Ice auger storage?

[nodie]

Hey all,

 

Just wondering what is best to do in order to properly store the gas auger during the summer months? Any additives need to be added to the gas tank?

 

Thanks

 

Nod

 

bring on the lily pads!!

[irishfield]

Funny you brought that up today Nod... my wife thought I was nuts walking around the hangar with my ice auger motor running in my hands!

 

Small amount of fuel stabilzer and run for 5 minutes to get it into the carb/engine.

[raysfish2005]

I'm not ready yet!!!!!

 

One more kick at the can for lakers befor closing, then i'll put her away, little bit of seafoam and run for two minutes......then she sleeps for the summer.

[GeorgeJ]

when I take it out of the box (got one of the half price CT deals) I will hang it on the wall using a couple of screw in hooks into the studs.

[LeXXington]

Store it on ice, they last longer

[Fisherman]

Run it until the tanks empty, then run it on fumes, drain the carb, let it sit outside somewhere safe, gas cap off and let the tank dry out. Doing it since '91, my auger still works.

[Leecher]

Don't own a gaz auger and other than adding fuel stabilizer to your gaz tank and running it till empty, might want to make sure that the blades are free of rust and apply a coat of oil to it before storing over the soft water period.

 

Leechman

[ld17]

What make of auger is it. Add stabilizer to the fule, then run the tank empty. I have a jiffy and it also talkes about removing the spark plug and squirting a bit of oil in the spark plug hole and then cranking it over a few times to lube the internals. Check on line if you can find a manual on yours. Good luck

[Sinker]

I always store my stuff full of stabilized gas. I just don't like leaving a motor/carb dry for that length of time.

[Guest skeeter99]

I dont do much

 

a squirt of stabilizer and a squirt of 10w30 down the spark plug hole, same as all my 2 stroke engines

[Big Cliff]

A good quality stabilizer will work but remember most stabilizers contain ethnol and will absorb water. I prefer to empty out the gas then start it and run it dry. There are no leather seals in the carb to worry about so leaving it sit dry won't hurt the carb at all. All the diaphrams are either plastic or synthetic materials.

 

Putting a tsp of oil in the spark plug hole and cranking the engine over a couple of times won't do any harm either, just make sure you put the spark plug back in so no dirt or bugs can get into your cylinder.

 

I liked Leachman's idea of making sure the blades are protected, rust could sure take the edge off of them.

 

One thing most people don't do but should; after everything else is done and the unit has cooled down, put a plastic bag over the engine and tie it off. You would be amazed at how many things I see every year where spiders or wasps have gotten into the muffler and plugged it. Things just don't run well with the exhaust plugged

Edited March 28, 2009 by Big Cliff

[Rattletrap2]

Cliff,

Are you not worried about condensation forming if you wrap the engine with plastic tight enough to keep small insects out? Just curious.

[nodie]

Thanks a bunch guys.

[fishboy]

I'd treat it the same as any other engine (outboard, lawnmower or snowblower) in terms of either emptying fuel or adding stabilizer and a good shot of fogging oil into the cylinder. One thing I like to do is keep an old spark plug (or set if more than one cylinder) to use the first time I fire up an engine out of storage. That way, you're not gumming up good plugs when burning off the storage oil. As for an auger, I don't have a power one but I always spray my hand auger blades with WD40 before it goes up in the garage rafters for the summer.

[Big Cliff]

I'm not worried about condensation, the only way that could happen is if there was moisture in the bag when you sealed it up and there would have to be a LOT of it.

[Tybo]

I have done nothing to my auger in 15 years.

At a 24:1 oil mix there is no way their is a part that doesn't have oil on them.

As for stabil, I have not seen or heard of this product doing anything.

I stop using it 5 years ago and their is no difference in the fuel after 90 day.

By what I know and the techs I ask. Their is still phase separation in gas at 100 plus days

of storage.

 

Oh yea, My auger still has the original plug.

[Moosebunk]

I drain the gas and put it somewhere out of the way.

[Whitespinnerbait]

Open shed door , throw auger in the back corner , close shed door...

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a serious note ..I run jiffy oil in it all winter which has fuel stabilizer mixed in with it..so no need to drain gas etc etc

 

 

 

I just hang it in the for corner of the shed...

[boatman]

At a 24:1 oil mix there is no way their is a part that doesn't have oil on them.

 

I completely agree with that statement. I don't fog or oil motors before storage. Other than that, I do as Cliff suggests except I don't wrap the powerhead or dry out the tank. There is so little gas left after its drained that it won't make a difference when you add fresh fuel the following year.

 

Stabiliser works and should be used. The problem isn't usually after 90 days its after extended storage like from season to season.

 

If you are still reading this, Cliff, which stabiliser do you use? I've had good results with Brigg's and Stratton and Optimax. I've had problems with red Stabil. I'm currently trying the marine Stabil. I'm going to do some long term testing of fuel stabiliers in spring. I'd like to know if there are any others I should test to.

[Big Cliff]

Almost any of the good quality ones will do fine, I have had some problems with the "economy" grade ones. The only reason I like to use stabilizer even when running them dry is that there can be a bit of fuel left in the lines or fuel filter and if that starts to turn to varnish while the unit is in storage and it gets into your carb when you do go to restart the unit it can cause problems. Fresh fuel will usually disolve it once it has a chance but why risk having a problem.

 

Same thing with wrapping the power head, not necessary but IF something does get in the muffler and plug it, it isn't something most people would catch until they have replaced the spark plug, fuel filter, and rebuilt the carb, it is the last place an inexperienced person would look for a problem with performance on a small engine. I have had several things brought in that wouldn't run right (usually after someone had tried to fix it themself) that had nothing more wrong with it than a plugged spark arrestor or exhaust. Clean that up and fix the repairs that were done and away you go!

[Fishnwire]

I don't have a power auger, but I do have a power trimmer and chainsaw. They don't get a lot of use each year, I mix up a couple of gallons at a time, and it usually lasts at least a year. I always mix my 50:1 with stabilizer...it's cheap (in small amounts) and that way I never have to worry about running my engines dry at the end of the year to add gas with stabilizer...I know it's already in there. Also if I have mixed gas left over at the end of the season I know it's been stabilized aswell.

 

How much gas do you burn in your auger in a season? How much more would it cost to add stabilizer the whole time? That's how I think about it.

[boatman]

Clean that up and fix the repairs that were done and away you go!

 

LOL

 

I agree with that, Cliff. I don't get fuel without first adding stabiliser even if I know it'll all get used that day.