Spring is coming, and it's time to trade the snow blower for the lawn mower. Follow these off-season storage steps to make sure your blower starts up next season. Or easier still, schedule service with us and we'll do it for you!
1. Fuel
It's best to drain all the gas from your small engine before you store it. Some engines allow you to manually drain all of the fuel. A turkey baster works well to get the fuel out. If still fresh, you can transfer your snow blower fuel to your lawn mower or other summer equipment. Add a little high quality fuel stabilizer to the remaining fuel in your tank, start the machine and run it until it is out of gas and shuts down on its own.
2. Stabilizer
If your machine is equipped with a fuel shut-off valve and you don't want to drain the gas out, then be sure you add a high quality fuel stabilizer to your gas tank (follow the stabilizer instructions) and run the engine for a few minutes to circulate the stabilizer through the carburetor. While still running, shut off the fuel valve and let the machine run until it quits on its own.
3. Spark Plug
Remove your spark plug, and pour about a tablespoon of SAE30 motor oil into the hole where your spark plug was. Pull the starter cord gently a couple of times. This will distribute the oil onto the cylinder walls and help prevent rusting or corroding while in storage. Inspect your old spark plug and replace with a new one if necessary. Reinsert your spark plug. Be careful not to cross-thread it. Tighten it down snug, but avoid over tightening (15 ft. lbs. MAXIMUM ). Reconnect your spark plug boot cable.
4. Store it in a clean, rodent-free environment
Make sure to clean off any excessive salt or dirt from your snow blower. Leaving salt on the machine will cause it to rust while in storage.
Mice love to build nests in stored machinery. They can cause extensive and expensive damage to your machine, chewing up wiring a preventing your machine from operating when you need it. So store your out of season small engine in a clean, rodent-free environment. Consider placing mouse traps and/or moth balls around your machine to help prevent rodent related damage.
Following these simple steps will help prevent most no-start situations come next season. Finally, don't forget to schedule maintenance service before the start of winter!
1. Fuel
It's best to drain all the gas from your small engine before you store it. Some engines allow you to manually drain all of the fuel. A turkey baster works well to get the fuel out. If still fresh, you can transfer your snow blower fuel to your lawn mower or other summer equipment. Add a little high quality fuel stabilizer to the remaining fuel in your tank, start the machine and run it until it is out of gas and shuts down on its own.
2. Stabilizer
If your machine is equipped with a fuel shut-off valve and you don't want to drain the gas out, then be sure you add a high quality fuel stabilizer to your gas tank (follow the stabilizer instructions) and run the engine for a few minutes to circulate the stabilizer through the carburetor. While still running, shut off the fuel valve and let the machine run until it quits on its own.
3. Spark Plug
Remove your spark plug, and pour about a tablespoon of SAE30 motor oil into the hole where your spark plug was. Pull the starter cord gently a couple of times. This will distribute the oil onto the cylinder walls and help prevent rusting or corroding while in storage. Inspect your old spark plug and replace with a new one if necessary. Reinsert your spark plug. Be careful not to cross-thread it. Tighten it down snug, but avoid over tightening (15 ft. lbs. MAXIMUM ). Reconnect your spark plug boot cable.
4. Store it in a clean, rodent-free environment
Make sure to clean off any excessive salt or dirt from your snow blower. Leaving salt on the machine will cause it to rust while in storage.
Mice love to build nests in stored machinery. They can cause extensive and expensive damage to your machine, chewing up wiring a preventing your machine from operating when you need it. So store your out of season small engine in a clean, rodent-free environment. Consider placing mouse traps and/or moth balls around your machine to help prevent rodent related damage.
Following these simple steps will help prevent most no-start situations come next season. Finally, don't forget to schedule maintenance service before the start of winter!
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