Puttin the XT2 LX46 up for winter, what yall actually do?

R

RustyWrench

Active member
Fellas, mowin seasons about done here n the XT2s gonna sit till spring. After that fuel line mess back in September I aint takin no chances this winter.
Figurin on runnin her dry, pullin the battery inside, n maybe foggin the cylinders. Heard some fellas swear by stabilizer n leavin the tank full instead. Cant both be right. Whats worked for yall over the years on these Kawasaki twins? Mice are the other thing I worry about settin in the shed all winter.
 
If you put a fuel valve in line after the tank you can have both. Stabilized fuel is good for several months by the mfg claims and most mfg recommend running the carb dry for long term storage. Maybe some witch's brew for the critters but I've found they don't like open areas so leave the compartments/covers open seems to help. Keep the battery charged every couple months and not allowed to get below freezing temps. JMHO Stan
 
Clean all the grass off the deck, may need to use a scraping tool or two, then spray it with anything to stop the rust.
Clean the engine block thoroughly to get rid of built up grass and dust.
Dryer sheets seem to be a solution in RV's, so maybe a few in the engine area will keep the mice at bay. I always pull the shrouds off in the spring to check for mice.
I pull the battery and put it on a NOCO Genius 1 maintainer once a month.
As Stan pointed out, a fuel shutoff valve, run the engine till it dies.
 
Ditto on the cleanup, it never crossed my mind because I use a blower to clean my machine every time it gets used. I've seen too many decks that rust out simply because the debris is left on there and never cleaned. Also less buildup underneath if the grass is not cut when it's wet. Debris buildup is an open invitation for rust to do its damage! Stan
 
I never run the carb dry or ever empty the fuel tank. If you look on the edge of a gas can where the fuel drips down from the spout, there will be a residue on the can. The residue is from the evaporation of the fuel on the side of the can. I don't want this evaporation residue in the carb. I always keep fresh fuel in the tank/carb and keep the tank full. I have a 3 KW generator with a Briggs & Stratton engine that I bought in 1980. I had to use the generator a few months back. The engine started right up. What I do for equipment such as a generator, that doesn't get used much, is I siphon the gas out periodically and fill up the tank with fresh gas. I then run the engine several minutes to get fresh gas in the carb. Recently, I switched to 90 octane non ethanol fuel that stores better than the ethanol blend and is more friendly to the diaphragms and rubber fuel lines on 2 cycle engines such as chain saws, etc..
 
Small engines such as a B&S or such I simply run dry. The cub and 404 I do nothing. Probably not a good idea. I have in the past used a fuel stabilizer. I reallly do believe it is a good idea. Vern
 
staninlowerAL said:
From the B & S Owners Manual:
Click to expand...
'The point I was trying to make, in my post above, was in reference to the beginning (Item 1b) of the B&S instructions "To prevent gum from forming in the fuel system or essential carburetor parts". They recommend adding a stabilizer, such as "Stabil" in the fuel. It will last for 2 years. I don't know. I just change the fuel and replace with fresh. I will never run my tank or carb dry. I believe, that running a tank or carb dry many times, will leave a gum residue. Also, I don't think the gaskets, "O" rings, seals, etc., in a carb. like to be dried out. Keeping them moist all the time is better.
 
Appreciate all the input fellas, didnt expect this much back and forth.
Sounds like the move is a fuel shutoff valve, Stabil in a full tank, then run the carb dry after closin the valve. Best of both like Stan said. Pullin the battery for a maintainer and scrapin the deck down like Peter mentioned.
John you got a point on them carb gaskets dryin out. Might try the non ethanol 90 this year and see how she fires up come spring.
Still torn on the mice. Dryer sheets or leavin the shrouds open, anybody had one way actually fail on em? Found a nest in my push mower two winters back and it wasnt pretty.
 
You can’t go wrong with leaving the shrouds off after you’ve cleaned the dust and debris from the cooling fins, etc. In the spring it will be easier to see if mice have taken up residence.
On my Husqvarna 42” lawn tractor with the Kawasaki 15hp V-Twin, mice ate the plastic frame of the air filter one winter, so now I take that off and put it in a ziplock bag. I then cover the carb inlet with an oil soaked rag to keep them out.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top