Winterizing small engines

[Jerry/MT]

The thread about the 10 hp diesel engine on a splitter got me thinking.

What do you do to winterize your small engines for the winter sit?

I only ask because we used to drain ours, run stabil in them, drain and repolace the oil and every year we had problems. I took on a business in conjunction with my full time job and reallly cut my available time down. For 6 years now I do not drain anything run stabil in nothing and change the oil when it is time.


That said, when I drained and changed I always had engine problems, always tinkering and messing with stuff,,,

After I quit doing all that my stuff starts fine.

I had a push mower that my wife left behind one shop, I bought the 0 turn that year and the push mower sat there for over a year rain, snow sun,,, Started on the second pull when we gave it to our neighbor to use. My truck compressor is out in the weather all the time,,, fires up first or second pull????


Shouldint it have been exactly backwards?

I service my wheel line motors in the fall by running the carbs dry, changinging the oil, adding Stabil treated fuel, and putting a couple of ounces of motor oil down the spark plug hole. The next Spring they start on the first or second pull.

 

[brokenot]

There really isn't any *secret* to long-term storage. Do what the manufacturer recommends. If you don't do what's recommended, don't fall prey to any of the products on the parts store shelves that will "fix" or "undo" improper storage practices. Disassemble the fuel system and clean the stuff out. It's as simple as that and costs nothing but your time.

I'd say conservatively that I disassemble and reassemble 50 to 75 carburetors a year for various reasons. I've bought maybe 10 carburetor kits total in the last 15 years. And even the kits I've purchased have plenty of stuff left over when I've picked out the bits I actually needed.

Sometimes folks get *lucky* and don't have fuel issues when things aren't properly taken care of. But the overwhelming majority do see issues at some point. You can go to any small engine/marine/motorcycle shop at the beginning of whatever season it happens to be and see plenty of evidence. The doors would have closed long ago for any of those places if they didn't have the cash register ringing up invoice after invoice for simply cleaning out old fuel and fixing the problems it can cause. I know whenever someone calls me to come out and get something <cough> "stubborn" <cough> going for them, I don't even try to start it at all without fresh fuel in the tank....and lines....and carburetor. The summer before last, some family friends were having a farm auction. The farmer and wife had retired from farming 5 or 6 years earlier, and they finally made the decision to let the old trucks, swathers, tractor, generator, pumps, Spra-Coupe, etc. go up for sale. A virtual army of neighbors showed up to help get stuff running for the sale. About a day and a half into it, they called me to come over to help and were surprised when I showed up with some fuel line and some "re-purposed" 1 gallon jugs of fresh gas. Within an hour or two of being there, everything was up and running fine and dandy....just not running on the crap gas in the tanks. Some of the stuff even sold with my gas jugs still hanging off the side. The auctioneer scoffed at first, but once he heard a couple of the pieces *sort of run* on the junk in their original tanks, he thought "yeah...maybe it will fetch a few more dollars if it doesn't sound like the engine is shot."

I spent no $$ at all on products touted to "clean fuel systems", or "remove moisture", or any of that. Clean, fresh gas. That's it. And that's also all you're getting for your $49.95 small engine "pre-season tune-up". Well, that and a $2 spark plug you didn't need.

If the engine worked fine when you put it away, it will work fine when you bring it out again....as long as you don't shoot yourself in the foot and leave fuel in it to get stale, break down, and plug passages up.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I agree with every thing brokenot said. The varible seems to be how much time, and in what enviroment, it takes for gas to degrade to the point where it eats or clogs stuff up. Why would anyone expect equipment setting for 5 years to run. Thats alot different than over one winter. I have never seen gas that turned brown or smelled funny in my whole life. I put my summer tools up at the beginning of Nov and start using them in May. Right or wrong, I have never had to clean a line or a carb. I'm not saying the gas is as good as fresh gas because it isn't. But it is good enough so the equipment can preform its designed task. The other thing I do is buy gas every one or two weeks. I use alot. Some people buy gas in April and they are still using the same gas in October. Again I'm not saying my way is the right way. I'm just commenting that I don't have any problems. And with the amount of stuff I have I don't believe it is just luck. Obviously some people do have alot of trouble, why don't I is the question I have.

 

[JJZ 109]

I always used Stabil or Stor X and ran the motor until it quit. Since ethanol became an issue, I've been using K100 MG. Local marinas reported all kinds of ethanol trouble with boat storage and started using K100.
The marina people say that it's helped quite a bit. Since then I've been using it for winter storage in 2 Harleys and all the gas powered yard equipment. So far, so good. It certainly isn't cheap, but when the equipment starts in spring and I don't have to send it out for carb removal or replacement it pays for itself.

 

[JB4310]

I have over 20 combustion engines, at least half are seasonel or occassional use. I use stabil but do not run dry, of course I have to fiddle with carbs but I've seen much worse results from dry carbs.

The guy that works for me has become an expert at cleaning low idle jets and float needle and seats.

Brought a genny on a job the other day that had not run in a couple years, started with the aid of a little ether and ran ok, once under load though had to 1/3 choke it as it was not getting enough fuel. No surprise what so ever. Got through the job and back home, cleaned one easy to get at external jet and was good to go, back in storage

JB.

 

[Rio_Grande]

So according to at least a couple I am abusing and not properly caring for my small engines,,,, Well mine must love abuse. Of the 8 machines I currently have I have yet to ever have an engine issue. Not one, have had bearings go out of decks, belts wear out, even broke the steering mechanism on my Cub 1000. That unit is older than I with the orignal engine on it. Nary an issue.

It dosent matter, I am gonna keep doing what I am doing until I have an issue or reason to change but it is a bit of a strech to call doing what works year after year abuse.

I have changed out 1 needle valve in about 10 years on equiptment I run year after year.
Lots of equiptment I bring into the shop has carb issues but these are usually 2 wheel and one wheel tractors that I like to tinker with that havent been run for 10+ years. I do not avocate storing them for years with fuel in them. But for 5 months,,, I do not see that as abuse.

All this said I have a friend who insists on running them dry and all but last year I usually mow his yard for the first cutting because he is screwing with carb problems in the spring. Last year he bought a new mower and I have his old one just for giggles I am gonna see if it starts in the spring. Sneek over and mow his yard LOL

 

[Gary Fowler]

2 cycle engines dont seem to be as bothered with fuel problems. I had an old Homelite leaf blower for over 20 years. Started on 2 pull every time. Had to replace the fuel lines and primer bulb once and last time it started leaking, I just thru it away. I figured 20 years use is enough anyway. I just hope the new blower last the same. In the Homelite, I left whatever fuel was not used in it year after year, no treatment and it always started and ran perfectly when ever I needed it. The ethanol sure does a number on the fuel lines though. I am hoping the new one has some ethanol resistant fuel lines on it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I dont believe good luck or bad luck is a factor. But I have noticed that there are two vastly different sets of experiences people have with small engines. It completely boggles my mind why this is. I do not neglect my equipment. I keep it clean and well maintained. Most of it is half as old as I am with plenty of use along the way. I just don't consider fuel a problem because it never has been for me.

I think it has to do more with the fuel in your area. Gas is not Gas. It varies vastly from region to region. Same can be said with Diesel. Actually, it is probably worse than gas as far as regional variances but does not pose the storage issues mainly because of water separators, better filters, and lack of carburetors.

I have personally had to throw away a engine because its carb was trashed after 6 months. It was a 5.5 HP Techumseh and the carb was $89. I was able to get a new Chinese replacement motor at HF for $99 on sale that was 6.5 HP so I went that route. Did not want to put a $89 carb on a 12 year old engine.

Chris

 

[JB4310]

2 cycle engines dont seem to be as bothered with fuel problems. I had an old Homelite leaf blower for over 20 years. Started on 2 pull every time. Had to replace the fuel lines and primer bulb once and last time it started leaking, I just thru it away. I figured 20 years use is enough anyway. I just hope the new blower last the same. In the Homelite, I left whatever fuel was not used in it year after year, no treatment and it always started and ran perfectly when ever I needed it. The ethanol sure does a number on the fuel lines though. I am hoping the new one has some ethanol resistant fuel lines on it.

I agree, rarely, if ever a problem with the 2-smokes, I wonder if it's the oil in the fuel or the different internals of carbs?

Of course 2-strokes are much more suseptable to spark plug issues, where 4-strokes almost never are.

JB.

 

[Rio_Grande]

That is something I do yearly with my 2 cycle engines is change the plug weather they need it or not, Cost a couple bucks and no breakdowns through the year.... Well Except my 3 year old leaf blower,,,, I havent done anything to it except fire and run it.