Petrol Strimmer care for over the winter.

[Kingfisher101]

Morning. Has anyone got a petrol strimmer on here who could advise please? For the winter preperation do you empty the fuel tank then start up the strimmer to totally empty it ? or do you just empty it?
Also in the spring would you use new petrol when you refilled the tank (obviously when mixed) or will the old petrol last? Sorry but I dont know a great deal about 2 stroke engines and just want to check. Thanks in advance.

 

[Randomnerd]

Empty the tank.
Leave the tank cap slightly open.
Cover to keep dust free.
Use fresh fuel in spring.

 

[Deleted User]

Empty the tank.
Leave the tank cap slightly open.
Cover to keep dust free.
Use fresh fuel in spring.

This is correct advice but I just leave mine and it always starts, I do use super (e5) which I believe has a longer 'shelf life ' so to speak.

Best to do as advised above though.

 

[midlife]

As I would the lawnmower, strick it in the outside shed and wait for the grass to start growing next year.

 

[CXRAndy]

The most common problem, I've come across with both lawnmowers, strimmers and chainsaws that have petrol engines.

The carburetors gum up if any fuel is left inside the float chamber over a period of time

. There is usually a screw or bolt holding the float chamber. Switch off the fuel or drain the petrol from the tank, undo the float and drain any fuel out. Clean all the excess grass, tree sap off, oil all the necessary areas, wrap up in cloth and place on shelf.

My neighbour's Stihl chainsaw went to the dealer to be serviced, despite paying a tidy sum he still had starting, stalling issues with it. I said I'd take a look, firstly it was poorly cleaned with lots of saw dust still around the carburettor. I took all the covers off, stripped down the carb, removed all the jets, with carb cleaner and an airline cleaned the carburettor thoroughly.

He was so pleased when I returned it , with first time starting and perfect idling.

 

[jowwy]

I just take the batteries off all mine and store them inside in the warm......But the manual push mower, sits warmly in the shed

 

[Chris S]

Empty the tank.
Leave the tank cap slightly open.
Cover to keep dust free.
Use fresh fuel in spring.

The pistons in 2-stroke engines can rust themselves to the cylinder walls if they are left to stand over winter. You also need to drop some oil down the spark plug hole.
https://www.parkerbrand.co.uk/blog/winter-storage-tips-for-two-stroke-engines/

 

[Stephenite]

I use my Stihl petrol strimmer for about an hour twice a year. Rest of the time it lies in the shed, under the garden furniture (so as to not be visible), with an unknown amount of fuel in it. This has been the routine for over ten years now.

It’s starts first time every time. But, maybe, I should consider some of the advice above.

 

[Alex321]

I've never done anything with mine, just put it away after the last use (which I wasn't usually sure WOULD be the last use), and get it out again when the grass starts growing in the spring.

But mine doesn't use pre-mixed 2-stroke, it has separate tanks for petrol and oil, and mixes it itself. If it used pre-mixed fuel, I would empty the tank at least.

I've been using that strimmer for over 20 years now, and never had any real problems with it. Replaced the grass cutting head a couple of times as those have worn out, and replaced the brush cutting blade when it developed a crack, and had the engine professionally serviced I think 3 times.

 

[figbat]

I'm completely lazy/forgetful - I put mine away after use and just leave it. It always fires up next season, along with the lawnmower and the leaf blower. I'll usually give the plug a clean before trying, and turn the engine over with the plug out.

 

[Randomnerd]

The pistons in 2-stroke engines can rust themselves to the cylinder walls if they are left to stand over winter. You also need to drop some oil down the spark plug hole.
https://www.parkerbrand.co.uk/blog/winter-storage-tips-for-two-stroke-engines/

There is pretty much no way a piston ring would rust up over winter, if the correct oil/fuel mix is employed when the thing is running, unless you leave the whole machine open in a sodden workshop. Dropping oil down the spark plug - IMHO - is over-egging the matter.

As a side note, two-stroke engines, properly tuned and with proper fuel mix, are designed to be run full bore. You will get a longer working life from a machine's engine if you keep the revs high.

 

[Deleted User]

The pistons in 2-stroke engines can rust themselves to the cylinder walls if they are left to stand over winter. You also need to drop some oil down the spark plug hole.
https://www.parkerbrand.co.uk/blog/winter-storage-tips-for-two-stroke-engines/

Yeah right, I've got loads of 2 stroke stuff including a '62 Lambretta and they all start in the spring but if you know different who am I to say.

 

[Chris S]

There is pretty much no way a piston ring would rust up over winter, if the correct oil/fuel mix is employed when the thing is running, unless you leave the whole machine open in a sodden workshop. Dropping oil down the spark plug - IMHO - is over-egging the matter.

As a side note, two-stroke engines, properly tuned and with proper fuel mix, are designed to be run full bore. You will get a longer working life from a machine's engine if you keep the revs high.

It happened to a friend of mine who had a 2-stroke motorbike.

 

[Chris S]

Yeah right, I've got loads of 2 stroke stuff including a '62 Lambretta and they all start in the spring but if you know different who am I to say.

Have you ever watched 'Shed and Buried'? They frequently have to deal with seized 2-strokes.

 

[figbat]

Have you ever watched 'Shed and Buried'? They frequently have to deal with seized 2-strokes.

Often caused by coolant leaks or poor storage over decades. Not 4 months in a shed.