Products, Vendors, CAD Files, Spec Sheets and More...
Sign up for LAWeekly newsletter
Extreme cold can harm any internal combustion engine. The effect is magnified when equipment is left to endure months of freezing followed by a regular thawing cycle. What?EUR??,,????'???s more, leaving gasoline in a tank for long periods can by itself harm motors.
Taking a few minutes with your small tractors, lawn mowers, tillers, chippers and chain saws before they?EUR??,,????'???re stowed for the season can pay off with longer product life and ease of starting in the spring.
There are two general approaches you can take for winterization. The first is draining the fuel tank. The second is adding a fuel stabilizer to reduce corrosive effects.
Check the owner?EUR??,,????'???s manual for information on draining the fuel system for winter storage. If recommended for your model, draining the tank will reduce evaporative emissions that occur during storage.
If the owner?EUR??,,????'???s manual says the gasoline can be removed and it can be done easily, the tank should be carefully drained Winterize in a clean, approved storage container. The engine can then be run until it stops to remove the remaining fuel. If clean, the collected gasoline can be carefully added to your car?EUR??,,????'???s gas tank.
If the gasoline cannot easily be removed, a gasoline stabilizer should be added. First, fill the tank to the rim to minimize air space. Add the stabilizer and run the engine for a minute to draw stabilized fuel into the carburetor. For added protection, you can close the engine?EUR??,,????'???s valves by pulling on the pull-starter until resistance is felt. An effective vapor barrier can be improvised by placing aluminum foil over the gas cap and then sealing the foil with tape.
Whichever approach is taken, equipment should be stored in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.
Accidents– ER treatment is required for 75,000 accidents per year from mower injuries.
Gas– Mowers use 580 million gallons of gas per year.
Pollution:– Running a gas mower for one hour is equivalent to pollution from a car driven 20 miles.
Source:www.banditchipper.com
If you are going to store a lawn mower or other small internal combustion engine for more than a month you can take the following steps.
When tipping a push mower deck to view or work on the underside, disconnect the spark plug wire. If the mower has a paper filter, remove it to prevent oil from seeping in. For safety?EUR??,,????'???s sake, get help or use a mower jack when turning a machine up to clean or drain fluids.
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
Sign up to receive Landscape Architect and Specifier News Magazine, LA Weekly and More...
Invalid Verification Code
Please enter the Verification Code below
You are now subcribed to LASN. You can also search and download CAD files and spec sheets from LADetails.