# Fuel in tank in off season



## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

What camp do you fall in

Full tank of spiked gas left over the season

or

Try to run as minimal as the SB season wears down and the tank and carb is completely dry.

I suppose there will probably be 50/50 responses on this...


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

mobiledynamics said:


> I suppose there will probably be 50/50 responses on this...


This.
I like keeping the gaskets wet and with metal gas tanks little room for condensation.
Oh, and I use sea foam.
But it is a mixed camp for sure.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

Am with dbert camp on this one.


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## Stuofsci02 (Feb 16, 2015)

I add stabilizer to a full tank and shut off the fuel to the motor while it is running and let the carb run out of gas..


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

on my clones i drain the tanks and run the carb dry, make sure the fuel valve is off and spray the inside of the tank with pb blaster


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

1) Warm it up so I know it will start easy
2) Siphon tank empty
3) Run it till it dies

I'm usually putting about 6 machines to bed in April and done in a rotation is might take :30 for the bunch.

Fill and start next season. 

Run "small engine ethanol Stabil" at all times for in season protection.

I tried the "full with Stabil" method for the off season with horrific results. Pre-Ethanol anything worked.

2 strokes love true Fuel but that would be expensive to blow snow with. For the chainsaw, blower and string trimmer it's a nice way to go. They are also drained and run dry for extended storage.

Pete


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## bwright1818 (Dec 2, 2014)

If there is a shut off, I leave stabilized fuel in the tank and let the carb run dry. If there is no shut off, I drain the tank, let the carb run dry and slosh some two-stroke oil around the bottom of the tank. I always run stabilizer, always, always. And I feel that 89 octane is not as susceptible to fuel drawing water out of the atmosphere as 87; but that's just one man's observation.....probably making that up in my head....


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

I hardly really use stabilizer but keep a can on hand....

With the Jerry Can's, I keep fuel (for the generator, etc), I just rotate the gas into the car every 6 months or so. The Jerry Cans would rather swell than vent - they are that tight....

As the SB season dwindles down, I just try to keep as much fuel as I need to run it and at the end of the season, I drain it out .


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

I run the tanks and carbs dry. Leave it out in the sun for a day with the cap off, then i fog the inside of the tank with wd40 and put a few teaspoons down the spark plug hole pull it over a few times leave it at TDC and put the plug back in. I like to put a piece of plastic bag under the fuel cap to help keep out any moisture that might be sucked in via the vent hole.


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## knu2xs (Jan 6, 2015)

Last winter someone here posted Ariens recommendation, which I followed.

Metal gas tanks, add stabilizer and keep them full to prevent 
rust on the inside surfaces of the tank, which is what I did.

If my blower had a plastic tank, I would run it dry........

I used to use Sta Bil, then switched to Seafoam for a few years before 
switching to Ethanol Shield, based on lab test results that I've seen.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I run with treated gas 100% of the time and if I'm going to store something I pump out all I can and then run it dry.
I have a battery operated pump that works great for emptying machines. It's also really handy when filling a rider as I don't have to stand there with a near full five gallon gas can trying to hit the hole in the center of the fenders under the seat. :wavetowel2:

https://www.menards.com/main/heatin.../a50-battery-operated-syphon-pump/p-85615.htm


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

I also run treated 100% of the time but do not draining anything at the EOS (end of season  ). The marine Stabil or Startron are always kept on hand.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

If I close the shutoff and run the typical OPE until it dies, how much is remaining in the bowl when it finally dies? 10%, 20%....something else?

I've seen a lot of "unknown matter" (not debris) in the carb bowl (and main jet) from machines that were neglected. Was all this... "stuff" formed from what remained just in the bowl? Were talking old untreated ethanol here. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you don't drain the entire bowl, was removing the fuel from the tank, or just running it until it dies enough protection?


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

dbert said:


> If I close the shutoff and run the typical OPE until it dies, how much is remaining in the bowl when it finally dies? 10%, 20%....something else?
> 
> I've seen a lot of "unknown matter" (not debris) in the carb bowl (and main jet) from machines that were neglected. Was all this... "stuff" formed from what remained just in the bowl? Were talking old untreated ethanol here. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you don't drain the entire bowl, was removing the fuel from the tank, or just running it until it dies enough protection?


 dbert , there is definitively 2 camps on this and as we elect to leave our gas in filled or not filled I personally never had any problems starting sitting engines like 6 months later. Where I live we get the 10% ethanol mix.
Heck I once had a Tecumseh 13 hp sit for 2 years with untreated gas in it and no lie it started on first pull. 
Call us lazy but what works works.

Take Care All


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## Snow Knight (Oct 11, 2015)

I treat all my gas with Ethanol Shield as soon as it goes from the pump into my gas cans. 
All my gas can are treated with it.
I just leave all the gas in my fuel tanks in all my machines and they all start up perfectly every season.


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## BullFrog (Oct 14, 2015)

I'm in the leave the tank full camp but I also always use Sta-Bil and premium gas with no ethanol. I like the idea of keeping the fuel system parts wet.


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## NJHonda (Feb 8, 2013)

Stuofsci02 said:


> I add stabilizer to a full tank and shut off the fuel to the motor while it is running and let the carb run out of gas..


Thats what I do and even go as far as draining the carb too


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

Last spring, I made my 'layup cocktail' 10:1 gas/ 2-cycle oil mix and added stabilizer . . . then ran a bit of that through the fuel system/engine for about 15 minutes or until the fuel ran out. so, I get the engine fogging and fuel system conditioning all in one.

I keep the tanks empty on my 2 machines during layup. Neither tank has any condensation (water) in them after the summer layup.


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## Elt31987 (Sep 6, 2015)

Since this is my first year with my 28 SHO i wont know the results until the year after but... like my Jeep i plan on running Marvel Mystery Oil in every tank of gas and then at the end of the season ill run the carb and tank dry, remove the plug and spray Stabil Fogging Oil in the cylinder,pull the handle a few times to move the oil around in the cylinder and then spray fogging oil in the gas tank to coat all of that as well.


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

dbert said:


> This.
> I like keeping the gaskets wet and with metal gas tanks little room for condensation.
> Oh, and I use sea foam.
> But it is a mixed camp for sure.


I'm with dbert. I only use non ethanol fuel in my OPE and treat it with Seafoam besides.


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## Bob E (Jun 9, 2014)

I siphon the tank and run it dry.


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## knu2xs (Jan 6, 2015)

For those who use Ethanol Shield, or Mechanic in a Bottle, B3C, the manufacturer, 
has all of their products 50% off, with free shipping on orders over $50.

The sales code is B3C5050

I just stocked up and added a few more bottles for family & friends.......

While I'm not entirely certain about this, you may have to create an 
account on their web-site to order. I've had an account with them for a 
while and noticed that the order boxes weren't available until I signed in.

Here's the link to their site

http://b3cfuel.com/


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