winterizing

[BigBill]

I change the engine oil to fresh oil, change oil filter were applical and add seafoam to the crankcase oil and to the gas tank, then i let it run for a few minutes to charge the battery up, shut it off and top the tank with fresh high test gas. At this time the air cleaner is replaced and the tractor is greased and the tranny / hydraulic oils are checked were applical.

On my cub cadets i leave the batteries in them since there all new, but with my cubs i pull the batteries put them on blocks of wood and trickle charge them.

I use seafoam all summer anyway in everything just to lube the uppers in the air coolded engines and a little in my cubs too.

If in the middle of the winter we have a mild week with a warm up (january thaw) i may or may not start them up.

Since stabil messed up the 4 carbs on my streetbike i won't use it anymore.

[DanR]

Now that's what I call winterizing.

[gitractorman]

One thing that I always recommend to folks is to NOT run out the gas, or even run it out of the carb. Matter of fact, I've just gotten into the habit of putting Stabil in my cans before I go to fill them up, so everything that I run has Stabil in it all of the time.

With the ethanol in the gas, and all of the plastic and rubber parts associated with the newer fuel systems and carburetor parts, the ethanol is very corrosive once it comes in contact with air and over time is allowed to oxidize and break down. It is better to keep the carb full so there are less parts exposed to air, and less oxidation surface area. I know that it is one of the biggest service items in our shop in the spring time, folks that ran the mowers completely dry, then when they went to start them in the spring, the carbs are all messed up.

[Rudi]

Bill:

I still run the carbs dry because I do not buy fuel with ethanol in it. Shell has decided that they will not add ethanol to their fuel (makes me very happy and my 2000 DGC runs much better on real gas), so I do not have to worry about the side effects of using ethanol yet..... thankfully.