Winter care for petrol strimmers and mowers

[DaveHerns]

Does pouring 2 stroke oil into the spark plug hole of a 2 stroke strimmer give good protection against the bore rusting? Anything better? It makes it hard to start in the spring
Mountfield Mower with B&S Quantum engine- I will do an oil change but what's best with the petrol to prevent the tank rusting? Drain it / Use petrol inhibitor ? I've heard of adding meths to petrol to absorb water. If using inhibitor would you fill the petrol tank to the top to keep water vapour out?

 

[Burnerman]

All of your proposals make complete sense....if you are concerned about fuel failure then add an inhibitor that keeps it fresh (Briggs do one) or buy aspen fuel from a horticultural shop.
As for the fuel tank - assuming its the steel tank with the carb on top - they only really rust if contaminated fuel has been used or if the machine is kept in a very damp shed or whatever.
If there are any traces of water or grot, looking through the filler cap then get rid of the fuel and add fresh, right to the top. If the machine has a petrol tap, close it and run the machine until it stops.
Personally I don't do anything particularly with my machines apart from change the oil, but a splash of oil down the plug hole does no harm of course.
Maybe a better move is to run the machines a couple of times through the winter? They'll fire up perfectly next time you want to use them in earnest.
Another thing to do - if your mower has a steel deck, clean the underside if you can be bothered - it'll prolong the machine life by years.
John

 

[DaveHerns]

So inhibitor only stops the fuel going "off" not corrosion? . This mower is years old and was a freebie. Tank looks good inside. Chap told me all he did was run it a few times during the winter. I cut my grass while it was wet to soften the mud under the deck and scraped it off . I was planning to use some old Waxoyl on it.
My strimmer starts OK after a lay-up but the one I leave at my mum's house is a Ryobi made in 1994! I got it as a non-runner . Works fine when started but a pig to start. I'd have no chance of starting it with oil in the cylinder so maybe a quick blast once a month is the answer.

 

[Burnerman]

As far as I know, these inhibitors only retain the octane value of the fuel - so it's actually likely to burn when it needs to! Some inhibitors reduce the nasty effects of ethanol on rubber parts, too.
John