blackwater73 8 #1 Posted October 23, 2013 How do you store your tractors for the winter, fuel in tank and carb with some kind of fuel stablizer or remove the fuel form the tractor? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whfan74 2,015 #2 Posted October 23, 2013 If it has a metal tank I leave treated fuel in there and shut off the petcock. If it has a plastic tank I will treat the fuel and run it dry. My experience with the metal tanks is if you drain them completely, they end up rusting. If you leave some gas in there that is treated, I then have better results. Just my opinion of course........... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rydogg 186 #3 Posted October 23, 2013 (edited) I used to drain them but found out that on the 63 and 64 tractors with the 2 piece tank the gasket dried up and leaked when refueled in the spring so I turn off the fuel, run the carburetor dry, and keep the tank full. I run seafoam and mmo in every small engine I own and have had no problems....stabil works as long as the fuel system is kept full if the stabil treated fuel dries it leaves behind a residue that plugs up jets, I see a lot of this in the spring when I start servicing customer mowers and trade ins. Edited October 23, 2013 by rydogg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,197 #4 Posted October 23, 2013 Like what was said above, I have found that "SEA FOAM" mixed in with the gas, works as a great stabilizer. Leave the tank full and run out the carb after shutting off the gas pet cock. I am in northern Illinois, so I run them until the end of November and get them going again in March, so they are only sitting about 3 months. Two of the four horses I have are used during the winter months...that is the best thing to do. Use them...I have found that they love the snow...if you do not get snow...run them around the block and take some videos. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KC9KAS 4,741 #5 Posted October 23, 2013 on the "SEAFOAM" fuel treatment! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 51,000 #6 Posted October 25, 2013 But make sure you are using Ethanol free gas. If you need to find some go to "buyrealgas.com", put in your zip code and it will show where to find it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
546cowboy 301 #7 Posted October 25, 2013 Closest one to me is 30+ miles away and the next closest is 60+. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MalMac 1,328 #8 Posted October 25, 2013 So far all good suggestions, I might add that I drain my tanks leaving gas in the line and carb. i then add just a tad a touch of Sea Foam and gas, start and let the gas and Sea Foam run through until it runs out of gas. I then open the gas tank cap for a day or two to let the tank air dry. I don't like leaving any Sea Foam in the fuel line because it is tough on rubber. I am sure there are many ideas practiced out there that worked just as good or better. With the cheap gas now-a-days I just do not like leaving it sit in there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,329 #9 Posted October 28, 2013 If you leave your tank and lines full... If there's any chance that mice or other rodents will get to your fuel system over the winter, I'd recommend closing your shutoff valve. Given half a chance, they'll try to chew through your fuel lines, and if your valve is open you could end up with a tank full of expensive gasoline drained all over the floor. I usually also cram one of those small wedge-shaped boxes of mouse poison under the cooling fins on the engine, or you could put one in the battery area if you take yours out for the winter. I almost always see activity the next time I check. Just be careful, make sure pets and kids can't get to it. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,559 #10 Posted October 28, 2013 On motors that sit, I buy that super whoopie Tru Fuel thats sold in Qts. and run them good to get it in the carb. Stuffs got like a 3 yr shelf life. Same for my 2 strokes but it's 94 octane on the 50:1 mix and my Sthil hedge trimmer and Sno-Pup snow blower smell like I'm runnin Cam 2! tractors on snow duty get ethanol free premium and a shot of Sea Foam. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
limited12 360 #11 Posted October 30, 2013 I been using mechanic in a bottle for about a year now,add a couple ounces to 5 gals of gas (ethanol). All the ethanol free gas is to far Read about this stuff in the Lawn and Garden collectors mag Works great carbs stay clean and this spring everything fired right up Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,130 #12 Posted October 30, 2013 i dont do a thing for winter storage. use stabil or sea foam in ethanol free gas year round, run them at least every month or so just for the heck of it. all my small engine stuff gets a run at least every 2 months for 10-15 minutes. the tractors get the most use year round, but even the push mower and the garden tiller get run in the off seasons at least every 6 weeks or so. when there not running tanks are mostly 1/2 -3/4 full especially the steel tanks on the 60s tractors as was mentioned they will start to rust if empty and not protected inside in some way. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites