Hi, After just cleaning out the carb in my chain saw, water blaster, tiller...... How do you properly put up gas tools when they won't be used for awhile...I hate this eth. In the gas . Most of my gas tanks are metal so I don't wont them to rust. I already run the gas out of the carb if there is a shut off. All the carb bowls had crud and rust in them do to the eth. Attracting H2O. The rules used years ago no longer seem to work which said just leave gas in the tank and run the carb. Dry.Tired of ruined metal gas tanks. Thanks, Mike
Storing gas tools for over 2-3 months ? How ?
- Thread starter Michael Hanson
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Dump some StaBil in the fuel mix..although I've heard of guys that just dump a capful in the tanks...also, I always run high test in my small power equipment...this gasahol crap plays hell on the rings I think...
I empty every bit of gas out of everything, then I pull the plug and squirt a bunch of fogging oil into the cylinder and carb intake, then give the cord a few yanks. You can also use ATF.
If left exposed to the atmosphere, fuel in California goes bad in less than 30 days. The only way to prevent this is to not allow air to contact the fuel. The little jets and orfices in the carburetor allows air to contact the fuel.
The plastic CARB/EPA cerified fuel storage cans everybody loves so much is actually a different polymer. The polymer prevents permeation of air through the plastic.
This is a good practice but the fuel in the tank has more than likely gone bad. When you start the unit up, you are sucking in the old fuel into the carburetor.
Chemicals in the fuel will eat the galvanization off the inside of the metal fuel storage cans as well as fuel tanks on the engines. Ethonal is one if the chemicals. If you removed any gray paste off of the inlet screen in the carburetors you just rebuilt, that is actually the galvanization from the inside of the metal fuel container.
Ethonal is corrosive, which makes it an excellent cleaning agent. It will clean the crud from the tanks and lines of the filling station, your fuel storage can, your fuel tank, your fuel lines and it may eat the fuel filter. All which end up in your carburetor as "Crud".
Metal containers allow condensation, just like a cold beverage. The Ethonal captures the water. When the ethonal is totally saturated, you will see the water droplets in the bottom of the tank.
The problem with most people, even years ago, is that they never read "between the lines" the directions on products such as Sta-Bil and other fuel stabilizers. The fuel stabilizer does nothing to preserve the octane of the fuel, it only helps prevent "Varnish". In years past, it stated "Add X # of squirts and run the machine until the exhaust odor changed. Before you start the unit, drain the fuel and add fresh fuel". Most people add the few squirts and run the unit and shut it off. When they go to start it next spring, they fire it up and try to run the old low octane fuel.
Prepackaged fuel such as SEF, Tru Fuel, 50:1, STIHL MotoMix are pure fuel with no additives. The STIHL Motomix adds a layer of Nitrogen to the can after it is filled. It creates a barrier to prevent air from contaminating the fuel. After you open it and use some and put the cap back on, it still has a 2 year shelf life.
At my place, I use fresh 91 octane fuel from the pump and run my equipment. Towards the end of the season for that peice of equipment, I make sure that the last tank of fuel I use is STIHL Motomix. The 50:1 fuel/oil ration leaves a nice oil film on everything and the pure fuel aspect prevents varnish build up. Next time I go and use it, I add fresh fuel it starts right up.
Sorry for the long answer but you had a lot of questions.
Regards,
Dan
The plastic CARB/EPA cerified fuel storage cans everybody loves so much is actually a different polymer. The polymer prevents permeation of air through the plastic.
This is a good practice but the fuel in the tank has more than likely gone bad. When you start the unit up, you are sucking in the old fuel into the carburetor.
Chemicals in the fuel will eat the galvanization off the inside of the metal fuel storage cans as well as fuel tanks on the engines. Ethonal is one if the chemicals. If you removed any gray paste off of the inlet screen in the carburetors you just rebuilt, that is actually the galvanization from the inside of the metal fuel container.
Ethonal is corrosive, which makes it an excellent cleaning agent. It will clean the crud from the tanks and lines of the filling station, your fuel storage can, your fuel tank, your fuel lines and it may eat the fuel filter. All which end up in your carburetor as "Crud".
Metal containers allow condensation, just like a cold beverage. The Ethonal captures the water. When the ethonal is totally saturated, you will see the water droplets in the bottom of the tank.
The problem with most people, even years ago, is that they never read "between the lines" the directions on products such as Sta-Bil and other fuel stabilizers. The fuel stabilizer does nothing to preserve the octane of the fuel, it only helps prevent "Varnish". In years past, it stated "Add X # of squirts and run the machine until the exhaust odor changed. Before you start the unit, drain the fuel and add fresh fuel". Most people add the few squirts and run the unit and shut it off. When they go to start it next spring, they fire it up and try to run the old low octane fuel.
Prepackaged fuel such as SEF, Tru Fuel, 50:1, STIHL MotoMix are pure fuel with no additives. The STIHL Motomix adds a layer of Nitrogen to the can after it is filled. It creates a barrier to prevent air from contaminating the fuel. After you open it and use some and put the cap back on, it still has a 2 year shelf life.
At my place, I use fresh 91 octane fuel from the pump and run my equipment. Towards the end of the season for that peice of equipment, I make sure that the last tank of fuel I use is STIHL Motomix. The 50:1 fuel/oil ration leaves a nice oil film on everything and the pure fuel aspect prevents varnish build up. Next time I go and use it, I add fresh fuel it starts right up.
Sorry for the long answer but you had a lot of questions.
Regards,
Dan
and everyone lived happily ever after....
I sure hope I didn't come across as a know it all smart ass. That was not my intention.
Just sharing knowledge.
Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
Just sharing knowledge.
Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
I sure hope I didn't come across as a know it all smart ass. That was not my intention.
Just sharing knowledge.
Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
Dearest Dan,
Nobody, but NOBODY gives of his knowledge and expertise here at Mud more than you....it was meant a warm, heartfelt compliment...it was absolutely intended to be the definitive answer....because if you said it, I believe it, and that's final.
as far as know it all smart asses...I'm trying to corner that market, but thanks anyway..
Love,
Pat
Cool.
Cheers
Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
Cheers
Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
splitshot
Head cook, Bottle washer, and Peace keeper.
Great advise! I had no idea there was a product like Motomix out there. On my next purchase.
I also agree with smart ass Pat, your .02 has been priceless over the years.
I also agree with smart ass Pat, your .02 has been priceless over the years.
- Thread starter
- #11
Thank You, I do wonder about their liquid nitrogen claim. Liquid nitrogen is very cold , not recommended stored in cans, and prone to rapid explosion when transitioning between liquid and a gas. Mike
He didn't say *liquid* nitrogen.
The void space above the liquid is filled with pure nitrogen in the gaseous phase. No danger. The air we breath is almost 75-80% nitrogen. It's probably the oxygen in air that contaminates the additive. Same thing with tires, you can get them filled with nitrogen at some tire places.
The void space above the liquid is filled with pure nitrogen in the gaseous phase. No danger. The air we breath is almost 75-80% nitrogen. It's probably the oxygen in air that contaminates the additive. Same thing with tires, you can get them filled with nitrogen at some tire places.
Yep, they sell similar products to "cover" the remaining paint or other finish in the can after you opened it so that it doesn't oxidize.
This product is argon rather than nitrogen, but same principle: http://www.bloxygen.com/
This product is argon rather than nitrogen, but same principle: http://www.bloxygen.com/
Everyone has their own quirky methods and opinions. I add some blue fuel treatment to all the fuel I buy for power equipment. I run my mower out of fuel every time I use it (hit the cut off valve in the last couple of minutes) and dump the fuel and run the rest in my hand tools (if done for the season). Haven't had any problems with this method in 15 years, never rebuilt a carb. Gasoline today is pretty junky and the two cycles can be sensitive.
For me as a weekend warrior, I mix fuel stabilizer with every gallon of fuel when I buy it. I also add some seafoam. I have no real scientific basis for doing so. My anecdotal experience is that my lawn mower sits all winter with fuel in it after the last trip around the yard. Fires up with one or two pulls every spring. It's 8 years old and I've never had a issue other than a clogged air filter on it. That's for a 4 stroke Honda. I do the same with my tiller that gets used 2-4 times a year. My string trimmer is a Troy Built POS 2 stroke. It's now on its 5th year of similar treatment and it runs poorly. My Stihl chainsaw still runs good after 1 year.
There is 1 gas station near me that sells pure gasoline. I'm probably going to start buying all of my gas through them. I only use that gas for my 3.5hp Nissan 4stroke outboard. I LOVE that little engine and hope to keep it in great condition.
There is 1 gas station near me that sells pure gasoline. I'm probably going to start buying all of my gas through them. I only use that gas for my 3.5hp Nissan 4stroke outboard. I LOVE that little engine and hope to keep it in great condition.
Agree w/Jetboy. Seafoam is a good stabilizer. Follow the run-til-empty, and drain the tank after EACH use. refill w/fresh fuel each startup. Mower/weedeater/tiller are all starting as they should with this regimen--even 'cleaned' a non-running Ryobi backpack blower for a neighbor with this and got it running well. Hadn't heard of the "Motomix" before, but it sounds like it is a good alternative.
That sounds like more of a pain in the ass than just cleaning a carb every year or so!
If you would rather clean your carb and spend the $ for a rebuild kit ea. year-that's up to you. in my opinion, it's much easier to just run the equipment dry of fuel and open the tank cap a little to allow the excess to evaporate before the next run. Seafoam is always used in the mix.--so far 10 years on my mower/weedeater/blower/tiller/cultivator with no issues--each starts up just like the mfg instructions
Gary
Gary
I do nothing more than add some fuel stabilizer, usually Seafoam, and run them. If I'm know I won't use it for a while I'll fill it up completely--empty tanks condensate which leads to corrosion. Might have to clean a carb every few years, can't remember the last time I did. Cost isn't a big deal, carb kits are usually just a few bucks. I still think emptying and running dry would be more a a pita than I care for when I don't have trouble anyway. To each his own.
Last edited:
