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

[Avenger]

Wow.... according to this forum, I am all sorts of wrong!

I simply go to the gas station, fill my cans with unleaded regular with ethanol, dont use Stabil, and simply park my mower for the winter. Nothing more.

I even store, "long term" (no more than a year, see my previous post), ethanol untreated gas. Been doing this for years, with no ill effect. I think there is more hype than science with this. But that seems to be a fact in our society now more than ever these days. :confused2:

 

[shooterdon]

My buddy does nothing. He has no problems.

I use Stabil or Seafoam. I have no problems.

One stuff with a fuel shut off, I run dry. I have no problems.

I think my buddy is the smart one...LOL

 

[Bearsixty7]

Wow.... according to this forum, I am all sorts of wrong!

I simply go to the gas station, fill my cans with unleaded regular with ethanol, dont use Stabil, and simply park my mower for the winter. Nothing more.

I even store, "long term" (no more than a year, see my previous post), ethanol untreated gas. Been doing this for years, with no ill effect. I think there is more hype than science with this. But that seems to be a fact in our society now more than ever these days. :confused2:

Good, reputable fuel treatments like Amsoil, Stabil, etc, are a lot like insurance. You may never need it, but when you find out you do, you're sure glad you had it.

I've read enough articles that say running systems dry is worse than doing nothing, gaskets, seals and even fuel lines can dry out and deteriorate in a short amount of time and then they leak or plug passages. Plus in 2 stokes now there is no lube at all until the fuel/oil mixture starts flowing.

 

[gstrom99]

Mice seem to be my biggest issue. Bad gas is a pretty easy fix. Mouse nests inside the air box and blower box, and them chewing EVERY frigging wire and/or hose, has been a real problem.

 

[hube2]

Wow.... according to this forum, I am all sorts of wrong!

I simply go to the gas station, fill my cans with unleaded regular with ethanol, dont use Stabil, and simply park my mower for the winter. Nothing more.

I even store, "long term" (no more than a year, see my previous post), ethanol untreated gas. Been doing this for years, with no ill effect. I think there is more hype than science with this. But that seems to be a fact in our society now more than ever these days. :confused2:

I use Stabil in gas now because of a bad experience. Had a tiller that needed a carb rebuilt due to water and gunk.

Good, reputable fuel treatments like Amsoil, Stabil, etc, are a lot like insurance. You may never need it, but when you find out you do, you're sure glad you had it.

I've read enough articles that say running systems dry is worse than doing nothing, gaskets, seals and even fuel lines can dry out and deteriorate in a short amount of time and then they leak or plug passages. Plus in 2 stokes now there is no lube at all until the fuel/oil mixture starts flowing.

Exactly, not always needed but it's a little insurance just in case. Definitely costs less than equipment failure.

And I agree with not emptying it out because I used to do this as well until the guy that fixed my tiller told me I should stop doing it. I used to need to replace cracked/dried out lines and o-rings. Have not done this in years since I started leaving the gas in them.

 

[Cougsfan]

The surest way to do it is to sell all of your equipment each fall and buy new stuff each spring.

 

[sld]

Another fan of Stabil in every can I fill for outdoor equipment. They only sit for about 4 months over the winter so no big deal. Could probably do without but got hooked on it when I fill my boat every time and now use it on everything. Pretty cheap insurance.

 

[dodge man]

Two cases where I had problems. A pressure washer, maybe a 1/4 tank of fuel, sat an unknown amount of time but probably 6 to 12 months. The gas went bad, probably ethanol gas. Had to take carb apart and clean it.

A cheap push mower. Sat for probably 12 months, I filled with a gas can that had been sitting the same amount of time. The mower ran but actually pre ignition knock. I ran it about 20 minutes and got fresh fuel. Didn’t drain it or anything and it runs fine now.

In both cases the gas smelled bad. If you have ever smelled it you know it.

 

[MossRoad]

Went out to my log splitter today, dragged it up to the house, aired up the tires, checked the oil, turned on the fuel, the choke, the throttle and the kill switch. Pulled the cord and it started first pull.

The last time I recall running it was 96 degree day in summer of 2019. It had half a tank of E10 87 octane. No fuel treatment.

It's a 212cc $99 Predator engine from 2017 or 18 as I recall.

 

[rangerfredbob]

Your tongue to left leg angle when you last touched it were aligned perfectly!

I think most people stress about it too much, I leave things where they are when I'm done, if they don't work when I get back to them I fix what's wrong... every preventable snake oil is just a gamble, some just have better odds...

 

[fried1765]

Went out to my log splitter today, dragged it up to the house, aired up the tires, checked the oil, turned on the fuel, the choke, the throttle and the kill switch. Pulled the cord and it started first pull.

The last time I recall running it was 96 degree day in summer of 2019. It had half a tank of E10 87 octane. No fuel treatment.

It's a 212cc $99 Predator engine from 2017 or 18 as I recall.

In my SCAG zero turn I simply use ethanol gas (+ Stabil), and let it sit over the Winter.
In my chainsaw, and 3500W generator I use 100LL aviation gas.
That stuff keeps forever, and does not get gummy, or eat fuel lines. I sometimes do not start the generator for 3 or more years.
I do not want to rebuild any carbs.

 

[MossRoad]

The point I'm making is that E10 sitting for 18 months in a half-full plastic fuel tank on a log splitter that sits outside had ZERO effect on operation. The original poster was concerned about E10 "going bad" in a month or two. It doesn't.

As for using 100LL in small engines, we've had that discussion before. Leaded fuel has been banned in the U.S. since the 80's for good reason; the TEL it contains is poison to the environment and children. The only exception is 100LL for aviation use, because the engines in approximately 167,000 airplanes in the U.S. require high octane fuel for safety reasons, and nothing has been found suitable for raising octane that high.

Using 100LL in a small engine actually causes the engine to run hotter and produce LESS power as it warms up. Hotter running engines are less fuel efficient, and don't last as long. There's better alternatives to 100LL for stability, like Stabil.

 

[MossRoad]

https://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=14754

 

[fried1765]

The point I'm making is that E10 sitting for 18 months in a half-full plastic fuel tank on a log splitter that sits outside had ZERO effect on operation. The original poster was concerned about E10 "going bad" in a month or two. It doesn't.

As for using 100LL in small engines, we've had that discussion before. Leaded fuel has been banned in the U.S. since the 80's for good reason; the TEL it contains is poison to the environment and children. The only exception is 100LL for aviation use, because the engines in approximately 167,000 airplanes in the U.S. require high octane fuel for safety reasons, and nothing has been found suitable for raising octane that high.

Using 100LL in a small engine actually causes the engine to run hotter and produce LESS power as it warms up. Hotter running engines are less fuel efficient, and don't last as long. There's better alternatives to 100LL for stability, like Stabil.

Yup, I am familiar with your story about 100LL.
My response: I will keep on, keeping on!
BTW: 100LL is not all that high for octane rating.
Automotive racing fuel is similar, or a bit higher.
I actually burned 100's of thousands of gallons of 115/145 octane in the US Navy.
Good stuff!!

 

[MossRoad]

Yup, I am familiar with your story about 100LL.
My response: I will keep on, keeping on!
BTW: 100LL is not all that high for octane rating.
Automotive racing fuel is similar, or a bit higher.
I actually burned 100's of thousands of gallons of 115/145 octane in the US Navy.
Good stuff!!

I know it's not that high for octane rating. It's 100/130. At the airport I worked at in high school, we had a ground tank for 115/145. We'd also truck in a tanker of 115/145 for air shows.

I pumped around 7000 gallons a week of 100LL for about 6 years. We had a small 350 gallon truck (the little 100) and a large 2000 gallon truck (the big 100). This was in the late 70's to mid 80's. Besides small private planes, we had quite a bit of piston powered freight traffic. Fox Photo had a large film processing plant here, and we'd get several smaller singles and twins bringing in 24 hour photo film 6 nights a week, so that was around 3-400 gallons a night right there. Then we had several Beech 18's and a couple DC3's flying auto parts in and out. So we used about 1 semi-load per week and had a standing order.

I used to use 100LL in my drag bike because I got it cheap and I had pre-ignition issues due to higher compression and carbon buildup. I wouldn't run it today. I'd use racing fuel or octane booster. Both are plentiful and contain no lead.

And as mentioned, 100LL in an engine designed for lower octane fuel is probably causing more long term wear due to heat. It's just not necessary, and the lead is harmful to the environment. There's better alternatives.

 

[MossRoad]

Doing the math, 7000 x 50 x 6 = about 2,000,000 gallons. Yikes! :laughing:

 

[fried1765]

I know it's not that high for octane rating. It's 100/130. At the airport I worked at in high school, we had a ground tank for 115/145. We'd also truck in a tanker of 115/145 for air shows.

I pumped around 7000 gallons a week of 100LL for about 6 years. We had a small 350 gallon truck (the little 100) and a large 2000 gallon truck (the big 100). This was in the late 70's to mid 80's. Besides small private planes, we had quite a bit of piston powered freight traffic. Fox Photo had a large film processing plant here, and we'd get several smaller singles and twins bringing in 24 hour photo film 6 nights a week, so that was around 3-400 gallons a night right there. Then we had several Beech 18's and a couple DC3's flying auto parts in and out. So we used about 1 semi-load per week and had a standing order.

I used to use 100LL in my drag bike because I got it cheap and I had pre-ignition issues due to higher compression and carbon buildup. I wouldn't run it today. I'd use racing fuel or octane booster. Both are plentiful and contain no lead.

And as mentioned, 100LL in an engine designed for lower octane fuel is probably causing more long term wear due to heat. It's just not necessary, and the lead is harmful to the environment. There's better alternatives.

What are the .... "better alternatives"??

 

[MossRoad]

What are the .... "better alternatives"??

I believe I listed those in previous posts. Stabil will eliminate any problems with E10. And none of your engines require 100 octane.

 

[fried1765]

I believe I listed those in previous posts. Stabil will eliminate any problems with E10. And none of your engines require 100 octane.

Well..... I have forgotten the alternatives listed in previous posts, other than using Stabil.
I never indicated that I needed, or wanted, 100 octane!
What I want, and need, is zero ethanol content!
Where would you suggest that I purchase non-ethanol gasoline?

 

[gstrom99]

Where would you suggest that I purchase non-ethanol gasoline?

Your locale dictates IF you can buy it at all. In RURAL Iowa, Casey's sells it. Not available in Illinois or Indiana. Many outdoor equipment places sell it, but it's really expensive.