Winterizing power euipment

[Cabin Fever]

It’s about that time of year to put some of my power equipment to sleep for the winter: mowers, ATVs, brushcutter, trimmer, etc. What I normally do is run the engine dry, wait until it cools, add about an ounce of oil to each cylinder through the spark plug hole, and lastly, turn the engine over a few times. (I also clean the air cleaner).

My question is what is the best type of oil to pour into the engine cylinder? I’ve used 30 weight, 2-cycle oil, Mystery oil and fogging oil. Does it really make a difference? My intuition tells me to use a heavy oil so it stays on the cylinder walls longer. What do you use? How do you winterize your equipment?

[amwitched]

We use fogging oil in the watercraft that we winterize at the shop. We also put Stabil in the fuel and unhook the battery.

[Cabin Fever]

Do you spray the fogging oil into the carb while the engine is running or just spray it into the spark plug hole?

[dale]

well if you put Stabil it will sometimes on small engines swell the seat where the needle fits and you cant get any gas thru it and will have to change it.

Now I am not saying this will happen all the time..
But I have worked at a small engine shop and we have had to replace many needle and seats and all was due to stabil..

your regular 30 weight oil that you run in the crankcase will do just fine

[Gary in ohio]

Do you really have that long of a season you need to fully winterize your summer powertools? I Know my mowers will be used up into december with lawn and leaf managment. THe law tractor is used year round with snow removal. chain saw is used off and on during the winter, the items that area not used will be back in use in march again. I usually put stabil in the gas and a dab of oil into the cylinders.

Now the boat got a bit more work, but it was unused for a much longer period of time. I also have to "summerize" my snow blower since it inactive more than active.