Storage is a widely opinionated topic! Return To Homepage
We provide some common sense to the topic and remove the need of products by changing procedures for some situations. We also provide some of the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Here is the skinny and the fat of it all. Storage means to place securely until such time as needed, and implies with proper procedures to insure its condition will not deteriorate. There are many aspects to this wide topic and even more opinions as to the proper steps necessary to be successful. Relating this topic to the human body makes some of its aspects come to life. No matter how well we treat our own bodies, death is eminent. This may not be true of equipment as long parts remain available. The average age before parts obsolescence is shortening fast, but I expect the best we can hope for today is 15-20 years given the right manufacturer. That being said, the other side of the coin is infant mortality! Infant Mortality - the things that were wrong or went wrong from the start that caused an early “retirement” of the Equipment. In between is where most equipment falls naturally, with hopes to get out there 15 to 20 years.
Since we cannot stop time or its impact totally, some degradation must occur no matter how good. If our aim was to preserve a brand new unit forever, we’d buy it, never use it, seal it up, crate up some spares and put it in a time capsule for our Great-Great Grandkids. I believe you'd have to cut the grass before that. Now we could do this kind of preservation every winter for a couple or three months, and the cost probably of doing so after a couple of years would buy a new mower! If a new mower won’t last two years without such effort, then it was never worth buying. People who sell stuff will tell you all kinds of things you must do to store stuff, and each has the products to sell you to get the job done. I’m not selling that here, I’m giving you a free method to preserve it and you don’t have to pay me for the info or the products, but first lets look at nesting, a storage problem:
Other Storage Factors: Nesting!
We recommend a moth ball ring around the storage area and around the engine to prevent winter nesting in the engine. This is far more
Common than you can imagine. Approximately 20% of engines are prone to nesting and approximately 50% of the storage areas are conducive to nesting.
Answers for Storage while you are with the equipment - ie not away.
3 years protection, anti oxidents, Ethanol shield, Octane booster, and more in one PROVEN product.We recommend and Carry B&S Advanced Formula - Click to learn more!
BEST RECOMMENDATION I CAN GIVE IS TO TREAT ALL GAS CANS WITH THE ABOVE B&S PRODUCT, BOTH MIXED AND REGULAR, THEREBY ALL GAS USED AND IN EQUIPMENT IS TREATED FOR 3 YEARS PROTECTION.
2 Cycle equipment
such as chainsaws, Leaf blowers, String Trimmers, and many other products in
this lightweight class are often inexpensive unless you are buying professional
equipment. As such, at what cost and effort is warranted? For most, all I would
recommend is simply store it in a dry upright place not quit empty of gas, or truly
empty if you wish, fill it with fresh gas (since a 2 cycle MIXED!) when ready to use it, and hope for
the best. Later, this logic will be explained. If you wish to do better see our
“Run it” method. Two Cycle Engines have features or
traits that greatly improve the fuel systems ability to start after long
storage. Things such as all-position gas caps that don’t vent freely, smaller
gas tanks, Oil in the fuel and carb’s, etc. So aside from relative cost, it’s
inherent fuel stability and ability to run on stale fuel reduce the need to
perform complicated storage techniques. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND ALL MIXED GAS TO BE AT LEAST 32 TO 1, NEVER 50 TO 1.
Outboards: Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
All 4 cycle engines: Either Run it or Do it Like Kohler or Briggs
For Lawn Tractor or other Chassis Storage ideas see Briggs.
Honda on Avoiding Fuel Related Problems
High Pressure washers need to be drained or stored where they don’t freeze! There is now a product called Pump Saver to store the pump lubricated. See the Owner’s manual.
Storage For Snow Geese going South for the winter or Unattended Storage 2months or longer:
Treat with B&S Advanced formula before leaving, or continually. OK Get to work first. The most important thing is that fuel goes stale, grows bacteria, converts to thick varnish, etc. If it’s impractacle to get it empty, stabilize and add fresh fuel 3 hours before trying to restart it. Fogging helps prevent corrosion, and if done, has to be done in the last run before the fuel is drained. Also see our information about Water and on last tank of gas treat according to normal recommendations with Isopropyl. Most of the rest of the steps you take in accordance with Manufacturer’s recommendations is to prolong life, prevent corrosion and prevent related problems which admittedly could impede operation when you next need the equipment, but have little to do with getting the engine running except the air filter and spark plug(s).
If all my customer’s followed the recommendations here, it would cut my income down! We are human and have much to do. So when we are asked to winterize or prepare for storage for you, we assume you cannot “Run It” and do what we feel is correct for your given situation.