# New Hydro Pro 36 - Draining gas tank.



## MattM (Dec 11, 2012)

On my old Ariens ST1236, with the Tecumseh Snow King engine, I always drained the gas out of the tank, ran the engine dry and then drained the carburetor bowl, via the spring valve in the bottom of the bowl, for summer storage.

Today I received my 36" hydro pro and in looking it over briefly I don't see a way to easily drain the fuel tank and the bowl.

Now I know there was another thread recently stating the recommended storage procedure is to leave the tank 3/4 full using stabilizer, and my new manuals states the same, but draining everything has been a bullet proof method for years.

So, those of you that have the 420CC Briggs motor have you found a way to easily drain the gas out of the tank and bowl? (aside from letting the engine burn it off)

Thanks
Matt


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

just run the engine until it's dry and dies.


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> just run the engine until it's dry and dies.


That will still leave some gas in the carb bowl - maybe not enough to worry about, but I always worry about it, and srop the bowl. I also try to run a rag around the inside of the fuel tank just to get it completely dry - but that is my anal-self.


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## Ryan (Dec 13, 2013)

just put a little bit of Stabil or seafoam in the tank when you run it dry and it'll be juuuuust fine.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

RIT333 said:


> That will still leave some gas in the carb bowl - maybe not enough to worry about, but I always worry about it, and srop the bowl. I also try to run a rag around the inside of the fuel tank just to get it completely dry - but that is my anal-self.


 I can be very anal about changing the oil even if has 10 or less hours on it. but I have been doing this for 30 odd years running it all dry. never ever had a problem come the next year. anyway I thought I would run that up the old flag pole to see if it flies.


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> I can be very anal about changing the oil even if has 10 or less hours on it. but I have been doing this for 30 odd years running it all dry. never ever had a problem come the next year. anyway I thought I would run that up the old flag pole to see if it flies.


Oil is cheap - The 20 qts of oil that you used over the 30 odd years is very cheap engine-insurance - IMHO.


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## enigma-2 (Feb 11, 2014)

MattM said:


> So, those of you that have the 420CC Briggs motor have you found a way to easily drain the gas out of the tank and bowl? (aside from letting the engine burn it off)






 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hand-Pump-Siphon-Gas-Liquid/dp/B004107292/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395966966&sr=8-1&keywords=liquid+hand+pump


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## MattM (Dec 11, 2012)

Thanks for the replies guys.

I was hoping for something a bit more crafty and artful than the $10 leaky pump from the auto parts store but I suppose its an option.

Matt


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

Were you thinking about something like this:










?


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

You can always go electric for about $15
Homedepot, northern tool, walmart .....
.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

The fact that an earlier poster mentioned to empty the tank and put stabil for the carb indicate very much that leaving fairly recent gaz in tank with stabil and run the engine for 10 minutes is a very acceptable method for seasonal storage. I did that for the last 25 yrs and never had a problem but again it is only my opinion.

Take Care All

Norm


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## enigma-2 (Feb 11, 2014)

db9938 said:


> Were you thinking about something like this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I seen this too. Looks like the valve is a marine gas tank selector, designed to switch between the main tank and the reserve. Gas flows in from the left (or right) and out bottom. 

To make it work in this situation, valve would need to be inverted, bottom connection connects to tank, left (or right) to carburetor and other side becomes tank fuel dump. Problem is, difficult to mount as engine has a metal shield covering space where valve would be placed. 

If a valve like this could be found with the operating handle turned 90° to the valve body (similar mounting as OEM), then it would fit. I wasn't able to find one and recommended the el'chepo siphon pump (that nobody liked.) Figured the pump was a good compromise as you only need it once a year.


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## enigma-2 (Feb 11, 2014)

Normex said:


> The fact that an earlier poster mentioned to empty the tank and put stabil for the carb indicate very much that leaving fairly recent gaz in tank with stabil and run the engine for 10 minutes is a very acceptable method for seasonal storage. I did that for the last 25 yrs and never had a problem but again it is only my opinion.
> 
> Take Care All
> 
> Norm


Hey Norm, you tried the new Stabil "storage" yet? 

I'm getting lost between all the different flavors, "Red", "Ethanol", "Marine" & "Storage". I need a cheat sheet to figure out what to use when....


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I use the Marine Stabil as it seems to be the best suited for a snowblowers wet environment and it's formulated for Ethanol which I get stuck using once in a while.

I think the best way to store them is to drain the tank and run them dry and remove the bowl and wipe it out. That way you'll be using fresh gas next season.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Nothing wrong with the cheap pump and you can also just pull the hose off the bottom of the tank and drain it into a can or whatever fits under there and around the starter. 

If the pump is so bad just do it old school. Tip the machine so all the fuel will go to one end and get some clear tubing from a big box store and siphon it into a container, cheap and easy.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

I just use regular Stabil as the wet environment is not an issue since the machine is stored for the summer or dry season. Even more when Stabil did not exist say 20 yrs ago I just made sure the tank was filled with fresh gaz and along with using old oil to smear the bucket and chute it was all to be done for storage. The Tecumsehs would start when winter season arrived with one or two pull. Again based on my own experience.

Take Care All

Norm


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## driz (Dec 19, 2013)

enigma-2 said:


> I seen this too. Looks like the valve is a marine gas tank selector, designed to switch between the main tank and the reserve. Gas flows in from the left (or right) and out bottom.
> 
> To make it work in this situation, valve would need to be inverted, bottom connection connects to tank, left (or right) to carburetor and other side becomes tank fuel dump. Problem is, difficult to mount as engine has a metal shield covering space where valve would be placed.
> 
> If a valve like this could be found with the operating handle turned 90° to the valve body (similar mounting as OEM), then it would fit. I wasn't able to find one and recommended the el'chepo siphon pump (that nobody liked.) Figured the pump was a good compromise as you only need it once a year.


That's what I have on my Generator set. I just run the carb dry. These days with the quality and effects of ethanol gas I think the best method is to dump it out and run it dry. That ethanol just seems magical in it's effects on small carbs. It's not much problem for big ones like on tractors but the tiny ones all seem to suffer. If it's an old one you definitely have to drain it. Ethanol works fine but raises **** with the rubber parts and fuel lines. It will go right through the best of filters and jam up the carbs eventually. For the small ones like snowthrowers I now just use ethanol free Super. It's not much since you don't really use all that much and when it gets old you can just dump it in your car.


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