, tried and found the same thing.
gasoline is now a blend to minimize pollution
I got a new 10 HP snow blower in Jan. Instructions say to drain it and run it till it quits. Good enough for me but it is still on my "to-do" list.
I also normally drain all my small engines but particularly any with a
2-cycle engine. The few times I didn't do it, I had problems the next time I tried to use them.Once I had to replace the gas tank as it had basically rotted out. That was the first year I tried Stabil. Dunno if it was the stabil or just old age.
Harry K
Forgot to add:
I find it passing strange that a manufacturer would specify "drain it" but then fail to add a drain or other method of doing it.
My solution is to either add a drain in the fuel line (haven't added it yet) or use a "battery test" bulb to suck the gas out of the tank. Can get a lot more out that way than by siphon.
Harry K
Hmmm, I never drain anything off season. Never had trouble.
I went back to Confucius and Aristotle. Confucious say "man who leave fuel in small engine have mush for brains in the spring". Aristotle said that after consulting the stars, that the God require storing small engines dry of gasoline, but leave the oil in.
C'mon, guys, different climates and different family traditions. What works for Sam in Arizona will be different than Jerry in Tampa Florida. Figure out what works for you, and do it that way.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.