small engine winterizing advice

[fisher83]

Machines are listed below:
MTD push mower with 139 CC PowerMore 4 stroke engine.
Ryobi 26CC 2 stroke string trimmer.
Yamaha 2.5 hp 4 stroke outboard.

I have most of my winterization already figured out. The only part I am unsure about is whether to run all the fuel out of them or to fill them all with stabilized fuel. Is one method better than the other?

 

[Warstud]

I would go the stabilizer route because running the gas can cause them to leak the next time you put gas in them.

 

[eljefino]

That's an age old question. It might be nice to add a little 2 stroke oil to the mix as well, to hopefully keep carb floats from sticking.

 

[Bandito440]

Fill them completely with stabilized ethanol-free gasoline if you can find it. Run them for 5 minutes to get the stabilizer in the carb. Tru-Fuel is another option. I fill my 2-stroke stuff with that during the winter.

 

[DemoFly]

Winterizing?

I don't understand winterizing.

Your machine should be able to withstand 6 months without use.

If you're worried about it, run the engines and let them warm up once or twice over the fall/winter.

Long term storage is different. Then you're going to want a fuel stabilizer and you're going to want to fog the cylinders.

I am still using a 1988 MTD with a Tecumseh HO 5.0HP. All original, never winterized, never "run dry", never fuel stabilized.

 

[demarpaint]

I fill the tank with gas, add Stabil and some MMO. I run the engine to warm it up, fog it, and change the oil. I've been doing this as far back as I can remember, and the engine always starts with ease the following year.

 

[zrxkawboy]

Originally Posted By: Bandito440
Fill them completely with stabilized ethanol-free gasoline if you can find it. Run them for 5 minutes to get the stabilizer in the carb.


This has always worked for me.

 

[Brybo86]

I usually leave them full with seafoam in the tank but last year on my motorcycle I drained the carbs and when I turned the fuel petcock to on in the spring I had leaking from the carb bowl gaskets...

I vote for full of fuel.

 

[andyd]

My 2 stroke Mantis is drained and run dry per the instruction manual. The Chonda gets filled with stabilized fuel and MMO only because it has a steel tank. The 2 mowers get the MMO laced fuel shut off and the carbs run dry. The Stihl and the weedwacker get put away

 

[fisher83]

Sounds like full of stabilized fuel is the way to go. Does anyone here fog their small engines? My Yamaha manual says it is required but I don't know about the string trimmer or the mower.

 

[spasm3]

Better to leave fuel in them. If you can get non ethanol, do so and still stabilize it.

For my last run of the season i mix stabil marine , and 1 ounce of tcw-3 to 5 gallons of gas. this goes in the zero turn. My push is 2 stroke and so are my weed eater and blower.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

I always keep Sta-Bil in the fuel that I use in my tractors and small engines. All I ever do is shut them off in November and start them again in April or May.

And I've used E-10 exclusively for around 30 years without a single issue.

 

[Ope_Freak]

I put Sta-Bil in gas container immediately after filling it up (no ethanol), so all my engines are treated basically all the time.

I also run the gas dry in all my OPE, no it doesnt take long, because towards the end of the mowing/snowthrowing seasons I'm careful about how much gas I'm putting in each piece.

I also fog all cylinders and dump oil. Fresh oil in the Spring for mowers and Fall for winter - never had a problem.

 

[Whimsey]

The fuel in my power washer evaporated after sitting in the tank after ~4 years. I added new fuel and it started after a spray of carb cleaner into the carb and it runs fine without any leaks. The power washer is a 10 year old Troy-Bilt with a B&S 4.5 HP engine. I put a new AR pump in it and it works fine now. I'll store it wet with fuel stabilizer as per Briggs & Stratton instructions. My 2 cycle ope will be run dry for winter storage.

Whimsey

 

[Rand]

I leave everything with stabilized fuel.

If I'm feeling ocd I dump the fuel into the snowblower or car and put fresh in and run them a few mins.

 

[Jakegday]

I recently went in to ask my Stihl dealer about this. With the info i got from that visit, ill be winterizing my new Stihl trimmer, and Husqvarana blower, by simply running the last tank of the season with Stihl Motomix (or Trufuel, which they also sell, and say its basically the same) and then just letting it run out of gas right before i put it away. Ill be doing the same thing with my Craftsman lawn mower, except with 4 cycle Trufuel.

 

[linksep]

One thing nobody has mentioned is pull the starter rope slowly until you feel the most resistance indicating you are on the compression stroke and the valves/ports are closed to reduce the amount of humid air able to enter the cylinder and cause corrosion.

 

[Quest]

in addition to the addition (doping) of gasoline with fuel-stabiliser, I also form the habit of fogging my OPE engines before putting them into storage (internal, dry area).

With that: there's no need to keep the valves shut (valve facing and valve seats already coated in fogging oil.


Q.

 

[asand1]

What's winter? We just get 6 months of rain here. My OPE gets ran all year round.

 

[Audioquest]

My 1991 Honda HRA215SXC goes through the same regiment every fall: change engine oil, drain the fuel tank and the carb. Never had an issue with leaks, always starts on first pull in the spring.