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I'm from a tropical country so this question really does not apply to me. But at least for academic reasons, I am curious why gas must not stay in a lawn mower all winter. What is the thinking here? I am sure I'm missing something.

adan said:

I'm from a tropical country so this question really does not apply to me. But at least for academic reasons, I am curious why gas must not stay in a lawn mower all winter. What is the thinking here? I am sure I'm missing something.

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Gasoline sold today has a very short shelf life, they recommend you use stored fuel within 30 days, or it tends to gum up fuel lines and carb innards. Personally, I disagree, I have used fuel stored for a year with no problems, or three years if treated with gas stabilizer. I have found most of the problem with older gas in mowers, it tends to evaporate from the carb float bowl and clog the main jet in the bottom of the carb...

As mentioned, the gas today needs sta-bil or similar stabalizer - mainly because here in the US nearly all gas has ethanol mixed in and it causes problems when stored for long periods.

Any engine that is not going to be run over winter should be run dry and or add "marine formula sta-bil" designed to eliminate ethanol problems. The marine formula is blue and you may need to ask for it.

BKBrown said:

As mentioned, the gas today needs sta-bil or similar stabalizer - mainly because here in the US nearly all gas has ethanol mixed in and it causes problems when stored for long periods.

Any engine that is not going to be run over winter should be run dry and or add "marine formula sta-bil" designed to eliminate ethanol problems. The marine formula is blue and you may need to ask for it.

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Thanks BK, I always drain my power equipment but have never seen the marine formula, will check on it while at the store today...I learned something new !!!

OK -- I find it at Tractor Supply in the large bottle -- Advance Auto sometimes has it, but in a smaller bottle that is nearly as expensive as the double size at Tractor Supply.

do a web search for sta-bil

Marine Formula STA-BIL
1.Where can I purchase MARINE Formula STA-BILｮ?
2.How does MARINE Formula STA-BILｮ Ethanol Treatment and Performance Improver work, and how is it different from Regular STA-BIL?
3.How much of the gasoline currently sold in the United States has some percentage of ethanol blended into it?
4.In what types of fuel can MARINE Formula STA-BILｮ Ethanol Treatment and Performance Improver be used?
5.Can I use MARINE Formula STA-BILｮ Ethanol Treatment and Performance Improver in my marine engine(s) and also in my other gasoline-powered outdoor equipment engines too?
6.Is MARINE Formula STA-BILｮ Ethanol Treatment safe to use?
7.Why is using MARINE Formula STA-BILｮ Ethanol Treatment a better way to store fuel than draining it from the fuel tank and fuel system?
8.How long will MARINE Formula STA-BILｮ Ethanol Treatment keep fuel fresh?
9.How much MARINE Formula STA-BILｮ should I add to fuel?

I see. So it's because of the additive ethanol. May I ask why ethanol is being added? I have heard about ethanol, but I have never bothered finding out more about it.

Secondly, because of the added cost of buying sta-bil, it is clear that draining the tanks is the best option. But would this mean that the fuel you drained would be useless by spring?

adan said:

why is ethanol being added?

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It is an VERY economical way to raise octane... :smile:KennyV

KennyV said:

It is an VERY economical way to raise octane... :smile:KennyV

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Ethanol is supposed to oxygenate gasoline to provide a cleaner burn, thereby reducing pollutants. It also gives an octane boost, and is a powerful solvent and cleaner. Ethanol replaced the potentially carcinogenic gasoline additive MTBE that was getting into water supplies. These are all good things, but I suspect that the biggest attraction is that the US government provides a 45｢ subsidy for each gallon of ethanol, and a 54｢ tariff on imported ethanol. Ethanol uses 1 third of the US corn crop, so it's very popular in the farm belt. The subsidy and tariff expire on December 31'st unless Congress extends them.

I am also a more cautious person by nature. I do not like to have any volatile substance just sitting around so it if it is not in use, I want it gone.

After a couple of months, gasoline turns stale. That means if the gas in the lawnmower is stale, it might have difficulty starting.

Perhaps the solution would be in storing large quantities for it to last longer.

It does get old and I guess I'm a little like Hershey because we don't like to keep anything around that isn't actively being used. It's one thing less to worry about, especially with kids.

Nothing wrong with storing gas in a safe and secure manner. You may need the gas for winter storms as was mentioned on another thread. Much better to store in an approved can with Stabil added than to leave untreated fuel in all the mowers, blowers and chainsaws etc.

Long term storage is possible BUT most do not have proper containers to do it...
You have to keep it sealed to prevent oxidation and water vapors mixing.
:smile:KennyV