Storing lawnmower

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JeremyB

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Hi Guys

As the fall is moving along here and grass slowing down I got to thinking about the best way to store my lawnmower for the winter. I ask now as I got a new one at the beginning of the year and have heard people tell me to store it one way and others say something different.

Is the best way to add stabilizer to the gas and fill up the lawmower and put it in the shed until Spring?

Or should I run it dry and leave it that way? I have heard that can be bad for seals?

Any help would be great? also how long will stabilizer keep gas fresh for?

Thanks for any help

Jeremy
 
Jeremy,
depends on the type of equipment. If its a riding mower or something with a larger built in tank, then using the stabilizer is a good idea. The newer versions of Stabil are made for the modern gas with alcohol in it. If its a small trim mower where you can run it out of gas, then go ahead and do it. It won't hurt the seals at all. Any two stroke trim equipment such as weedeaters, blowers, edgers, etc, drain the gas out of them and start out with fresh premix in the spring. If you are putting them in the shed, some WD-40 wouldn't hurt on any of the metal parts that could rust. If its a piece of equipment that needs oil changed, I try to plan that for when I am getting ready to put them away for the winter. Then you are all set in the spring. Good time to sharpen blades, clean undersides of the deck, etc.
Mike Hawkins:)
 
Cheers Mike,

I guess I should have mentioned that but yeah its a craftsman push mower. So I should just run it dead and put it away? As far as weedeaters thats what I do is run them dry and make a new premix in spring.
 
My mower has a built in stabil cartridge holder in the gas cap that releases drips of stabil into the gas tank over a period of time.
I don't use that option.

However, there are two recommended options:

1) run it out of gas, change the oil, refill the tank with a gas/stabil mix and run the mower to get the stabil entirely into the fuel system and finally, remove the spark plug and oil fog the piston cylinder.

2) (what I do), change the oil, drain the gas tank via the hose on the bottom of the gas tank, start the mower until it runs out of gas in the fuel system, remove the float bowl and pour it out, leave the cap off the gas tank until it dries out too, then fog the piston cylinder and pull the cord a few times with the spark plug removed to distribute the oil in the cylinder, reinstall the spark plug & your done.
 
For the last cut of the year I use gas with stabilizer in it then store it when done. I top it off with fresh gas in the Spring and it always starts on the first pull. I do the same with an 8 HP leaf blower and a snow blower and they also start on the first pull. This has worked well for me for many years.
FWIW
YMMV
 
Most of the time the cheap mowers I buy (push mowers) the deck and wheels wear out before the engine. My fall regiment before putting away is run it out of gas, flip it over and clean the deck really good with a putty knife and oil the bottom of the deck. In the spring change the oil and sharpen the blade, check the air filter, fill with gas and mow. If it doesn’t start pull the plug and clean it.

When one or more wheels fall off or I see major cracks or holes in the deck I set it at the curb with a free sign and it’s gone within an hour. Go to Wally world and buy another and curse during assembly about how cheap they are made and all the stupid safety gizmos they have added from the last one. I always look at the fancy ones like the Honda but can’t see spending 4 times as much so I go with the Brigs.
 
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