GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Art · 20-11-2007, 02:27 AM posted to alt.home.lawn.garden

wrote:
Is it better to do your regular maintenance (oil change, plug,
filters) at the begining of spring, right before you go to use the
tractor, or do it before you store it for the winter? Gas tank full,
treated with stabil, or empty? I did prewinter storing maintenance
last year and seemed to be ok, full gas treated too to prevent
condensation.

Definitely change oil at the end of the season so it is stored with
clean oil. The full of fuel or empty is a debate that's been around a
while. What it boils down to it that older machines with metal fuel
tanks tend to collect quite a bit of condensation when not full of fuel.
So stabilize and fill those to the top. Newer equipment generally has
plastic tanks and don't have that problem so for them you should
probably put in a small amount of stabilizer and run it out of fuel.
Gas cans should be stored full, stabilized and sealed up tight or just
empty them into you car and get fresh fuel in the spring. Filters and
plug doesn't really matter when but since you're doing the oil at the
end of the season it makes sense to do that stuff while you're waiting
for the oil to drain completely. Don't forget to hit all the grease
fittings with the grease gun while you're at it.

--
Art