Run a engine dry vs leaving in the carb

[johnsopi]

I uses to run my splitter dry at the end of the day. I don't do that any more. I use stabill in the now.
People at work run everything dry 4 and 2 stoke.

 

[Classic6048]

I do if its put away for the season. I'll run stabil with a bit of marvel mystery oil in the tank let it run then shut the gas off till it dies then pull the plugs and pour a few drops of marvel mystery oil in the cylinders and slowly pull it over a few times then replace the plugs.

This season I'm going to try the new marine grade stabil it suppose to be better for this ethanol crap their feeding us. Isn't funny we always pay one way or another.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I've heard convincing arguments on both sides of the issue. I blue Stabil (Used to use red.), use a quality oil, and leave fuel in the bowl.

Matt

 

[rowerwet]

I run my lawn mower out of gas for the last mow of the season, I also store my generator with no gas in the carb. I don't want to take any chances with a gummed up carb when I need power, even with stabil. I know I will use the lawn mower every week or two so I don't worry about gum then, but my generator may not get used again each time the power comes on. The last thing I want to do by flashlight in the dark is try to degum a carb. ( also usualy in rain/wind/snow/cold)

 

[Jamess67]

I try to run all my equipment once a month just to be safe.

 

[Dune]

If one were to always run their small engines dry, it would remove all doubt as to whether there was potential carb damage or not.

 

[NoPaint]

Dry is a good idea. I wouldn't make it an effort to use the fuel but on the last run of the season I wouldn't refuel until its done. I would also run some oil through the gas to lube up the top end and carb needle and float bushings. The best is Marvels Mystery Oil.

 

[Corey]

I just leave gas in everything...try and throw in stabil when I can, but I've almost given up on that. I figure I will just let the ethanol keep the carbs clean. So far never had an ounce of trouble. Ever see gum or varnish build up in a bottle of vodka?

 

[mayhem]

Dry is probably the better choice long term, but to be honest I've never had a problem getting my mowers, saws, leafblowers or any other power devices with 6 month old gas in the tank and carb. Bad habit I know, but bad gas seems to burn just as well as fresh gas.

 

[rowerwet]

Had a guy at work (fueler not a mechanic) come and ask me about his leafblower, it would start but not make any power, he was going to take it to the shop but if it cost more than he paid for it ($50 used) he was going to buy a new one. it was 5 years old and had last years gas in it. I told him put a new plug in it (it has a spark plug?) hit it with some gumout, and fresh gas, if that doesn't work you will be out less than the cost of visiting the shop. It fired right up and made power with the gumout, and fresh plug. (I should have charged him for looking at it(another guy paid $50 just to drop off his chainsaw)) Then I told him about stabil, but I told him run it out of gas at the end of the season is the best bet.

 

[savageactor7]

We use stable too, all engines 2&4;stroke get topped off in the late fall. Sometime in spring I'll remove the old gas which goes into the cub Cadets. With the added new fuel I'll start all the engines, run for 5 min...then change the oil on everything, now we're ready for the season.

 

[JerseyWreckDiver]

I can't resist...

I blue Stabil
Matt

What'd that taste like???

:cheese:

 

[dondude]

I hope to make use of my huskee splitter and saws this summer. You can never have enough wood. I did run my lawn tractor and weed whacker dry though.

 

[RAY_PA]

I try to run all my equipment once a month just to be safe.

Me Too!
Especially the lawn mower during the winter months, good for the carb and the battery.

 

[Highbeam]

Most every two-stroke oil includes a sta-bil style preservative so you shouldn't need to add both stabil and premix oil to your two stroke fuel. I do it though just because every single bit of gasoline that I put into the cans gets treated with sta-bil year round and then use it.

I run all of the 4-stroke stuff dry and but not the s-strokes because the carbs on the 2-strokes don't have a bowl and float like on a lawnmower carb. No bowl full of funky fuel means that they are less likely to get gummed up and cause sticks and clogs.

I have an old JD riding mower with a 12HP kawasaki engine that I did not run dry this winter. I brought it out to mow the yard about 2 weeks ago on a nice day. I eventually got it started but the float was stuck down and the carb was overflowing with gasoline and blowing it all over the driveway! I had to drop the bowl off and do a "gumout" rebuild and then it worked perfectly on the old gas.

I have rebuild big carburetors that were fouled by truly spoiled gasoline, all kinds of goop and crystals inside. It is a smell that you can't miss and won't forget. It takes years to get gas to spoil like that and I just don't see it happeneing.

 

[Dune]

Around here a new carb costs almost as much as a new small engine. Use the fuel shut off valve to kill the motor instead of the ignition or grounding strap, and you will never need a new carb.

 

[realstihl]

I never leave a carb dry. Seals in carb will dry out. I start once in while during warm winter days, only on the 4 cycle engines. The gas mix for 2 cycle engines has stabilizers so no worry.

 

[kork]

For off season storage I use left over fogging oil from OMC. We use it to store ouboard motors ouside during the winter, so I use it for my lawnmower, tiller, chainsaw as well. Run the engin to operating temp and shoot it into carb until it stalls out, it coats everything inside. It does foul the plug but I usually change them out every season anyway, just wait till you do the intial startup.
Hank