power auger lay up for summer

[drewgills]

i have a new mo 51 shark whats the best way to store the power head for off season ?

[lefty2053]

i have a new mo 51 shark whats the best way to store the power head for off season ?

I put mine back in the box. I drain all the gas out first and then run it until all the gas is out of the carb. Then I take out the plug,put in a little oil in the cylinder,put the plug back in and let it sit.

[finchasr]

Check out the "basic auger maintenance" by lonewolf thread at the top of this forum. Lots of good info.

[JimQ]

I put mine back in the box. I drain all the gas out first and then run it until all the gas is out of the carb. Then I take out the plug,put in a little oil in the cylinder,put the plug back in and let it sit.

Solid advice.

BTW - I ready through the "Basic Auger Maintenance" post and was surprised to see someone recommend adding carb cleaner to the fuel.  I certainly wouldn't recommend doing that.  You should see how carb cleaner causes the metering diaphragm and tip of the metering needle to swell.  This really screws up the metering system.

Stick with Lefty's advice and call it good.

The only little pieces I can add...  Store with the cap loose and (if equipped) the tank vent open to extend the useful life of the cap and vent seals.

[drewgills]

I'm going to do what lefty does except I think I will wrap mine in Christmas wrapping paper and surprise myself next season   

[Layne]

Honestly, I've had WAY worse luck storing them dry then I have storing them with fuel in them. I would leave it full and just run it once a month in the off season, ever since I have started doing that I haven't had a single problem. The only time I have ever had carb troubles with my 2 stroke equipment is when I try and put them away dry or with oil. Make sure your oil has a fuel stabilizer mixed in and you're all set, with all these awesome premixes you can get now I see no need to "winterize" it.

[Kevin23]

i have a new mo 51 shark whats the best way to store the power head for off season ?

Two options. One is lefty's. And its spot on! The other is leave non-oxy gas in it and run it every couple weeks throughout the summer. Your choice.

[Whopper Stopper]

I always mix AMSOIL into non oxy gas at 58-1 along with 2 oz of sea foam. I always run it during the summer a few times. I have done this for 7 years no problem.

I also have a second auger that I picked up cheap, that I store dry. I have had the worst luck using this method. I just had a carb kit and tune up done on this auger and from here on in I am sticking to the first method.

                              WS

[350 Mag]

good info in the sticky.

I would add this...

I use only PREMIUM non-ethanol fuel.   I add approx 40 ml of Seafoam/1 gallon of fuel.

I agree with mixing a fresh batch of good fuel.

Run the auger till warm.  Then I drain the gas , remove air cleaner and start one last time...as the engine starts to stall I run fogging oil into the carb, the engine with get quite smoky, I do this until I am sure I got all fuel out of carb.

Then I shut off.  Remove plug and spray a little fogging oil directly into cylinder.

In the fall I change the plug as it is cheap and likely fouled by fogging oil.

[ice dawg]

I have never drained the gas out of an auger in over 35 years of ice fishing with power augers with no problems. I have used synthetic oil and SeaFoam for many years also. I'm luckily not forced to use gas with ethanol in it. My 4 stroke auger will be getting an oil change at the end of the season and started monthly until time to use it again.

[Alex Delarge]

I run a propane auger so I don't worry about the gas/ethanol issue, but with other small engines and outboards I make sure there is some type of stabilizer in the fuel and that it has made its' way into the carb. Then I fog the crap out of it. When I crank it over the next season, burn the fog oil out and run it several more minutes, change plug and oil if applicable. I don't fog the propane auger through the carb though, I spray fogging oil directly into the cylinder.