Lawn mower for the winter: what do you do?

BigClay

BigClay

Knower of useless ZJ things
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Location
Winston-Salem
This evening I hopefully mowed for the last time this season. So what do you do for storing a mower for the winter? Do you drain all the gas or do you fill it slap full? I have heard arguments for both.
 
BigClay said:
This evening I hopefully mowed for the last time this season.
Click to expand...
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣


:flipoff::flipoff::flipoff::flipoff::flipoff:


I still got AT LEAST two more months of this ish!

But, to answer the question, I try to run it all the way out. It ends up getting cranked back up in 3ish months so not a huge deal. When I do, I fill the tank with fresh (I always use ethanol free in everything other than my DDs)
 
All the gas cans get Stabil when they are filled, every time, all year 'round, so I don't have to worry about anything - mower, atv, etc.

Sometimes I take the battery out and bring it into the garage, so it's not out in the colder shed. But I also take the mower deck off and put a plow on it, because Boone.
 
I only run non-ethanol gas in all my gas equipment except the wife’s Grand Cherokee because she burns thru it fast enough I don’t worry about it.
I rotate the battery trickle charger between the riding mower and the 4-wheeler.
The push mower takes an extra pull or two the first time I use it in the spring.
But everything works.
By the way, my push mower is 19 years old and only had 1 oil change. the riding mower is 16 years old and only had two oil changes and probably 4 or 5 batteries.
 
CLRracer said:
I park it with whatever is left in it and pray to the ethanol gods that they leave the carb alone for one more year......

Duane
Click to expand...
this
I'll sell it early spring anyway so its not my problem
 
VortecJeep said:
I only run non-ethanol gas in all my gas equipment except the wife’s Grand Cherokee because she burns thru it fast enough I don’t worry about it.
I rotate the battery trickle charger between the riding mower and the 4-wheeler.
The push mower takes an extra pull or two the first time I use it in the spring.
But everything works.
By the way, my push mower is 19 years old and only had 1 oil change. the riding mower is 16 years old and only had two oil changes and probably 4 or 5 batteries.
Click to expand...
Heck fire! I bet you could ah, borrow a quart or two, from work, & the rider probably has a $3 filter to replace; Cheapskate!:buttkick:
 
My mowers, trimmers, & Jeep, all get Non-ethanol. And even then a little dose of oil in the gas, every so often. Even with non eth, if it's going to sit for 3 months, it's best to let it run out of gas, even play with the choke, if it has one. Get every last drop out you can. And, it helps for that last little bit of gas, to have some type oil, atf, or 2 cycle mix, in it. The tiny bit of oil will hopefully keep the needle & seat from sticking, & help any gaskets exposed to gas.
 
You guys don't run your mowers year round? My grass barely dies, I chop up leaves, and I have to redistribute dog crap at least once a month. I run regular gas in all my stuff and use it all the time, so I never have any issues. My early 90s generator gets the gas turned off and I let it run until it dies. I do put some stabil in that because it sits for a long time, but I always leave things either totally full or totally empty when they sit. My CUCV is the only thing with a metal tank, so I try to always leave it full.
 
As a landscaper my stuff dont sit for long but here's what I do. I use ONLY non ethanol fuel from the same source every week. For any two cycle equipment that sits for longer than a month I pour out the fuel and then run it until it won't go anymore using the choke to suck it all out of the tank and then put it away. For regular motors that may sit, I try to run out the regular fuel and put some of my 2 cycle in it and then run it out of fuel with that gas.
My 2 cycle consists of KNOWN good non ethanol fuel and Echo Red Armor 2 cycle oil mixed per manufacturers recommendations. StaBil and any additives are NO GOOD...
 
R Q said:
As a landscaper my stuff dont sit for long but here's what I do. I use ONLY non ethanol fuel from the same source every week. For any two cycle equipment that sits for longer than a month I pour out the fuel and then run it until it won't go anymore using the choke to suck it all out of the tank and then put it away. For regular motors that may sit, I try to run out the regular fuel and put some of my 2 cycle in it and then run it out of fuel with that gas.
My 2 cycle consists of KNOWN good non ethanol fuel and Echo Red Armor 2 cycle oil mixed per manufacturers recommendations. StaBil and any additives are NO GOOD...
Click to expand...

Curious about the negatives of stabil ?
 
R Q said:
As a landscaper my stuff dont sit for long but here's what I do. I use ONLY non ethanol fuel from the same source every week. For any two cycle equipment that sits for longer than a month I pour out the fuel and then run it until it won't go anymore using the choke to suck it all out of the tank and then put it away. For regular motors that may sit, I try to run out the regular fuel and put some of my 2 cycle in it and then run it out of fuel with that gas.
My 2 cycle consists of KNOWN good non ethanol fuel and Echo Red Armor 2 cycle oil mixed per manufacturers recommendations. StaBil and any additives are NO GOOD...
Click to expand...

I was hoping you would chime in and tell me what you do. Thanks!
 
I buy gas from wherever. I put it in things that use gas. Generally, they start whenever I want them to start. If they don't start, it's usually because the battery is dead or the air filter is stopped up. I have a couple of things that will clog the carburetor no matter what you put in them. Those just get hosed out periodically.
 
Have been using Sta-Bil 360 Marine in all small engines for years. Never an issue since, even on saws and things that sit for months at a time. It neutralizes the methanol and was developed for carbureted boats.
 
Non ethanol in my 2003 yama 4 stroke boat tank w ring free for many years and it cranks and runs fine every time. Ethanol w Lucas ethanol treatment in my B&S 24 hp riding mower that has about 500 hrs. on it and I use it about all year long cutting grass and chewing and blowing leaves into the natural areas. I also put the lucas in the S10 that doesn't get run much, maybe once a month or 2.
 
I will say for 2 strokes i usually just run ethanol free like 90 octane or whatever they have. and red armor oil at like a 45 to 1.
But last time i ran up to fill up my mixed can and some old guy with 10 jugs was taking forever, so i just got 2.5 gallons of cam2 and mixed it.

Sure does smell good blowing leaves this afternoon.
 
I'm glad to see a few ppl throwing out red armor. Been using it for years and swearing by it. Glad to know others feel the same.
 
Back
Top