Store OPE with Dry Carb or Wet Carb?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jan 31, 2006
Messages
4,440
Location
Idaho
I have a lawnmower, string trimmer, snowblower, and generator, from 4 different manufacturers, and ranging in age from 1 year to 28 years.

For all of them, the owners manual says to use a fuel stabilizer, and drain the fuel from the carburetor (or run it dry) before putting the equipment into storage.

I have read that draining the carb will result in "dried out gaskets" and the equipment will be very hard to start when taken out of storage.

I have tried the dry carb storage on my Stihl 2 cycle trimmer with no adverse effects. On the other equipment, I have always done the wet carb storage, with mixed results.

What's your experience been?
 
I say, do what works for you, as I am sure there will be replies that swear by wet, and those who swear by dry. Personally I use the wet method, with double or triple the recommended amount of stabilizer, of whatever brand you like. I just use sta-bil either red or marine.
 
I've always stored wet with stabilizer. unless it is more than a year, I've never had a problem. If more than a year, I just drain the float bowl and push on with the fuel that's in the tank.
 
Dry in equipment that has a fuel cut-off valve so you can run the carb dry on the last shut-down. Wet (with stabilizer) otherwise. The worst case is wet + no stabilizer or top-cylinder type oil in a gravity-fed carb system where the fuel just evaporates and is replenished for months, gradually distilling a whole tank of fuel down to a concentrated putty of fuel additives in the carb bowl. Seen and cleaned up the results of that! Not a pretty sight.

Fuel does nothing to keep gaskets pliable (rather the opposite IMO)- dry is just as good.
 
Last edited:
Wet with an UCL like 30 grade with no additives. No problems. Now Std E10 fuel in my DD is another question, car barely runs due to getting some questionable fuel only ONCE and me having to push the engine and car during a medical emergency ( isn't it odd how bad luck piles up in 3's sometimes?)
Just started my 25 yo lawnmower w/ lil briggs on 2nd pull. Biggest Issue is mouse nest under the fan shroud causing overheating
smile.gif
I don't want that aluminum RUST oxidide "Paste" forming in carburetor.
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Wet with an UCL like 30 grade with no additives. No problems. Now Std E10 fuel in my DD is another question, car barely runs due to getting some questionable fuel only ONCE and me having to push the engine and car during a medical emergency ( isn't it odd how bad luck piles up in 3's sometimes?)
Just started my 25 yo lawnmower w/ lil briggs on 2nd pull. Biggest Issue is mouse nest under the fan shroud causing overheating
smile.gif
I don't want that aluminum RUST oxidide "Paste" forming in carburetor.


Only you would have "bad fuel one time" ruining another engine.. are you sure its just not overall operator error like the last 10 engines.
 
I've always stored equipment (several machines) dry. Been doing that for over a decade, never had a problem with carb gaskets drying out.
 
I store all my small engines wet. I also use E0 gas and never used a stabilizer but never store it longer than 1 year. My equipment ranges from 1 to 10 years old and has never given me any problems.
 
I do small engine repair on the side, I store equipment completely dry (empty tank) unless it gets used year round, then I use Marine Sta-Bil only and store it wet. I've had some issues with gaskets, but usually they needed to be replaced anyway, so it might not have been caused by dry storage.

The Marine Sta-Bil wet vs completely dry storage also depends on if the machine is garaged and used often or stored outside in the rain and used one season a year.
 
Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Wet with an UCL like 30 grade with no additives. No problems. Now Std E10 fuel in my DD is another question, car barely runs due to getting some questionable fuel only ONCE and me having to push the engine and car during a medical emergency ( isn't it odd how bad luck piles up in 3's sometimes?)
Just started my 25 yo lawnmower w/ lil briggs on 2nd pull. Biggest Issue is mouse nest under the fan shroud causing overheating
smile.gif
I don't want that aluminum RUST oxidide "Paste" forming in carburetor.


Only you would have "bad fuel one time" ruining another engine.. are you sure its just not overall operator error like the last 10 engines.


im sorry arco, but this was funny ^^^^^^
 
I do both without any issues. The big stuff I leave wet but fire it up once a month. The summer small stuff I it run out of fuel and carry it into my basement. It gets wicked cold here so I'm always worry about the pressure washer.

I always run fuel stabilizer in all my small engines.
 
All fuel and equipment is stored in our outdoor shed that does not leak. And in regular old "new style" gas cans. All fuel is what I put in the car (E10) with StaBil (red) and MMO doses. 2 stroke is regular Stihl mix.

Wet in all but the snowblower. That gets stored dry and the carb hosed off with WD-40. This is because it only gets used occasionally and does get wet due to melting snow.

Generator, Tractor, Mower, Pressure washer, weed whacker, blower. All tanks get filled at the end of the season and they get stored. No UCL, no oil in the calendars, no storing on compression stroke or any of that nonsense. Just stored in the shed.

The ONLY thing that uses TruFuel is the chainsaw as that may go years between uses. Just makes sense to use that there.

For those "bad gas" folks. Our old weed whacker was a Troy Bilt 4 stroke that blew a clutch and I intended to fix it. 4 years ago. Found it the other day with the gas it was stored with (1/2 tank). Primed it, a few pulls later and it fired right up. Ran it for a half hour at all throttle settings and it was fine....
 
Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Wet with an UCL like 30 grade with no additives. No problems. Now Std E10 fuel in my DD is another question, car barely runs due to getting some questionable fuel only ONCE and me having to push the engine and car during a medical emergency ( isn't it odd how bad luck piles up in 3's sometimes?)
Just started my 25 yo lawnmower w/ lil briggs on 2nd pull. Biggest Issue is mouse nest under the fan shroud causing overheating
smile.gif
I don't want that aluminum RUST oxidide "Paste" forming in carburetor.



Only you would have "bad fuel one time" ruining another engine.. are you sure its just not overall operator error like the last 10 engines.


im sorry arco, but this was funny ^^^^^^


You guys gotta know that premium ILSAC oil isn't gonna save an engine as the oil, filter and the gasoiline are all marginal then the HP density is way higher than ever, but EGR % is worse at light throttle. NO LEAN AND CLEAN, LIGHT THROTTLE CRUISING ANYMORE DUE TO TIGHTENED EMISSIONS.

NEVER had engine issues on 65 some previous cars using NORMAL high saps oil and NORMAL "large" oil filters. What has changed? You are just afraid YOUR engine is going to implode next. It just might
smile.gif
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top