Carb Drain Generator

[hopper]

I have always heard to drain the carb in my chainsaws, small Outboards, lawn mowers etc...
I recently was reading about generator maintenance and it seams alot of people suggest to fill tank with non ethanol, run it for 10 min and shut it off leaving the non ethanol gas in the carburetor without draining.
What's yalls thoughts on this? This is a small 7000 running watt inverter generator for emergency power. It won't be used much. I will start up every other month for 10 min plus drain fuel and refill every 6 months.

 

[tr21]

I run my carb dry even with ethanol free gas on my gen., I ain't taking any chances !

 

[earlthegoat2]

Even “ethanol free” gas has quite a bit of ethanol in it. It’s in the fine print right at the pump.

There is some ethanol free gas out there with only trace amounts of ethanol in it but you will usually only find it in small quantities. It’s TruFuel among other brands.

I run my carb dry even with ethanol free gas on my gen., I ain't taking any chances !

This is the best advice. Maybe dribble a bit of ethanol free in there and then run it dry. Best of both worlds.

 

[Ruger#3]

I run SeaFoam in my generator fuel. I shutoff the feed valve and run it until it quits. So far no issues.

 

[Beagler]

I run all my engines including my boat motor completely dry, never had a problem with the carbs.

 

[hopper]

Thanks. Exactly what I was thinking (drain carb)
Never drained my work generator but it ran 8 to 16 hrs a week with not much sitting time.
I think with this one not being used alot I will fill with stabil added to non ethanol, shut fuel valve until it stops then open carb to drain the last bit.
Thanks.

 

[B. White]

I think some of it has to do with the equipment design and operating environment. I had a new tiller that I ran dry, but it would fire and not run next time I wanted to use it. Had been over a year. Took the bowl off and it had crap in it that contaminated the carb, so for it I know I have to also pull the bowl and wipe it out.

I've got a Poulan 4000 bow saw that I bought in the 80s that has had all kind of gas in it. Had to clean it once since new, but it had sat for years. I've got a pressure washer with a 5hp Honda and I don't think I have every run it dry. It just keeps getting abused and running, probably 15 yrs now. Newer stuff seems more finicky.

 

[trial&error]

I turn off the gas and let it burn whats in the bowl. Things I know I won't use anytime soon I drain the tank first, run the bowl dry, then let it sit in the sun with the gas cap off for awhile.

 

[specialk]

the only thing i run till dry is the ginny, mainly because it has a shutoff valve on the tank...seafoam, stabil, and corn free gas...

 

[NE GA Pappy]

there is a drain screw in the bottom of the carb on my gasoline generator. I cut off the main gas valve, open the drain screw and let it all drain out, then close the drain screw

I run marine Stabil and non-ethanol in my unit. It has a longer life than the red Stabil

 

[Mars]

My generator has a fuel shutoff valve. I shut the valve and let it run the fuel out of the carb. I haven't been using anything but ethanol gas and I've had no issue so far. I try to fire it up about once a month but that doesn't always happen.

 

[shawnrice]

I run my carb dry even with ethanol free gas on my gen., I ain't taking any chances !

x2

 

[Doboy Dawg]

I absolutely destroyed the carburetor on my last generator by forgetting to drain the gas the last time I used it. I guess I had inadvertently put ethanol gas out of one of my cans in it.

It was the only carburetor I’ve never been able to rebuild. It was a older Briggs powered generator but it worked well, until then. I couldn’t find a replacement carb and wound up scrapping the generator.

When I pulled the carburetor, which I had rebuilt before, the inside was a solid block of rust. I couldn’t get the jets out, so I trashed it, lesson learned. Ethanol is the devil on a engine that’s not used regularly.

 

[Big7]

I run my carb dry even with ethanol free gas on my gen., I ain't taking any chances !

I run everything dry and hit it with boat fogging spray.