OK. I'm pretty much an electric guy like most of you. I still have a gas powerhead in reserve and will never part with it. Still need to keep it in running order "just in case"
Mousing around the other day I came across a revolutionary method for keeping your auger, or any 2 strike powerhead, in shape for off season protection and guaranteed starting after months of storage.
On a thumbnail: Pour all the gas out of the tank and run any remaining gas out of the carb. Throw in a few ounces of straight 2 stroke oil INTO the tank. Prime it through the carb and pull the rope a few times with the throttle wide open to push it into the cylinder and crankcase. Prime again so the carb is full. Walk away. You are done and your 2 stroke implement has been "seasonalized"
Never like draining the tank. Carb Diaphragms dry out, varnish accumulates, problems ensue. This way, diaphragms are always wetted, fuel tank and crankcase/cylinder is lubricated, no air ever reaches anything to corrode.
At the beginning of the season pour out the oil from the tank. Reuse it if you must. Fill with fresh fuel, prime into the carb, pull a couple/three strokes (ignition off) to purge the cylinder. Ignition on and start as usual. Might have to change/clean the plug after starting and running but most of us do that anyway.
In fairness I have not done this. My routine was to add a ton of oil to the gas in the tank, run it and let it smoke like a banshee and choke it dead. Start up procedure was the same. Never, ever had an issue with starting. Did it with my auger, weed whacker, chain saws, heck... any 2 stroke the saw seasonal use.
I know. Coulda used this more 30 years ago... Still has use on other 2 stroke implements.
FWIW - where I got this idea: