auger storage

[kraz]

Hi All,

the question is do you empty the gas or just add stabilizer?

Kraz

[thomasthepikehunter]

Add stabilizer, run the motor until you're sure its in the carb, and thats all. Fogging oil is mostly a gimick, running a motor dry of gas can dry out seal in the carb or make fuel lines brittle.  Next fall, dump the gas, and put in new good gas.

[Mainedog]

Dump the gas?  Seems like a waste of perfectly good petrol, especially since you treated it.
I've been on the same tank of gas in one of my augers now for the past 3 years?  I just
treat it good, and periodically start them year round.

MD

[Oldbear]

I put seafoam in the gas and run it awhile.  I also start it a couple times during the summer.

[thewyler]

Add seafoam to less than a cup of gas run dry, the spray carb cleaner into air intake. Pull starter until it refuses to go, it should start right up next season

[thomasthepikehunter]

You can run the treated gas in the tank, but I put so much seafoam in it, I don't like to . I usually put about 2 ounces per cup of gas. Not sure how you can possibly be running on 3 year old gas and not know it. Usually the gas smells "old" after about 6 months, and your motor smells like a popcorn machine when you run it. Running 3 year old gas is like a 25 year old spark plug. Just because it works, doesn't mean its a good idea.

[pastaboy]

I don't have a gas auger but I put about 2oz. each sea foam, marvel mystery oil and stabil (Follow stabil bottle directions) to my 5gal gas can and run it in my yard equipment for a couple of minutes (Do this for my boat motor too) and leave it. Keeps the seals from drying out and prevents the carb from gunking up. I also put about 1tablespoon motor oil in the cylinder, put plug back in and leave spark plug wire un-hooked, pull rope a couple times to disperse oil to prevent freeze up during storage and good to go. I do not dump my gas either, with the stabil it is good to go next season.

[Eyes R Bitin]

Does Stabil get old.  I have a can that I bought about 10 years ago.  Is it still good?

[Fishmon]

Does Stabil get old.  I have a can that I bought about 10 years ago.  Is it still good?

Do yourself and your auger a favor and buy a new container of marine stabil which is better than what you have.  It is well worth the $ and aggravation you will spare yourself from down the road.

[Huntindave]

You can run the treated gas in the tank, but I put so much seafoam in it, I don't like to . I usually put about 2 ounces per cup of gas. Not sure how you can possibly be running on 3 year old gas and not know it. Usually the gas smells "old" after about 6 months, and your motor smells like a popcorn machine when you run it. Running 3 year old gas is like a 25 year old spark plug. Just because it works, doesn't mean its a good idea.

Is that a typo?  "I usually put about 2 ounces per cup of gas. "  A cup equals 8 ounces and you are running 2 ounces of Seafoam with  every cup?

That is 16 ounces of seafoam for every gal of gas or 2.5 quarts of seafom for every 5 gal of gas.  That seems like a very rich mixture.

[thomasthepikehunter]

It is not a typo, an that is the reason I dump it every year. Maybe not totally necessary, but I it cleans out the carb and decarbs the engine.

[eriksat1]

I never do anything except keep the gas tank full, and start it up around the end of July. Works great for me for the last 25 years. Never had a problem with the auger starting right up come first ice.

[Huntindave]

I never do anything except keep the gas tank full, and start it up around the end of July. Works great for me for the last 25 years. Never had a problem with the auger starting right up come first ice.

Same for me.

[Huntindave]

It is not a typo, an that is the reason I dump it every year. Maybe not totally necessary, but I it cleans out the carb and decarbs the engine.

Ok, I understand now.  You are only mixing it this rich for storage, not usage.

[eriksat1]

imo the worst thing you can do is let it dry out, and let the remaining 2 cycle oil film varnish up. Best to fill the tank full so no condensation.

[UP jigstick]

I never do anything except keep the gas tank full, and start it up around the end of July. Works great for me for the last 25 years. Never had a problem with the auger starting right up come first ice.

X3 here. It goes for the snowblower too, though I fire 'em both up about once a month during the off season.

[Rebelss]

I empty most of the tank, leaving enough to cover the pick up tube, add a shot of Startron, and a bit more oil to the mix, then run a minute or two and shut down. Use fogging oil in the cylinder. It's not a "gimmick". I also spray the carb throat/linkage with a good protectant. Remember to rub some oil on those blades also, to prevent rust starting.

[XhardwaterX]

Ive been running it dry with stabil added to the non ethanol fuel. Should I just leave the tank full instead?

[Rebelss]

Ive been running it dry with stabil added to the non ethanol fuel. Should I just leave the tank full instead?

After about 40 years of doing that, I now leave fuel in the tank, after putting new gasket kits in two engines, including my boat engine/carbs, because everything dried out....I've changed my outlook on running things dry. 

[thndrvlly]

"

I never do anything except keep the gas tank full, and start it up around the end of July. Works great for me for the last 25 years. Never had a problem with the auger starting right up come first ice.

"  x4, i dont even bother starting it up in july, come ice fishing time just pull on it and it usually fires right up, havent had any problems yet

[IcefisherSteve]

This is my 3rd year with my auger. To store it away for winter I put it in back of my garage. then pull it out few days before I icefish and fire it up and add some fresh gas.

[eriksat1]

If you have it available use non ethanol gas add your oil, fill the tank, and maybe add some stabil if you choose. I have never even bothered adding stabil. The 2 cycle oil I use says it has stabilizer already in the oil. Been working for me for 25+ years. I will probably die of old age before my jiffy model 30 craps out.

[Dan J]

Storage starts with what you put in the tank at the beginning of the season. I always start with fresh non oxy fuel mixed with Amsoil, Startron and Seafoam. When the season is over I just start it up once a month all summer to keep everything from drying out. In the fall I empty any old gas and start with fresh mixed non oxy. I haven't had any problems.

[JonPerry]

Dump the gas?  Seems like a waste of perfectly good petrol, especially since you treated it.
I've been on the same tank of gas in one of my augers now for the past 3 years?  I just
treat it good, and periodically start them year round.

MD

I "dump the gas" in my vehicle to burn it up unless I have a brush pile that needs attention

[Mainedog]

Dump the gas?  Seems like a waste of perfectly good petrol, especially since you treated it.
I've been on the same tank of gas in one of my augers now for the past 3 years?  I just
treat it good, and periodically start them year round.

MD

Let me clarify this.  In one of my augers (which I haven't used regularly in nearly 3 years, which the gas was treated with stabil and seafoam), I would start it about once every six months.  I never drained the tank, but would occasionally top it off with my current mix of 2-cycle gas.  Since during its bi-yearly starts, I only let it run long enough to warm up, I didn't use very much gas.  I am more concerned about condensation build up in a partially filled tank, than I am about gumming up the carb.  I should also point out that during my last trip to Moosehead earlier this month, I decided to use that auger, and it performed just fine.  It is a 2hp Jiffy White Lightning.  I also am
a believer in keeping some gas in it to prevent the seals from drying out.  Your mileage my vary.  It does have a fairly new plug in it.
And it doesn't smell like pop corn.  It doesn't produce very much smoke since I run a 50:1 mix using Amsoil.  It does usually start on
the third pull if I don't flood it.  First pull (or until it fires) at full choke.  Then one pull at half coke (and it usually starts), then I take off
the choke and let it warm up.  This auger has become my backup auger, and so I rarely use it.  I let guests use it if they want to drill
their own holes.  I usually use my Tanaka and Nils bit.  There.  Hope that clears things up a bit.

MD
 

[IcefisherSteve]

I "dump the gas" in my vehicle to burn it up unless I have a brush pile that needs attention

You put your auger gas that is mixed with 2 stroke oil in your vehicle???

[spud bar]

You put your auger gas that is mixed with 2 stroke oil in your vehicle???

I do the same thing. A little mixed fuel added to a full tank in the truck won't make a diff. Better than dumping it out.

[rgfixit]

I hang my augers in the basement. When the season arrives I eat some Wheaties and drill some holes. My Fin BorIII don't need no gas!

RG

[thomasthepikehunter]

Yep, just put the gas in your car, truck, or anything else. I dump all my extra gas in my truck. As long as you do a little at a time, you'll be fine. I've gone so far as to dump almost 5 gallons of boat gas in there at a time. Its probably equivalent to running 100:1 in my truck. I don't recommend that much at a time for something you actually care about, but I just cant seem to get my truck to die. At 20 hard years of use, I can literally do anything to it, and it will just keep chugging along.

[Rebelss]

Keeps my mower going half the Summer.