getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?
--
America is at that awkward stage. It's too late
to work within the system, but too early to shoot
the *******s."-- Claire Wolfe

In article ,
Kurt Ullman wrote:

getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

draining the gas is cheaper

Kurt Ullman wrote:
getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season.
Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the
gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

I was told by a Honda/Stihl dealer to use only premium gas
in equipment because it doesn't contain ethanol and
therefore wwon't spoil like regular gas
YMMV

"Kurt Ullman" wrote in message
news
getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?
--

Best way is to empty tank and then start it up and run the carb dry...

On 11/28/2012 5:38 PM, ChairMan wrote:
....

I was told by a Honda/Stihl dealer to use only premium gas
in equipment because it doesn't contain ethanol and
therefore wwon't spoil like regular gas

Well, good story but it ain't so...almost all premium is also E10.

Only a very few stations sell 100% gasoline and you can generally pick
'em out in a market by being quite a bit higher than the prevailing price.

There's only one in town here; he's running about 3.40 for regular while
everywhere else is about 3.25 now...

--

On 11/28/2012 6:06 PM, Kurt Ullman wrote:
getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?


I'd run it dry. Gas stability is not the only problem. It can
evaporate in some carburetors gumming them up. Happened in my snow
thrower a couple of years ago and gas was stabilized.

My Honda mower has a shut off valve so I can keep gas in the tank yet
run dry. Don't know why all don't have this. Cheapskates probably
don't want to spend the extra 25 cents it might cost to install.

Gasoline has been going bad, decades before
ethanol. I vote for drain the gas, and run it dry.
If it's stored indoors, that is.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"ChairMan" wrote in message
...

I was told by a Honda/Stihl dealer to use only premium gas
in equipment because it doesn't contain ethanol and
therefore wwon't spoil like regular gas
YMMV

"Kurt Ullman" wrote in message
news
getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?
--
America is at that awkward stage. It's too late
to work within the system, but too early to shoot
the *******s."-- Claire Wolfe

I use the opposing solution to what most are suggesting. I keep mine filled
and use "seafoam", which I run through the carbs prior to storage. Been
doing it for years with no problems. My machines usually start within a few
pulls and some more instantly when it's time to use them again. They are
stored in a cold shed in the southeast region of Michigan if that helps.

"Meanie" wrote:
"Kurt Ullman" wrote in message
news
getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?
--
America is at that awkward stage. It's too late
to work within the system, but too early to shoot
the *******s."-- Claire Wolfe

I use the opposing solution to what most are suggesting. I keep mine filled
and use "seafoam", which I run through the carbs prior to storage. Been
doing it for years with no problems. My machines usually start within a few
pulls and some more instantly when it's time to use them again. They are
stored in a cold shed in the southeast region of Michigan if that helps.

I would suggest draining the bowl if you got time. I tried to start
snowblower on cold winter day. Had to remove ice cube in fuel bowl.

Greg

Kurt Ullman writes:

getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

Pretty sure we did this last year.

After I suggested doing nothing, a lot of posters agreed.

Anyway, I do nothing. Last mowing was a month and a half ago.
Starts every spring.

--
Dan Espen

Dan Espen wrote:
Kurt Ullman writes:

getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

Pretty sure we did this last year.

After I suggested doing nothing, a lot of posters agreed.

Anyway, I do nothing. Last mowing was a month and a half ago.
Starts every spring.


I usually do nothing. I had a generator sitting outside which ran early
summer. A month ago tested. Saw water entering fuel bowl. Saw dry tank with
a lot of varnish. Saw fuel leaking out near bowl after fueling. No starty.

Greg

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 20:19:35 -0500, Dan Espen
wrote:

Kurt Ullman writes:

getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

Pretty sure we did this last year.

After I suggested doing nothing, a lot of posters agreed.

Anyway, I do nothing. Last mowing was a month and a half ago.
Starts every spring.

Yeah, I do nothing too, but it might not be best.
Mower is only 7 years old.
So is the wacker.
I know the wacker wouldn't start with 2 year old gas.
New gas fixed that.
Three reasons I don't do anything.
1. Lazy.
2. Lazy.
3. I wouldn't mind buying a new mower and whacker because of laziness.
I think the best thing to do at the end of the season is run it dry
and pour the oiled gas in the weeds, and put the clean gas in the car
tank.
Then buy new gas for fill ups when the next season begins.
But I do nothing because it's worked for 7 years.
And I'm lazy.

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 20:19:35 -0500, Dan Espen
wrote:

Kurt Ullman writes:

getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

Pretty sure we did this last year.

After I suggested doing nothing, a lot of posters agreed.

Anyway, I do nothing. Last mowing was a month and a half ago.
Starts every spring.


Same here. I don't think that many months between now and growing
season in Spring will do any damage to equipment... at least it didn't
to mine.

On 11/28/2012 03:06 PM, Kurt Ullman wrote:
getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

Run it dry.

Jon

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:06:02 -0500, Kurt Ullman
wrote:

getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

My neighbor, the small engine mechanic, says to run it dry.

OTOH- I have a 12[?] yr old Honda that sits in the back yard with
piece of tin covering it loosely. It has whatever gas was in it from
the last time I ran it. I *might* chop up some leaves with it
next week-- but if not, it will have sat from Nov 1 to mid May before
I start it up. It took 2 pulls this year, so I guess I'm pushing my
luck.

If it doesn't sound like it should in the spring I'll run some K100 in
it for a few tanks.

Jim

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:05:38 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 11/28/2012 5:38 PM, ChairMan wrote:
...

I was told by a Honda/Stihl dealer to use only premium gas
in equipment because it doesn't contain ethanol and
therefore wwon't spoil like regular gas

Well, good story but it ain't so...almost all premium is also E10.

Only a very few stations sell 100% gasoline and you can generally pick
'em out in a market by being quite a bit higher than the prevailing price.

They also advertise that they sell real gasoline. Sometimes they only
have a pump or two with the real stuff.

There's only one in town here; he's running about 3.40 for regular while
everywhere else is about 3.25 now...

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:18:22 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Gasoline has been going bad, decades before
ethanol. I vote for drain the gas, and run it dry.
If it's stored indoors, that is.

The last few engines I've had recommend against storing them dry. They
recommend filling the tank before storage. I haven't had a problem in
decades, though. One snow blower didn't like old gas but every other
engine I've had gets over it.

Would it have killed you to exert a few extra micro-calories and put
this in your subject line:

===================
Subject: Drain gas from mower or add stabilizer?
===================

?

In article ,
Kurt Ullman wrote:

getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

Insight is a compound word. It comes from within, it cannot be "shared."

On 11/28/2012 6:38 PM, ChairMan wrote:
Kurt Ullman wrote:
getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season.
Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the
gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

I was told by a Honda/Stihl dealer to use only premium gas
in equipment because it doesn't contain ethanol and
therefore wwon't spoil like regular gas
YMMV


Unless you can find it someplace pretty much all gasoline is at least
E10. A few area stations had non-ethanol blend but gave up because
everyone seems to shop on price (wholesale ethanol is cheaper to buy).

On 11/28/2012 7:05 PM, dpb wrote:
On 11/28/2012 5:38 PM, ChairMan wrote:
...

I was told by a Honda/Stihl dealer to use only premium gas
in equipment because it doesn't contain ethanol and
therefore wwon't spoil like regular gas

Well, good story but it ain't so...almost all premium is also E10.

Only a very few stations sell 100% gasoline and you can generally pick
'em out in a market by being quite a bit higher than the prevailing price.

There's only one in town here; he's running about 3.40 for regular while
everywhere else is about 3.25 now...

--

We had a few selling non-ethanol but they gave up because so many people
shop on price only. It cost them more at wholesale so they need to
charge more.

On 11/28/2012 6:06 PM, Kurt Ullman wrote:
getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?


I add an appropriate amount of stabil and then run for a short time.
Machines always start on the first pull the next season.

Kurt Ullman wrote:

getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?
--
America is at that awkward stage. It's too late
to work within the system, but too early to shoot
the *******s."-- Claire Wolfe

Top up with stabilized gas, run a few minutes, shut off fuel valve and
let the carb run dry.

In article ,
ChairMan wrote:
Kurt Ullman wrote:
getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season.
Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the
gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

I was told by a Honda/Stihl dealer to use only premium gas
in equipment because it doesn't contain ethanol and
therefore wwon't spoil like regular gas
YMMV



Perhaps less common in premium gas, but there is no guarantee that hi-test
or premium will not also contain ethanol.


--
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation
with the average voter. (Winston Churchill)

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar. org

In article ,
wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:18:22 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Gasoline has been going bad, decades before
ethanol. I vote for drain the gas, and run it dry.
If it's stored indoors, that is.

The last few engines I've had recommend against storing them dry. They
recommend filling the tank before storage. I haven't had a problem in
decades, though. One snow blower didn't like old gas but every other
engine I've had gets over it.

Personally I've only had problems with 2 stroke engines. Lawn mowers with
the typical B&S 4 stroke have never been a problem. YMMV.

--
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation
with the average voter. (Winston Churchill)

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar. org

In article ,
Frank wrote:
On 11/28/2012 6:06 PM, Kurt Ullman wrote:
getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?


I'd run it dry. Gas stability is not the only problem. It can
evaporate in some carburetors gumming them up. Happened in my snow
thrower a couple of years ago and gas was stabilized.

My Honda mower has a shut off valve so I can keep gas in the tank yet
run dry. Don't know why all don't have this. Cheapskates probably
don't want to spend the extra 25 cents it might cost to install.


One reason may be that on some engines the fuel tank is integrated into
the design of the carburetor, and adding such a valve would not be practical
without significant (more expensive) changes to the fuel system.


--
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation
with the average voter. (Winston Churchill)

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar. org

"Larry W" wrote in message
...

Perhaps less common in premium gas, but there is no guarantee that hi-test
or premium will not also contain ethanol.


Atleast some of the local Shell stations have it marked on the pumps that
there is no ethanol in their high test gas. Makes it easy to determin at
those stations.

I have started going there in the last year and it seems that my riding
mower runs beter after 2 or 3 tanks full.

Not that it does any good, but I got in the habit of putting the Sta-bil in
all the gas I use for the small engines around the house.
Some of them are used weekly and some are only used once or twice a year.

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:06:02 -0500, Kurt Ullman
wrote:

getting ready to put up the lawn mower for the season. Some tell me to
top it off with stabilized gas while others say drain the gas. Anyone
have any actual insight to share?

I have never in my life stabilized or drained gas from my lawnmower.
Just put it away at the end of the season and get it out next season.
Put new gas in and it starts up. Pretty much the same with my 2 cycle
stuff.

On Thu, 29 Nov 2012 22:18:17 +0000 (UTC),
(Larry W) wrote:

In article ,
wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:18:22 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Gasoline has been going bad, decades before
ethanol. I vote for drain the gas, and run it dry.
If it's stored indoors, that is.

The last few engines I've had recommend against storing them dry. They
recommend filling the tank before storage. I haven't had a problem in
decades, though. One snow blower didn't like old gas but every other
engine I've had gets over it.

Personally I've only had problems with 2 stroke engines. Lawn mowers with
the typical B&S 4 stroke have never been a problem. YMMV.

That one engine was the only one I've had that threw a hissy fit over
old gas. I'd have to drain it down half way and add new gas, then put
up with it sputtering until the old gas was flushed out. Every other
engine gets along fine with the old stuff until it's blown out.