Auger Storage

[tiger woods]

What do you guys do to ensure proper long term storage until next season? Looking to take care of my gas auger.

[Esox]

add fuel stabilizer and fog the carb. Then in the fall before I use it, I drain the gas tank and put fresh stuff in. I use stabilizer in all my gas motors all year round. Sled, quad, boat, ice auger, chainsaw, generator.

[cube]

What do you guys do to ensure proper long term storage until next season? Looking to take care of my gas auger.

I always use premium fuel (no ethanol) and use oil with fuel stabilizer in it. I also store it up right. Come spring time I do nothing extra.

Come winter just go and fire it up, have never had a problem with this for over 14 years with 2 different eskimo augers now. I do get fresh premium gas and oil for the Gerry can though.

[yetiseeker]

For my smaller engines, I just empty the gas tank, and run the engine to burn any leftover fuel in the fuel line, carb, etc. I then leave the gas cap off for a few days to allow the fuel to evaporate.

[TJG]

What do you guys do to ensure proper long term storage until next season? Looking to take care of my gas auger.

Same treatment for all 2 stroke equipment.
Fuel sabilizer, run to mix in carb & hoses, drain gas & store dry. No wet = no rust. In the fall fill with new gas, treatment & oil, good to go.

[sparky660]

Mine is a 4-stroke so I change oil and but a few drops of oil in the cylinder.

[Isopod]

Drain fuel, run engine dry. Remove spark plug and put 5 or 10 drops of oil in the cylinder, replace plug, pull starter cord gently until resistance felt, which means the cylinder is sealed off from outside air. I store the motor in a sealed plastic bag until next winter. For the auger and blades, I put a light coat of oil on the blades and store the auger/blades, usually in the basement to prevent dust build up, but could just cover and store outside.

[PlayDoh]

For my smaller engines, I just empty the gas tank, and run the engine to burn any leftover fuel in the fuel line, carb, etc. I then leave the gas cap off for a few days to allow the fuel to evaporate.

I wouldn't recommend this. This can allow rust in the cylinders, and seize the piston(s). There is no need to drain fuel / oil mixture, as the presence will inhibit corrosion.

Shell's Premium has no Ethanol, and most Auger branded oil mixes have stabilizers added. If not you can just add some to your mix and run the engine to ensure the stabilizer fuel mix is in the system.

Also leaving the gas cap off would allow spiders and other insects or objects to get inside the tank.

Draining the bowls in spring is a method used when stabilizer isn't used, or the fuel is really old, not really necessary if stabilizer was used, but it wont hurt anything.

[Jamie Black R/T]

I wouldn't recommend this. This can allow rust in the cylinders, and seize the piston(s). There is no need to drain fuel / oil mixture, as the presence will inhibit corrosion.

Shell's Premium has no Ethanol, and most Auger branded oil mixes have stabilizers added. If not you can just add some to your mix and run the engine to ensure the stabilizer fuel mix is in the system.

Also leaving the gas cap off would allow spiders and other insects or objects to get inside the tank.

Draining the bowls in spring is a method used when stabilizer isn't used, or the fuel is really old, not really necessary if stabilizer was used, but it wont hurt anything.

x2

store with fuel in to avoid drying the fuel lines and internal corrosion.

have a 20+ year old jiffy thats never been drained for storage. I leave a cup of fuel in for the summer and come winter just dump it and give it a fresh tank and off she goes.

[tiger woods]

Quite a few different opinions and responses, interesting.

Sounds like if i mix some stabilizer into my 50:1 jerry can and then use that in my auger, run for a few mins and then store with mixed fuel/stabilizer combo still in the auger tank then I should be good to go. Pour that fuel out next winter and replace with new mixed fuel. Do I really need to take spark plugs out, spray oil in the intake, etc as well?

Really appreciate the feedback from everyone.

[Isopod]

If you aren't burning off the fuel in the lines, then you don't need to put oil in the cylinder as there will already be oil/fuel/stabilizer in there. I prefer to burn it off since I won't be running it from the end of March to probably January of the next year and I just don't trust fuel stabilizer to fully stabilize the fuel for that long. Actually it is even longer since I make up fuel in December so the fuel would be a year old by the time I make up new stabilized fuel, and the stabilizer product says it stabilizes fuel for 6 months. But obviously many others don't burn off the old fuel in the spring and seem to have good success.

[tiger woods]

If you aren't burning off the fuel in the lines, then you don't need to put oil in the cylinder as there will already be oil/fuel/stabilizer in there. I prefer to burn it off since I won't be running it from the end of March to probably January of the next year and I just don't trust fuel stabilizer to fully stabilize the fuel for that long. Actually it is even longer since I make up fuel in December so the fuel would be a year old by the time I make up new stabilized fuel, and the stabilizer product says it stabilizes fuel for 6 months. But obviously many others don't burn off the old fuel in the spring and seem to have good success.

Fair enough. I'm going to simply use stabilizer, run then store like that and hope it fires problem free next season. I'm confident it'll be fine...somewhat lol.

If anyone is worried and wonders how it turns out they are free to ask how it worked out for me and I'll let you know my findings next ice season

[TJG]

Fair enough. I'm going to simply use stabilizer, run then store like that and hope it fires problem free next season. I'm confident it'll be fine...somewhat lol.

If anyone is worried and wonders how it turns out they are free to ask how it worked out for me and I'll let you know my findings next ice season

http://blog.iceforce.com/news/store-your-strikemaster-auger-correctly-in-the-off-season/?trk_msg=27I4R2L5TRU4V952NHVIGTKAO4&trk_contact=4FEV1UL73ND2946DGA7SQRPOFK&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fblog.iceforce.com%2fnews%2fs tore-your-strikemaster-auger-correctly-in-the-off-season%2f&utm_campaign=Tips+To+Properly+Store+Your+Ice+Gear&utm_content=2015-03-24_Brand_ICE-FORCE-Newsletter-40

[Willowtrail]

I use Opti2 oil in my mix with premium fuel and have to do nothing to my auger. I store it upright in my Eskimo bag and she fires up no issues every winter.

[kevinhits]

I have had my Jiffy four years now...I will empty the gas and run it till it is done and pull the spark plug...I also run seafoam in premium gas at all times( No ethanol)..and store it on it's side up in storage for the season...Never ever had an issue starting up next winter:)

[trowland]

Fair enough. I'm going to simply use stabilizer, run then store like that and hope it fires problem free next season. I'm confident it'll be fine...somewhat lol.

If anyone is worried and wonders how it turns out they are free to ask how it worked out for me and I'll let you know my findings next ice season

This method works well for me, not only in the ice auger but also in the snow blower and lawn mower.

[trowland]

Fair enough. I'm going to simply use stabilizer, run then store like that and hope it fires problem free next season. I'm confident it'll be fine...somewhat lol.

If anyone is worried and wonders how it turns out they are free to ask how it worked out for me and I'll let you know my findings next ice season

I forgot to mention that I use Sea Foam as a fuel conditioner. It works very well and is available at Canadian Tire.

[Hunter Trav]

Fair enough. I'm going to simply use stabilizer, run then store like that and hope it fires problem free next season. I'm confident it'll be fine...somewhat lol.

If anyone is worried and wonders how it turns out they are free to ask how it worked out for me and I'll let you know my findings next ice season

Pull it out a couple of times over the summer and fall and fire it up and run it for a couple minutes. Takes no time at all and can be done while enjoying a bevy of choice... :cool:

[waiting41]

Hunter trav........u just hit the nail on the head!

[tiger woods]

Pull it out a couple of times over the summer and fall and fire it up and run it for a couple minutes. Takes no time at all and can be done while enjoying a bevy of choice... :cool:

Was thinking about that today actually, funny that you mention it. I'll definitely fire it up once in awhile, might as well. Takes only a minute a few different times until next season, and it's a perfect task while drinking beer. Nothing like being efficient with your time and doing double duty - beers and maintenance.

[cube]

If you aren't burning off the fuel in the lines, then you don't need to put oil in the cylinder as there will already be oil/fuel/stabilizer in there. I prefer to burn it off since I won't be running it from the end of March to probably January of the next year and I just don't trust fuel stabilizer to fully stabilize the fuel for that long. Actually it is even longer since I make up fuel in December so the fuel would be a year old by the time I make up new stabilized fuel, and the stabilizer product says it stabilizes fuel for 6 months. But obviously many others don't burn off the old fuel in the spring and seem to have good success.

For what it's worth seafoam says that it stabilizes fuel for 2 years not just 6 months.

[Hunter Trav]

Was thinking about that today actually, funny that you mention it. I'll definitely fire it up once in awhile, might as well. Takes only a minute a few different times until next season, and it's a perfect task while drinking beer. Nothing like being efficient with your time and doing double duty - beers and maintenance.

I usually leave about 1/4 tank of fuel or so in mine over the summer, and add a cap full of seafoam to it so that I can run it a few times during the off season. Come ice season, I just top up the tank with fresh fuel/oil and I always add some more seafoam to my little jerry can as well. I think it also helps to be running a good premium synthetic 2 stroke oil like Amsoil or Opti, for how little you use its worth the investment...

[Freedom55]

I was cleaning my garage yesterday so I pulled out the milk crate that holds my Jiffy power head, gave it a couple of pumps on the primer, full choke and full throttle and three pulls on the string and running. It had sat in that box with a cover since last winter (I didn't icefish this winter, may have to sell my gear) but it flashed right up.

Appears that no special care must be taken other than Stabil and good luck

[PerchBuster]

X2 on what Cube said. Fresh premium high octane with no ethanol when you put it away mixed with 2 stroke oil with fuel stabilizer already added. Do not drain all the gas and store dry as this dries out the reeds and gums up internals leading to a carb job down the road. Pull it off the wall and start it up for a few minutes once a month and at the beginning of ice season add a fresh plug and you're good to go. This has worked real well for me with no problems to report. Still good as new.

[kinwahkly]

I just take the battery off my ION.

[Chief16]

I just take the battery off my ION.

Well than :sHa_shakeshout:

[Hunter Trav]

I just take the battery off my ION.

Make sure you guys with Ion's do some maintenance charging through the summer, I hear those replacement batteries are expensive...:cool: