# How do you store your Snowblowers?



## Forum043287 (Jan 12, 2019)

I use Star Tron.

Every fillup I put a cap full of star tron in the gas container and fill it up with new gas (89 Octane). I swssh it around and leave it in my garage.
At the End of the season (End of winter); I will make sure my snowblower has a full tank of gas, put the hydrostatic stick in Neutral, and add cap full of star tron, let it run for few minutes, turn the fuel gas off, let the machine die on its own.
I will than turn key to off position.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*Run The Whole BLOODY System Dry. Carb, Lines and Tank. NEVER EVER Had any Problems doing that way. k:k:k:k:k:k:k:k:*


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Treat with Stabil Marine at end of season, fill the tank if I have a shut off and run the carb dry. Pump the tank dry and run the engine until the carbs dry if no shutoff.
Occasionally treat the gas with a fuel system cleaner like Lucas. Life has been good.

.


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## IDEngineer (Oct 16, 2018)

Same recipe for all of my occasional use engines:

* Use ONLY non-ethanol gasoline, year round (keeps the moisture out of the fuel system).

* Use Seafoam in every gallon of gasoline, year round (keeps engine internals clean).

* When storing, drain tank dry then run engine until carb bowl empties and engine dies on its own. Restart a few times with full choke to get remaining fuel.

* Remove spark plug, squirt some fogging oil (or even just standard multiweight oil) into cylinder, slowly pull engine a few rotations to circulate oil through top of engine, clean-gap-reinstall spark plug.

* Tuck away into storage for off season.


Been working well on snowblower, jetskis, ATV's, large and small boat engines, generators, etc. for 30+ years now.


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

Snowblowers are easy to store

1. Warm up engine, drain oil and refill

2. Drain tank and float bowl dry and put in car or mower. Running til it shuts off still leaves fuel at the bottom and that will solidify and eventually break up and clog jets. Stabilizer works for only ~24 months. 

3. Spray the controls, switches, axle pins, auger shafts, shear pins and impeller with wd40 or PB Blaster, if you can stand the smell. Everything, really. 

4. Spray the engine shroud and the bottom of the pan with a little Fluid Film to keep mice away

Machine will be ready for use in 8 months (or even 32 months, if it doesn't snow for a while)

.


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## GOLDWOOD (Apr 22, 2013)

I always run my snowblowers and lawn mowers dry at the end of the season. I have always added Seafoam to my gas container after I fill up. This week was the first time I had tried to start my Ariens 824 in 5 years. Due to the lack of large snows in Iowa, I have only needed to run my Honda HS621 or Toro CCR3650. It was a surprise to me when my Ariens started on the FIRST PULL! It did run a little rough for the first 10 minutes, but then it smoothed out after I added an extra squirt of Seafoam directly into the tank. I don't know if the Seafoam really made a difference or not, because usually it takes a few tanks of treated Seafoam gas for me to notice any change in performance.


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## IDEngineer (Oct 16, 2018)

GOLDWOOD said:


> I don't know if the Seafoam really made a difference or not, because usually it takes a few tanks of treated Seafoam gas for me to notice any change in performance.


I used to make fun of fuel additives. Thought they were nothing but another snake oil gimmick. Then I started maintaining the 2-stroke engines on our jetskis; decarboning those engines was a real learning experience. Now I'm a believer. And using an ounce per gallon (a bit more for 2-strokes due to the oil) keeps engines running really clean. I find I'm cleaning and rebuilding far fewer carbs since I started using it religiously.


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## WVguy (Nov 24, 2018)

In addition to the normal stuff common to all (change oil, put oil in cylinder, grease & oil stuff that needs it, check belts, shear pins, friction disk, etc.) so that when I want to use it all I have to do is put (fresh!) gas in, check the tire pressure, and go.

The manuals for the two Ariens machines that I have say to run it dry at the end of the season. I go the additional step of removing the 10mm bolt at the bottom of the carburetor and draining what's left. I also drain the fuel tank. The reason I go the "extra bit" is that around here, using it next winter is not a sure thing. We have gone as long as three years where the only snow removal tool needed was a broom or nothing at all. And then we get hammered with three feet at once - you just never know. So my idea is to put it in a condition so it doesn't matter how long it sits.


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## Forum043287 (Jan 12, 2019)

I once mixed Star Tron, Mechanic in a bottle, and Seafoam in a fuel tank and my Ariens didn't run correctly. Note to self, do not mix stabilizers together


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