Small engine winterizing success

[vavet]

I went through a whole big deal in the fall to winterize my riding mower, push mower, weed eater, blower, and chain saw.
Drain as much gas as possible
Start and run until engine stops.
Add about 1/2 cup of the Trufuel canned fuel from big orange.
Start and run until engine stops
Add trufuel again and run until engine stops

I just learned about ethanol-free fuel being available at a local station$2.89/gallon and only about 5 miles from home. I went this morning and bought 2 gallons. Push mower started on second pull. Riding mower with electric start cranked for about 2 seconds before firing.

I haven't tried it with the two-cycles engine yet, but man, I'm feeling good.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

This is about what I have been doing for years, with 2 and 4 strokes. I have not had any issues yet.

 

[jl4c]

I run my OPE out of fuel at the end of the season on Stabilized ethanol-free. Never a problem.

 

[CJM8515]

Ive always been the one to winterize everything for my family. I always ran it fully out of gas and made sure. Add gas when ready yo use again and no issues.

 

[bpjr]

Here in Florida we don't have to winterize much. For anything not used daily I run until dry when using ethanol gas. If its going to sit a month I also drain the carb. On weed wacker types I just drain the tanks and run dry. For the last couple years I've gone back to ethanol free gas and just run dry if they are sitting more than a month or two. Back in the day with ethanol free I could just shut them down and had no problems sitting 6 months or more...mostly on outboard motors. I don't attempt 6 mos now but do slug the fuel with Sea Foam every now an then to stop crud build up.

 

[SantaAna12]

Ethanol free for 2.89 a gallon?

Niiiice!

 

[Kenskip1]

The thing with ethanol gas is that you can use it however do not let it set for any length of time.30 days is the max that I let it sit.One you I am mowing I use it and have not had any issues. The storage issue is what gets the ethanol that absorbs moisture and does all sorts of things to your fuel system.Another thing, If your gas can is vented it can allow moisture to be absorbed into the gas. Keep the gas tank air tight and this could prevent water contamination problems later down the line.Ken

 

[M6erfan]

Big fan of Ethanol free gas. Unfortunately there are no stations around me that sell it. I buy VP Racing ethanol free fuel in 5ga cans. Stores for years and I use it in my small engine equipment and vintage motorcycles.

 

[M6erfan]

The thing with ethanol gas is that you can use it however do not let it set for any length of time.30 days is the max that I let it sit.One you I am mowing I use it and have not had any issues. The storage issue is what gets the ethanol that absorbs moisture and does all sorts of things to your fuel system.Another thing, If your gas can is vented it can allow moisture to be absorbed into the gas. Keep the gas tank air tight and this could prevent water contamination problems later down the line.Ken

Not only all that but Ethanol also degrades some plastic/rubber components. Car manufacturers had a big issue with this when Ethanol became the norm about a decade ago.

Small engine manufacturers have been much slower to "ethanol proof" their fuel systems

 

[toyotadriver]

I used ethanol gas all the time and have no fuel related issues. I store gas cans full of ethanol gas for 2 years at a time and it's as good when I pour it into the tank as the day I filled it.

Secret to gas is to store it air tight. All gas, ethanol or not, goes bad. Keep the volatile part of gas from evaporating and it'll store for years.

For those who fear the horrors of ethanol but also preach the virtues of Seafoam....You do realize that Seafoam is mostly alcohol and it's the alcohol that does the cleaning action right?

I use ethanol gas for 2 cycle gas as well. Hung up my weedeater last fall around November and just fired it up a week ago. Started on the third pull. Runs great. Put some 2cycle mix in it (mixed later last summer) and it runs great.

Ethanol is vilified as a horrible monster but it really isn't.

 

[toolenthusiast]

90%+ of people just put them away with last year's gas. I usually just run my equipment out of gas and put it away. Has anyone here ever actually had trouble starting up a mechanically-sound piece of OPE in the spring?

 

[M6erfan]

90%+ of people just put them away with last year's gas. I usually just run my equipment out of gas and put it away. Has anyone here ever actually had trouble starting up a mechanically-sound piece of OPE in the spring?

My father, every-single-year....

I spend hours every spring getting his backpack blower, string trimmer and push mower going.

He "doesn't go in for that non ethanol nonsense"...

 

[drink]

I went through a whole big deal in the fall to winterize my riding mower, push mower, weed eater, blower, and chain saw.
Drain as much gas as possible
Start and run until engine stops.
Add about 1/2 cup of the Trufuel canned fuel from big orange.
Start and run until engine stops
Add trufuel again and run until engine stops

I just learned about ethanol-free fuel being available at a local station$2.89/gallon and only about 5 miles from home. I went this morning and bought 2 gallons. Push mower started on second pull. Riding mower with electric start cranked for about 2 seconds before firing.

I haven't tried it with the two-cycles engine yet, but man, I'm feeling good.

I've heard the additives they put in fuel at the refineries can make a big difference in the fuel in northern climates. People say they do what you are doing and they say it keeps them running.

Years ago I removed the fuel lines off of a small engine and replaced them with Goodyear fuel injector fuel line. I haven't had to clean the carb since and it has been running E10 from the pump for years without a problem. If the materials in the fuel system are not compatible with ethanol then they will have to be replaced.

My leaf blower has been run off of nothing but engineered 40:1 fuel and it has been running with no problems. It cranks everytime and I don't do anything but turn it off after each use with fuel remaining in the tank.

I've seen a lot of newer engines with carbs that have a fuel shut-off solenoid so you don't have to worry about the carb having old fuel gumming it up. My tiller has a small 5 HP Briggs on it and it sat for years with old gas in it. All I do is pour a small amount of gas in the intake of the carb, let it soak in, and it cranks up easily. The fresh gas cleans the carb and the old gas gets shaken back up.

 

[drink]

My Stihl chainsaw is about 30 years old and it has been run off of old fuel in a 1 gallon gas can its whole life. It has been starting up easily all these years. All I do is shake the gas can with premix every time I use it. Sometimes I use more fuel than other times and I have cut a lot of trees with it.

 

[bpjr]

I used ethanol gas all the time and have no fuel related issues. I store gas cans full of ethanol gas for 2 years at a time and it's as good when I pour it into the tank as the day I filled it.

Secret to gas is to store it air tight. All gas, ethanol or not, goes bad. Keep the volatile part of gas from evaporating and it'll store for years.

For those who fear the horrors of ethanol but also preach the virtues of Seafoam....You do realize that Seafoam is mostly alcohol and it's the alcohol that does the cleaning action right?

I use ethanol gas for 2 cycle gas as well. Hung up my weedeater last fall around November and just fired it up a week ago. Started on the third pull. Runs great. Put some 2cycle mix in it (mixed later last summer) and it runs great.

Ethanol is vilified as a horrible monster but it really isn't.

Seafoam is actually 15% alcohol and the rest petroleum products. Seafoam mix ratio is 1 oz per gal so the amount of alcohol is miniscule compared to the full 10% ethanol ratio per gal.

I did some bench testing of Seafoam and Startron (which was supposed to be the best for marine use back then). Seafoam broke down 15 yr old gas/oil mixture sludge (like tar) to liquid inside of an hour. It will dissolve the goop ethanol clogs up a carb with overnight using the 1 oz per gal ratio. Just pump or crank the engine enough to get the treated fuel into the carb. The Startron sat for over 3 weeks and did nothing.

I think some differences here are where you live. 95% humidity is normal here in Florida. If you spill ethanol gas on the top of a red plastic outboard gas tank it immediately (as in no waiting time) starts showing white from sucking in H2O. You can't let a weed wacker sit for months full of ethanol gas without the jets or tank intake filters getting snotty stuff in them. I live on the water which makes it worse. I experienced a huge difference in carb problems when ethanol started. I still run it in my lawn tractor and modern outboards for convenience but not in my small engine stuff. All together I keep 4 antique outboards (25-40 yrs of long term storage), 3 modern outboards (monthly use), 3 chainsaws (2-3 times a yr), 3 weed & hedge trimmers and 1 lawn tractor (weekly for half a year. Now I use stabilizers to store gas and Seafoam
to do the cleaning.

 

[zhaddock]

Maybe I'm the exception but I have never had any problems with ethanol gas in my yard equipment. I've even been tempting the "beast" by just parking the mowers in the fall and leaving them until spring. They always fire right up. I wonder how much is urban myth and how much is true.

 

[bobcatdan]

I never do anything to my small engines in fall and they always start in spring. Only time I ever had trouble is one time I put stabil in.

 

[Packard V8]

I think some differences here are where you live. 95% humidity is normal here in Florida.

Maybe I'm the exception but I have never had any problems with ethanol gas in my yard equipment. I've even been tempting the "beast" by just parking the mowers in the fall and leaving them until spring. They always fire right up. I wonder how much is urban myth and how much is true.

For true, it's a myth in some areas; not in others. Out here in the dry intermountain northwest, I've never had any engine problems I could attribute to 10% gas. Over the years or so we've been forced to use it, there have been at least thirty cars, trucks, mowers, saws, trimmers, rototillers, snowblowers, pressure washers on the property and every one of them starts every time, even after sitting all winter or all summer.

jack vines

 

[aczr2k]

We have a 600 gallon gas barrel at the farm... we don't dump that gas in the fall and refill it in the spring and yes it does have ethanol in it. Usually the people that complain about ethanol are the same ones whose gas cans live outdoors or in the back of the truck with no covers on the fill tube. We've all seen those people. We rarely have any trouble with gas issues from old trucks to chainsaws, weedeaters, ice augers, generators, mowers, tractors whatever...

 

[redmondjp]

I also just started everything up last Friday - I leave my tanks FULL of non-ethanol fuel over the winter. A full tank prevents condensation from forming in the airspace above the liquid level.

 

[bpjr]

For true, it's a myth in some areas; not in others. Out here in the dry intermountain northwest, I've never had any engine problems I could attribute to 10% gas. Over the years or so we've been forced to use it, there have been at least thirty cars, trucks, mowers, saws, trimmers, rototillers, snowblowers, pressure washers on the property and every one of them starts every time, even after sitting all winter or all summer.

jack vines

You would be hard pressed to find any commercial lawn/landscape companies in S. Florida who use ethanol gas. One of my friends is one of them with 40+ employees in the winter and 2x of that in the summer. Most of his large mowers are diesel but all the small engines are run on ethanol free. I guarantee he isn't using it to be trendy.

 

[toyotadriver]

Seafoam is actually 15% alcohol and the rest petroleum products. Seafoam mix ratio is 1 oz per gal so the amount of alcohol is miniscule compared to the full 10% ethanol ratio per gal.

I did some bench testing of Seafoam and Startron (which was supposed to be the best for marine use back then). Seafoam broke down 15 yr old gas/oil mixture sludge (like tar) to liquid inside of an hour. It will dissolve the goop ethanol clogs up a carb with overnight using the 1 oz per gal ratio. Just pump or crank the engine enough to get the treated fuel into the carb. The Startron sat for over 3 weeks and did nothing.

I think some differences here are where you live. 95% humidity is normal here in Florida. If you spill ethanol gas on the top of a red plastic outboard gas tank it immediately (as in no waiting time) starts showing white from sucking in H2O. You can't let a weed wacker sit for months full of ethanol gas without the jets or tank intake filters getting snotty stuff in them. I live on the water which makes it worse. I experienced a huge difference in carb problems when ethanol started. I still run it in my lawn tractor and modern outboards for convenience but not in my small engine stuff. All together I keep 4 antique outboards (25-40 yrs of long term storage), 3 modern outboards (monthly use), 3 chainsaws (2-3 times a yr), 3 weed & hedge trimmers and 1 lawn tractor (weekly for half a year. Now I use stabilizers to store gas and Seafoam
to do the cleaning.

I run 10% ethanol in my boat. No problems.

 

[M6erfan]

I run 10% ethanol in my boat. No problems.

Most likely because its not a "small engine". You run ethanol in your car too, with no issues...

 

[DFB]

Down at the motorcycle shop I frequent we sell the Startron and I've been using it in all my equipment for several years now. I'm totally sold on it. Two air cooled motorcycles, two 2 stroke line trimmers, lawn tractor, two chainsaws, rototiller, a water pump and now will also use it in a new snow blower I recently received. The only piece of equipment I own that I don't use it in is my JD tractor not recommended for diesel

I don't do any other prep anymore but just to add the general measured amounts to reg. 10% ethanol fuel and usually straight dose the fuel tank on the last run of season. Everything runs real smooth too since using it regular. Since I been using it I haven't had any problems where before especially the line trimmers they would gum up bad. The off season which is pretty long for me at usually around 6 months at a time

Years back there was a fuel stabilizer that came in a squeeze can I might even still have some around still but that stuff never did work very good for me.

 

[ilovevocs]

I run 10% ethanol in my boat. No problems.

Just because you haven't had issues doesn't mean you wont. Phase separation is a huge concern with ethanol fuels.

I hope its an old inboard that has a sluggish tune up. All the new EFI 2 strokes are much more sensitive to fuel blends. With new EPA standards they run lean to decrease emissions and meet new admission standards.

 

[Greeny]

A lot of the problems with ethanol gas seem to come from bad storage practices. I've never had a problem, but I always add stabil to my garage gas can, and this is used in my mowers, generator, weedeater and other toys. I also drain the fuel from the equipment and run the carb dry when I know it's going to be set up for an extended period of time. Additionally, when the gas in my garage gas can is a couple months old, I dump it into a vehicle gas tank, including the 2 stroke premix, and re-stock with fresh gas and stabil.

I have picked up numerous projects--dirt bikes, minibikes, lawn tractors, etc., that had gas left in the carbs, and they were gunked up, or even severely corroded. One chinese dirt bike I got was so badly corroded the main jet couldn't screw back in. These are either an easy fix with a good cleaning, or cheap carb replacement. I always figured the corrosion in particular was caused by the ethanol.

 

[T45]

A lot of the problems with ethanol gas seem to come from bad storage practices. I've never had a problem, but I always add stabil to my garage gas can...

Ithought the whole point is that ethanol and modern additives require stabil or other remedial precautions?

 

[SantaAna12]

Just because you haven't had issues doesn't mean you wont. Phase separation is a huge concern with ethanol fuels.

I hope its an old inboard that has a sluggish tune up. All the new EFI 2 strokes are much more sensitive to fuel blends. With new EPA standards they run lean to decrease emissions and meet new admission standards.

Ethanol is a pain in my a$$. Newer carbs have smaller passages......the Ethanol gums up the works and your lucky to get it all out the first tear-down. I invested in an ultrasonic.
Consider yourself lucky if your gear tolerates ethanol.

 

[M6erfan]

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2012/11/14/tech-101-ethanol-in-gasoline-and-its-effects-on-collector-cars/

 

[Mechanical Noise]

Maybe I'm the exception but I have never had any problems with ethanol gas in my yard equipment. I've even been tempting the "beast" by just parking the mowers in the fall and leaving them until spring. They always fire right up. I wonder how much is urban myth and how much is true.

I've never had any storage problems with ethanol gas and that's all I've used in my mowers and snowblower for 30+ years. My "winterizing" drill consists of nothing more than running it empty. Or not. And that's more than most people do.

It's not that I haven't had other ethanol fuel problems. The lawnmower's old carb diaphragm went bad, maybe because of the ethanol, maybe just because it was old. My motorcycle had a nasty midrange lean spot on E-10 but I shimmed up the carb needles and it ran OK.

 

[nbpt100]

Those who deny 10% or higher ethanol in gas is a problem in small engines have just been lucky.

As someone who has been working on small engines for 10 years I have seem my share of ethanol related problems.

As many have said fuel storage is important. Keep your gas can tightly sealed and use some kind of fuel stablilizer. I use Stabil but I am sure the others work as well.

The ultrasonic cleaner is a saving grace for expensive carbs that are not running well, or at all.

Some boat yards and air ports will sell you ehtanol free gas if you bring a gas can. You just can't put it in your car.

 

[aczr2k]

Those who deny 10% or higher ethanol in gas is a problem in small engines have just been lucky.

As someone who has been working on small engines for 10 years I have seem my share of ethanol related problems.

As many have said fuel storage is important. Keep your gas can tightly sealed and use some kind of fuel stablilizer. I use Stabil but I am sure the others work as well.

The ultrasonic cleaner is a saving grace for expensive carbs that are not running well, or at all.

Some boat yards and air ports will sell you ehtanol free gas if you bring a gas can. You just can't put it in your car.

Yeah you've probably been working on everyone else's problems.. same people that use dirty ****** fuel.. can't blame poor habits necessarily on ethanol. Even back before ethanol people had carb problems...it's nothing new.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mechanical Noise]

Those who deny 10% or higher ethanol in gas is a problem in small engines have just been lucky.

I've been lucky for over 3 decades. Most everyone I know has had similar luck.

I don't deny that ethanol fuels can't have problems but I'm old enough to remember when 100% gasoline fuels would gum up or leave awful deposits or turn corrosive, too.

 

[redmondjp]

I've been lucky for over 3 decades. Most everyone I know has had similar luck.

I don't deny that ethanol fuels can't have problems but I'm old enough to remember when 100% gasoline fuels would gum up or leave awful deposits or turn corrosive, too.

Well you're lucky then.

I've got about 4' left of a 25' roll of 1/4" fuel line, from all of the cracked, dried-up, hardened fuel lines (from the alcohol) that I've replaced over the past 3 years on all of my equipment.

I switched to alcohol-free gasoline for my small equipment a few years ago, and I have never looked back. Plus, it smells like gasoline, not mineral spirits.

 

[M6erfan]

yeah, and my grandpappys .22LR that hasn't been cleaned or oiled in 40 years and gets left outside year round shoots 1/4" groups at 100yds everytime....

Theres always that guy. I guess anything's possible

 

[redmondjp]

yeah, and my grandpappys .22LR that hasn't been cleaned or oiled in 40 years and gets left outside year round shoots 1/4" groups at 100yds everytime....

Theres always that guy. I guess anything's possible

To be fair, I think that there are definitely regional (which refinery the gas comes from) and geographical (air temp and humidity) factors which factor into this issue.

In the PNW, I've had E10 go bad several times, while sitting in my lawn mower tank for only a couple of months over the summer - no sign of water at all in the tank, but enough of the volatiles had left that the gas just wouldn't light off. Took me taking the carb apart (finding nothing wrong) and then refilling with fresh fuel to finally make the connection as to what was going on.

And our gas doesn't smell right - it smells like paint thinner, so I don't know what the are also blending in with it besides the alcohol. The alcohol-free gas that I use now smells like, well, gasoline! Just like it did 40 years ago.

 

[Mechanical Noise]

Well you're lucky then.

Pretty much everyone else around here must be just as lucky as me. That's what I find interesting. I believe the typical case has the Wal-Mart mower with half a tank of gas pushed into the corner of the garage for 4 months. Yet, there's no epidemic of dead mowers in the spring.

Maybe the dry air of the cold winters makes a difference.

I've got about 4' left of a 25' roll of 1/4" fuel line, from all of the cracked, dried-up, hardened fuel lines (from the alcohol) that I've replaced over the past 3 years on all of my equipment.

I don't doubt it but I don't understand it. Ethanol or not, why use crappy fuel line? Isn't there a liability issue? E-10 has been around here for 40 years. Briggs & Stratton (for example) is made in a Corn State which abuts the famously crooked State of ADM. Were the manufacturers caught by SURPRISE?

Ethanol has been around 40 years, ozone has been around even longer.

Maybe the manufacturers are finally reaching the end of their OWN humongous roll of hose, the one they've been cutting pieces off since Ike was President.

I switched to alcohol-free gasoline for my small equipment a few years ago, and I have never looked back. Plus, it smells like gasoline, not mineral spirits.

Good that something works for you. I'm not arguing against anyone's experience. It seems to me that there must be more than only ethanol in the fuel causing the problems some people are having.

 

[tvtaurus]

I went through a whole big deal in the fall to winterize my riding mower, push mower, weed eater, blower, and chain saw.
Drain as much gas as possible
Start and run until engine stops.
Add about 1/2 cup of the Trufuel canned fuel from big orange.
Start and run until engine stops
Add trufuel again and run until engine stops

I just learned about ethanol-free fuel being available at a local station$2.89/gallon and only about 5 miles from home. I went this morning and bought 2 gallons. Push mower started on second pull. Riding mower with electric start cranked for about 2 seconds before firing.

I haven't tried it with the two-cycles engine yet, but man, I'm feeling good.

I did something similar last year. I cycle the old gas out of the drum for the generator and run it through the mower during the summer. When it came time to put it away for winter, I ran the tank almost dry. Then I shut off the petcock and ran the engine until it quit. Put fresh gas in it and it started up after a painful amount of cranking to prime the carb.

 

[nes999]

I winterize every small motor I have. In addition I run my mower and boat motor dry after every use. I had a few bad cases of ethanol plugging my equipment up. Unfortunately isn't any ethanol free has locally.

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

 

[theoldwizard1]

I just "summerized" my Toro 2 stroke snow blower. It has run on E10 and synthetic 2 stroke oil all of it life. I got smart a couple of years ago and bought a bunch of fule shut off valves and some spring clamps. Cut the hose, insert the valve and clamps.

It took me <10 minutes to start it up, let it warm up and reach down, shut off the valve and wait for the engine to die.