Winter Mower Storage. Drain the gas? Stabil? Start it once a month?

[ForumJunkie]

What's the best way to store from Dec to April, 5 months?
Drain the gas, run it dry so carb doesn't gum?
Or fill the tank, add Stabil, and start it once a month?

 

[MossRoad]

What's the best way to store from Dec to April, 5 months?
Drain the gas, run it dry so carb doesn't gum?
Or fill the tank, add Stabil, and start it once a month?

Or, like I've done since 1985, put it in the garage, pull it out in April, check the oil, tap out the air cleaner, pull the cord slowly 4-5 times, push the primer a dozen times, pull the cord, it starts first pull and off you go. 5 months is nothing.

 

[ForumJunkie]

I Read that modern ethanol gas goes bad in a month or two.

 

[MossRoad]

I Read that modern ethanol gas goes bad in a month or two.

Nope. Been using it since the 80's. Never had a fuel problem in anything.

In all seriousness, read your owner's manual about specific machine requirements for long term storage. It cannot hurt to drain the fuel tank then start it up and let it run until it stops.

Or you can mix up some stabil in a small can of gas, then pour that into the tank and run it for a couple minutes then shut it off. But don't add stabil directly to the tank on a mower. It's too hard to guesstimate the amount VS a controlled measurement.

I've just never had the need to do it. I ran a push mower for about 29 years that I never drained or changed the spark plug. Started 1st pull every year. Finally the deck cracked, but I still have the engine.

Generator. 2nd push mower. Log splitter. Power washer. Weed eaters. Tiller. Chain saws. I never drain any of them. Some sit for a year or longer.

People will tell you E10 causes problems over and over again. If you follow your manufacturer's recommendations, it won't cause any problems.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Peter 315]

I put stabil in the gas cans when I fill them so its always in the small engine gas tanks and never had any trouble....

 

[rangerfredbob]

The octane of modern gas starts going down fairly quick, but a normal lawn mower doesn't have enough compression ratio to care... I haven't used stabil but ripping apart a carburetor here and there doesn't scare me... Stabil and a full tank of fuel wouldn't hurt, things go south when moisture builds up which is harder to happen when the tank is full, and if you can store it at least covered that helps a lot...

 

[MossRoad]

Just don't cover it with plastic or anything waterproof. That tends to bring up condensation underneath the cover, and promotes moisture, rust, corrosion, etc... I keep most of my stuff in a shed with doors that close. It's drafty, but the rain and sun are kept off. The only thing that sits outside is the log splitter and that I keep a wooden big-wheel lawn cart tipped over on the engine and hydraulics to keep the rain and snow off.

 

[hube2]

What I have been doing for as long as I can remember with my gas equipment is to put Stabil in the tank, fill it, run it long enough to be sure the treated gas is in the carb, then turn it off, park it in the shed and ignore it till I need to use it again. I've never had an issue and mowers, tillers, etc generally start right up when I need them.

 

[buck12]

I store my mower in an unseated shed with no issues for years. I do run ethanol free gas in all small engines. I also never run chainsaws and string trimmers dry as others do and have not had any issues.

 

[texas42]

I put stabil in the gas cans when I fill them so its always in the small engine gas tanks and never had any trouble....

Same here. Every can of gas I get I put Stabil in it - year round.
Then just shut them off at end of season.
I also use 2 cycle oil with stabilizer and do the same with my two-strokes.