I'm getting ready to put my lawn care equipment to bed for the winter and have been doing a bit of research about the best way to do it but thought I would check with you guys. I'm tired of having to replace fuel lines and carburetors on this stuff and am looking to try and make sure when spring comes around my equipment starts and runs as it should. If it makes a difference it is a mix of Echo, Husqvarna, and Sthil.

I’ve always run the tanks dry on mine, and that seems to be working.

Don't leave any fuel with ethanol in them.

I never put my OPE completely to bed . My ZTR is used to mulch leaves throughout the winter . Blower is used as well . Weedeater gets run at least once a month . Gas cans get a dose of fuel stabilizer . I guess if you live somewhere that gets snow , etc, then it's a different story .
I just prefer to run my equipment year round so that I know it will be ok when it comes time . YMMV .

I used a lawnboy from the age of 12 until I moved out on my own. The only thing we ever did was let them run dry of the gas/oil mixture. My dad hung it up on the garage wall a few years after I moved out so he could buy a self propelled mower since he was getting older.


I stupidly never thought to grab it since I had bought a ZT for my lawn. That Lawnboy had a lightweight magnesium deck with a 23” cut and probably cut 4 residential lawns for at least 20 years and was still running strong when put up.

Non-ethanol gas is the key. Go to www.pure-gas.org and you can find stations in your area that offer ethanol-free fuel.

I've never had an issue with leaving non-ethanol fuel sitting in my mowers over the winter. I run my mower mostly - but not fully - empty on the last mow (usually late October/early November), and then next spring (usually late March/early April) it fires right up after being topped off with new non-ethanol fuel.

Even on gas weed eaters, the only time I've had to replace a carb and fuel line where when I acquired a used weed eater that the owner had been using with ethanol gas in the gas/oil mix for several years. After the rebuild, I used non-ethanol gas from that point forward, with no further problems for the next decade before I switched to an electric string trimmer.

I have some pre mix fuel in a can, from ACE hardware. If don't use a machine for a few months I will empty the existing fuel in the tank and run a little of the fuel in a can in it until it stalls, then empty what little is left in the fuel tank.

dump what's in the tank and run them dry.

I run them dry, put a small amount non ethanol gas and run that dry. I tend to go 10 yrs without having to clean carbs or replace hoses so I guess it works.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:
Don't leave any fuel with ethanol in them.

At the end of the season, I put a little ethanol-free small engine fuel in the tank and then run it dry. That ensure there is no ethanol fuel in the carburetor.

If you aren't running Recreational Gas (Ethanol Free) then you need to drain the tank and run the equipment until it dies. I used to leave the tank cap off and use a coffee filter in the fill neck to keep debris, bugs, etc out and allow any remaining fumes to evaporate.

If you're running Rec gas... put it away and know you can pull it out next year and it will run fine.

Thanks for the replies. I was running Trufuel in chainsaws but just regular pump gas in the weedeaters. I recently found a place not too far away that sells non ethanol gas and I have been running everything one that for the last couple of months. I think I will try to periodically start everything over the winter rather than just letting them sit. With no ethanol gas and a good two stroke oil, I wonder if running them dry or leaving fuel in them makes much of a difference?

During the winter , when you're bored and need something to do go out in the shop and crank your OPE.

I run mine dry of gas then pull the spark plug squirt a few drops of oil in
put the plug back in and slowly pull the rope a few times to coat the piston with oil.
Don't know if it does any good been doing it for years, starts up every spring.

Sta-Bil, never an issue ever. Both 2 and 4 strokes get it.

Drain the tank, and run it dry.

I run premixed gas for all my two cycle equipment. Tractor supply is one place I buy it. They are supposed to already have a stabilizer added and good for two years. If you buy a Stihl product and a gallon of their premixed gas it doubles the warranty, at least it did when I bought my last week eater.
Ethanol free gas in my Z mower and Mustang when I store it for winter.

quote:

Originally posted by vandrv:I think I will try to periodically start everything over the winter rather than just letting them sit.

Good luck with this. I’ve told myself similar things only to forget. This method is setting yourself up to fail. Emptying the tanks and running them dry is automatic success.

quote:

Originally posted by vandrv:With no ethanol gas and a good two stroke oil, I wonder if running them dry or leaving fuel in them makes much of a difference?

Again, automatic success vs potential failure.

Over three months, most likely not an issue. Where I’ve had problems with ethanol free is equipment at our summer place. The equipment is left for 8 months. With carbs vented to the atmosphere on the lawn mower for example, the gas in the float bowl evaporates, the float lowers allowing more gas in which evaporates. The cycle continued until all the gas in the tank is gone and everything in the float bowl including the main jet is covered in varnish.

quote:

Originally posted by vandrv:
I was running Trufuel in chainsaws but just regular pump gas in the weedeaters.

I put TruFuel in everything. I have let stuff sit for a year before with TruFuel, and when it is needed, it always fires right back up.

I run the tank dry on my weed whacker, and use a fresh gas mix in the Spring & it's always started right up.

The chainsaw gets occasional use during the Winter, so I make a point of starting it & letting it run for a bit every Monday morning. Same goes for the tractor, snow blower, and generator. When I really need that stuff, it's usually not a nice day & I want it to start without a lot of messing around.