I just add stabilizer and about 10% of 2-cycle oil to the fuel then run the engine for a while.

 

I add a fuel stabilizer and a carb cleaner to my gas can so it's already in all my equipment fuel tanks and carburetors. Then for metal gas tanks I keep the tank full, for plastic I drain the tank and carburetor.

 

If I let the engine runout of gas, does it do the samething as draining the tank and carb?

 

I have a new Spring procedure I have been using for about 4 or 5 years now, its working fine.

Winter: use the snowblower with non-ethanol gas only, and seafoam added to every gallon.
Spring: do nothing.
Summer: do nothing.

Autumn:
Start her up for a few minutes to warm up the oil and mix up the oil.
Drain the tank of old gas from the last use in March.
Drain the warm oil, do an oil change, lube and grease moving parts.
Add new fresh non-ethanol gas with seafoam.
Start her up for a test run. ready for another winter.

The key to this being sucessful is *non-ethanol gas*..
If you dont have that option, and you have to use gas with ethanol, then you should definately drain the tank, carb, and gas lines, remove all gas, in the spring.

Scot

 

lots of controversy about gas, non-ethanol gas and 10% ethanol .

some areas of the country are lucky to be able to get NON, others are not, for those that can get it USE IT! others in states that it's not available , adding a ethanol gasoline stabilizer to the storage can is a MOST DO.

personally i always add stabilizer and carb cleaner to my storage can so it's always ready, i do not drain the fuel tank steel or plastic ,i leave it full. i do run the carb dry after shutting the valve off . while running the carb dry,i marine fog the motor so that the valves and bores have a light coating over them to help prevent rusting.

my personal look is what's good for storing a boat's motor is for sure good enough for a lawn machine.

 

No, there can still be gas in the carb's bowl, and also some remaining in the tank, depending on the angle of the tank versus the gas outlet in the tank.

 

i do oil changes on engines as needed. it is not like you need to do oil changes every year. i partially go off the color/look of the oil or maybe every 2+ years depending on how much i use the machine. all my lawn equipment is 2 stroke so it is always getting fresh oil in them.

i run ethanol free fuel in anything with a carb on it and never drain any of my machines. has worked good so far. everything always fires up like i was using it yesterday with premium.

why would you remove the spark plug? i have heard of people doing that and putting a couple squirts of oil into the cylinder and turning the engine a few rotations to lubricate the cylinder to keep the piston from sticking but that is really not needed too often.