B&S Engine Off-season Storage: drain gas tank or stabilize?
 

Well the trees are turning green and the snow's finally gone, so that
means it's time to put the snowblower away. After I run it for a little
while to warm it up and then change the oil, should I keep running it to
drain the gas from the tank/carb, or should I keep gasoline in the tank
and rely on gasoline stabilizer? (The gas in the tank already has
STA-BIL in it.)

I figure that draining the gas completely will ensure no varnish/junk
build up in the fuel system, but keeping fuel + stabilizer in the tank
will prevent moisture in the fuel system/carburetor. Which is better?

Personal opinion only, I don't think there's enough difference to make any
difference. I usually do sort of a combo of the two with my Ariens snow
blower. Letting the tank go low on gas (or siphon most of it out), I add a
shot of Stabil to the tank, let it run for about ten minutes or so until it
gets good and warm, then shut off the gas valve on the tank. The bowl
empties & it stalls, then I drain the oil & refill it, pop the plug out,
squirt some ND 30W into it, turn it over a few times with a cloth over the
plug opening, put the plug back in, refill the oil, & consider the engine
done. After that it's just a couple grease fittings, some WD40 on linkages,
etc, oil on the movable metals, & store it. It takes about thirty extra
seconds next spring to start it, but after coughing once or twice it springs
to life and gives me yet another year's service. Bought it in 1979. Only
part ever replaces is the throttle cable and the rubber-edged wheel inside
that spins the drive wheels. I especially love being able to "start & go"
in the spring that way. And it doesn't rust. Oh year, I replaced both belts
a few years ago too - boy is that a b_tch of a job! But, it's a faithful
ol' gal, still full of **** & vinegar.

If there's no gas shutoff (lawn tractors, etc.), I still do the same thing
but I leave a little more gas in the tank, maybe an eighth to a quarter
tank.
Oh, and pull the starter cord just before storing it to be sure the valves
close - set the choke full on; keeps moisture & spiders out of the
mechanisms.

I guess it mostly depends on where you store it. If it's got a safe place
to winter over, fine; but NEVER leave gas in anything that's near sparks or
any source of heat! There you want to empty the tank completely.

HTH,

Pop

--
Let someone else do it
I'm retired!
"Jim" wrote in message ...
Well the trees are turning green and the snow's finally gone, so that
means it's time to put the snowblower away. After I run it for a little
while to warm it up and then change the oil, should I keep running it to
drain the gas from the tank/carb, or should I keep gasoline in the tank
and rely on gasoline stabilizer? (The gas in the tank already has
STA-BIL in it.)

I figure that draining the gas completely will ensure no varnish/junk
build up in the fuel system, but keeping fuel + stabilizer in the tank
will prevent moisture in the fuel system/carburetor. Which is better?

Jim wrote:

Well the trees are turning green and the snow's finally gone, so that
means it's time to put the snowblower away. After I run it for a little
while to warm it up and then change the oil, should I keep running it to
drain the gas from the tank/carb, or should I keep gasoline in the tank
and rely on gasoline stabilizer? (The gas in the tank already has
STA-BIL in it.)

I figure that draining the gas completely will ensure no varnish/junk
build up in the fuel system, but keeping fuel + stabilizer in the tank
will prevent moisture in the fuel system/carburetor. Which is better?


If you already use the sta-bil I would leave it full, especially if it
has a steel gas tank.

nate


--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

Run the engine long enough so that the Sta-Bil treated fuel reaches the
carburetor, then shut 'er down. Doing it this way means much easier
startup and much less chance of a dried/shrunken carb seal causing a leak
next season.

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005, Jim wrote:

Well the trees are turning green and the snow's finally gone, so that
means it's time to put the snowblower away. After I run it for a little
while to warm it up and then change the oil, should I keep running it to
drain the gas from the tank/carb, or should I keep gasoline in the tank
and rely on gasoline stabilizer? (The gas in the tank already has
STA-BIL in it.)

I figure that draining the gas completely will ensure no varnish/junk
build up in the fuel system, but keeping fuel + stabilizer in the tank
will prevent moisture in the fuel system/carburetor. Which is better?

I like Pop's suggestions above if you really want to go out for your
little toys in the off-season. However, I am not too impressed with
Stab-il. I feel it probably extends the inevitable break-down of
gasoline ... but fuels are so unstable these days, I don't think it's
any more effective than that.

I would add a teaspoon to a tablespoon of Marvel Mystery Oil to the
combustion chamber through the spark plug hole instead of ND 30 weight
motor oil.

Also, I think WD-40 is pretty crappy stuff. I prefer almost any other
spray lubricant.

--- Bror Jace

According to Jim :
I figure that draining the gas completely will ensure no varnish/junk
build up in the fuel system, but keeping fuel + stabilizer in the tank
will prevent moisture in the fuel system/carburetor. Which is better?

We just started a small engines course, and the instructor (with 40 years
experience - latest with jet engine research at the National Research
Council) said that simply running the engine dry and storing it away
is the worst _possible_ thing you can do. Hint: all the trace gasoline
left behind varnishes up almost instantly and gunks up everything.

He hasn't quite yet detailed the best way to do it ;-)

All I know is that my stihl weed wacker seems to do just fine with
a full fuel tank over the winter. Starts second pull.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

I use Stabil year round for all my 4 cycle engines(and my old cars), a 5gal
can will last me a while , so why not?
I use Tanaka 2 cycle oil mix for all my 2 cycle stuff, it has stabilizer, is
low ash content, I've left it in my chain saw for upwards of two years and
it will fire right up. And the idea of leaving some fuel in tank/carb makes
sense for keeping moisture out.
JR


Jim wrote:

Well the trees are turning green and the snow's finally gone, so that
means it's time to put the snowblower away. After I run it for a little
while to warm it up and then change the oil, should I keep running it to
drain the gas from the tank/carb, or should I keep gasoline in the tank
and rely on gasoline stabilizer? (The gas in the tank already has
STA-BIL in it.)

I figure that draining the gas completely will ensure no varnish/junk
build up in the fuel system, but keeping fuel + stabilizer in the tank
will prevent moisture in the fuel system/carburetor. Which is better?

"JR" wrote in message
...
I use Stabil year round for all my 4 cycle engines(and my old cars), a 5gal
can will last me a while , so why not?

I've had good luck with Stabil also. My lawnmower can sit all winter and
will start on the second pull. Snowblower sits all summer and cranks up
easy also.

I add Stabil on the last usage and run the engine till the Stabil gets
into the carb.

If its a plastic tank (lawn tractor), I then run the tank and the carb
dry and I figure whatever gas is left in there has Stabil for
protection.

If it's a metal tank (motorcycle) , I close the valve and let the carb
run dry but keep the tank full.

What does Stabil do anyway, anybody know?
The gas must still evaporate which is why I like to let the carb run
dry.


Mark

Mark wrote:
I add Stabil on the last usage and run the engine till the Stabil gets
into the carb.

If its a plastic tank (lawn tractor), I then run the tank and the carb
dry and I figure whatever gas is left in there has Stabil for
protection.

If it's a metal tank (motorcycle) , I close the valve and let the carb
run dry but keep the tank full.

What does Stabil do anyway, anybody know?
The gas must still evaporate which is why I like to let the carb run
dry.


Mark


According to them:

STA-BIL is a blend of scientific additives all of which act together to
prevent fuel from undergoing degradation and oxidation during prolonged
storage. STA-BIL acts as a protective wrapper around fuel molecules so
they cannot combine with oxygen or other molecules to form new "bad
actor" molecules.

http://www.i4at.org/surv/sta-bil.htm

Google is your friend.

On Fri, 22 Apr 2005, Mark wrote:

I add Stabil on the last usage and run the engine till the Stabil gets
into the carb. If its a plastic tank (lawn tractor), I then run the tank
and the carb dry and I figure whatever gas is left in there has Stabil
for protection. If it's a metal tank (motorcycle) , I close the valve
and let the carb run dry but keep the tank full.

I used to follow this procedure. Had a hell of a time getting my
(plastic-tank Tecumseh w/float carbs) engines going again the next season.
Then I started leaving the systems wet/full, still with Sta-Bil, and got
consistent one- or two-pull starts the next season.