Don't Store Your Mower Like This This Winter — The $800 Carburetor Mistake, by BIG TICKET TRUTH on YouTube. 10 min 25 s.
- Video length
- 10 min 25 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Top the tank nearly full with fresh fuel rated E10 or lower. Skip E15 in small engines, even if the pump sells it as regular.
Add fuel stabilizer at the dose printed on the bottle, then run the engine for about 5 to 10 minutes so the treated fuel reaches the carburetor.
On Honda GCV, GSV and GX engines, follow the manual instead: close the fuel valve and run the carburetor dry, or drain the float bowl.
Change the engine oil while the engine is still warm, and check or replace the air filter.
Pull the battery and store it indoors on a battery tender so it holds a charge until spring.
Scrape grass off the deck, sharpen the blades, and inflate the tires to the pressure on the sidewall.
Label your gas can with the fill date and keep it sealed. Pour old fuel into your car rather than the mower.
Park the mower under cover with the fuel valve closed. Or pay a dealer: one John Deere dealer charged $219.99 to $237.50 last season, stabilizer included.
Tips and common mistakes
The mistake to avoid is parking a carbureted mower with untreated summer gas sitting in the tank and float bowl all winter.
A shop carburetor cleaning usually runs closer to $150, and the $800 figure is a worst case, not a typical bill.
Fuel is flammable, so stabilize and fill outdoors, away from flames, and never store a gas can next to a water heater.
Fuel injection and engines with a fuel shutoff valve handle storage better, but they still need fresh fuel.
Questions
Should I drain the tank or fill it for winter?
For most carbureted Briggs and Stratton and Kohler engines, fill the tank nearly full, add stabilizer and run the engine. Draining the tank alone still leaves gas in the float bowl, where it turns to varnish.
How long does untreated gas last in a mower?
Forum reports describe bad fuel after about 24 days. Treat the fuel or run the carburetor dry if the mower will sit for months.
Will stale fuel damage be covered by warranty?
Usually not. Briggs and Stratton and Kohler warranty documents tie coverage to proper fuel use, so stale gas damage is typically on you.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
