As summer winds down, now is the time to begin planning for the colder months ahead. One of the most important tasks is “winterizing” your small engines. Proper storage is important since many of these engines won’t be used again for months. Taking a few important steps now will ensure your important equipment stays healthy for years!

General Tips for Winterizing Small Engines

Clean Your Equipment/Engine

Being dirty is never conducive to long-term health, regardless of the equipment. It’s been said that a “clean car runs better”, the same goes for small engine powered equipment. Removing debris and cleaning it from top to bottom will help prevent any contaminants from entering the fuel system when it’s time to pull it out of storage in the spring.

Empty the Fuel Tank

This may vary depending on your manufacturer, but if you are not sure, it is typically best to store the engine with an empty fuel tank. Again, this advice varies based on a few different situations. How long will the engine be stored? Was an additive used to stabilize the fuel? What does your manufacturer recommend? The worst case scenario is leaving a half-tank of unstabilized fuel sit in your engine for long periods of time.

Let the Professionals Handle It

As a society, we are busier than ever. Between work, social life, school, etc., we barely have time to catch our breath, let alone take care of important maintenance tasks like winterizing our small engines. Small engine repair shops will typically provide a winterizing service, especially for brands they carry and service.

Need a small engine winterized in Nampa, Meridian or Boise? Look no further than your local Legacy Feed & Fuel. Winterizing is available in our Nampa store and in our Meridian store. There’s no need to spend your time doing it yourself. Bring all your small engines to one of our convenient locations and we’ll take care of it for you! After all…Expertise is our Legacy!