Lawn mower storage over winter.

I get the feeling that I wont be using the mower on the quagmire anymore until spring, most years I just put it in the garage and leave it and then find its a real pain to start it come spring.
Any tips to perhaps make it easier to get it going in spring?

I get the feeling its usually a petrol problem, stale petrol having gone gummy in the carburettor, so my thinking is drain as much fuel out the tank as I can and then run it until it runs out and stops.
Would this perhaps clear the carburettor and then some fresh petrol next spring make starting easier.

 

I use E5 97 RON in my Briggs and Stratton powered mower. I never drain the petrol down. What I do, the first start of the new season is remove the spark plug, put a squirt of engine oil down the bore, pull it over a couple of times, replace the plug, prime the carburettor and it usually starts first pull. Better than it does the rest of the season.

 

My old mower, the one I dumped had a Briggs and Stratton engine and it never did start without lots of hassle after winter, and especially when hot.
The new one I bought last year is a Mountfield with a Stiga? engine, it has no prime button but has always started well, until when I wanted to start it this spring and it took a while.

I dont really want to get it into the state the old one was regarding starting.

Good tip about some engine oil in the cylinder @Jocko.

I've not thought of using the higher grade petrol but have used something you can buy called petrol enhancer from B&Q, it was the only way I could get the old one to start at all.

 

still planning to use our riding mower, helps with the leaf removal. but when we do stop it goes in the shed, and the battery is removed to a warmer area. Also the push mower is in the shed and that battery removed.

 

I assume you do this in the spring when restarting?

 

Make sure you use the right WD40. The original WD40 is a moisture-repellant and sets like glue.

 

I thought there was only one WD40?

 

Better to run engine till dry, leave fuel cap on but loose. Remove spark plug, place in a pencil, turn engine over until pencil raised fully .TDC (leaves 'points 'closed.Replace plug and tighten. Discard remaining fuel and buy fresh next season.(Can be used in other petrol engines, the ethanol quotient (10% E10) decays in weeks.

 

We've been draining the tanks and then running the mowers dry, use carb cleaner if you are removing the carb. Use some easy start ( remove air filter ) that what we do to get them going if they are struggling starting. The strimmers have E5 ( shell v power ) they won't be a problem to start when spring comes round.