Storing two stroke equipment

BunkMoreland

I've a chainsaw, string trimmer and (4 stroke) lawnmower. This equipment is idle long term (4-5 months over winter) and short term (2-5 weeks between usage).

What is the best practice for short term and long term storage?

I've read various opinions, some leave the fuel tank full, some empty it and run the engine until all fuel is gone, some add stabilizer to the fuel, some put in petrol without 2 stroke oil mix...

Some say emptying fuel will dry out the seals, some say leaving in fuel will corrode and gunk up various parts.

dipper.meath16

BunkMoreland wrote: »

I've a chainsaw, string trimmer and (4 stroke) lawnmower. This equipment is idle long term (4-5 months over winter) and short term (2-5 weeks between usage).

What is the best practice for short term and long term storage?

I've read various opinions, some leave the fuel tank full, some empty it and run the engine until all fuel is gone, some add stabilizer to the fuel, some put in petrol without 2 stroke oil mix...

Some say emptying fuel will dry out the seals, some say leaving in fuel will corrode and gunk up various parts.

Hi op,

Always empty the fuels from these as not only does the 2stroke seperate from the petrol but the petrol will also corrode the fuel lines and other rubbers within the carb.

TomOnBoard

dipper.meath16 wrote: »

Hi op,

Always empty the fuels from these as not only does the 2stroke seperate from the petrol but the petrol will also corrode the fuel lines and other rubbers within the carb.

+1

fergus1001

dipper.meath16 wrote: »

Hi op,

Always empty the fuels from these as not only does the 2stroke seperate from the petrol but the petrol will also corrode the fuel lines and other rubbers within the carb.

That's it in a nutshell you will end up having to replace parts and seals in your crab

Conmaicne Mara

We always empty out as much fuel as possible, then run the machine dry. Seems to work, not going to bluff I know the technical stuff.

BunkMoreland

Would you leave the fuel cap loose to allow any remaining liquid evaporate?

CJhaughey

Long term 4-5 months.
Start and warm the engine up to operating temp.
Stop engine and empty the tank.
Start engine and idle until the machine runs out of fuel.

Short term, 2-5 weeks should be fine.
If you use Aspen then it will be no problem at all for longer.

The petrol isn't the issue, its what else is in the petrol that causes issues.
Pump fuel has ethanol added and this absorbs water from the atmosphere and causes corrosion of metal parts, the alcohol also causes rapid deterioration of some rubber parts like diaphragms and fuel lines.

If you run 2 strokes on Aspen for a tank or two before laying-up it greatly reduces the damage that Ethanol does to engine components.

kay 9

Aspen all the way.

Oldtree

don't have any problems to report with aspen and fuel lines and leaving it in the tank for ages, other that it is a pleasure to work with.

TomOnBoard

Can anyone advise a place that sells Aspen at a good price.
Thanks

Oldtree

I get mine here:

http://www.mower-power.com/shannonside/product.asp?numPageStartPosition=1&strPageHistory=cat&strKeywords=&strSearchCriteria=&PT_ID=206&P_ID=776&btnProduct=More+details

Pushing the health agenda... I used to get a bio chain oil from Maxol distributer (Biomax)
http://www.maxolubes.ie/maxoldocuments/MAXOL%20BIOMAX%20CHAIN%20SAW.pdf
but I don't see it listed on their website now. But these have a bio chain oil http://www.finol.ie/lubricants-oils/agriculture/chain-oils/chainbio/ whose specs look similar.

cj maxx

kay 9 wrote: »

Aspen all the way.

What is aspen? A fuel or an additive?
Never heard of it !

Jonty

Its a fuel

http://www.aspenfuel.co.uk/

Tokyo

cjmc wrote: »

What is aspen? A fuel or an additive?
Never heard of it !

It's a very pure form of petrol that's refined in a particular way. The big advantage (other than it being very clean burning) is that the fuel doesn't go "off" when left sitting in the tank, and it doesn't cause any build-up in the carburetor.

Oldtree

The lack of fumes choking you has to be experienced to be believed when using aspen in a saw. I use the four stroke version of aspen too in the lawnmower and it performs equally well.