How to Drain Gas From a Snow Blower
How to Drain Gas From a Snow Blower
In This Guide
The single biggest reason snow blowers refuse to start each winter is old fuel that turned to varnish over the summer and clogged the carburetor. Draining the gas before you put the machine away for the season is the cheapest insurance against that repair. The key detail most owners miss is that emptying the tank is only half the job, since the fuel sitting in the carburetor bowl is what actually causes the trouble. This guide covers both halves, so the machine starts clean next winter.
Drain or Stabilize: Two Valid Paths
There are two accepted ways to store a snow blower. The first is to drain the fuel completely so nothing is left to go stale. The second is to fill the tank, add a fuel stabilizer, and run the engine a few minutes so treated fuel reaches the carburetor. Both work. Draining is the surer bet for machines that sit many months, because even stabilized fuel eventually degrades. If you drain, this guide is for you. If your carburetor is already gummed from last year, our carburetor cleaning guide covers the fix.
How to Drain the Fuel Step by Step
Why the Carburetor Matters More Than the Tank
Fuel in a sealed tank goes stale slowly, but fuel in the tiny passages of a carburetor bowl evaporates and leaves behind a sticky varnish that blocks the jets. That is the clog that stops a snow blower from starting in November. Running the engine dry after emptying the tank clears those passages, which is why the two steps go together. Skipping the run dry step is the most common draining mistake.
What to Do With the Old Fuel
If the gas is only a few weeks old and looks and smells fine, you can pour it into a car and use it up. If it is from last season, smells sour or looks dark, treat it as bad fuel and dispose of it at a hazardous waste site. Our guide on how to tell if gas has gone bad covers the signs. Never store degraded fuel to reuse next year.
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