Is fogging the engine really needed...
- Thread starter bobback
- Start date
I’m an airplane guy, and the forums would have you believe that periods of inactivity are the death knell of our antiquated engines. Simply not true. I do agree that starting and running for a minute is a bad practice. I won’t even move my cars unless I’m going to drive them somewhere. My polaris’, Hondas, huskys, **** even the Malibu starts after being neglected all winter. I think the key is non ethanol fuel.
I store in a garage or enclosed trailer. Dry climate. Start every couple months and let them run until the thermostats open and rear heat exchanger gets warm or temp on the dash gets up.
J
Jaynelson
Well-known member
I have fogged, not fogged, started periodically, never started, or any combination thereof over the years. Haven't had any issues any which way....I think you're safe to call it a "best practice." In my head I am less worried about it in a 2-stroke, as there is oil all through the thing any time it's run. I was more religious with it in my boats because 4-stroke, no opportunity to start it in the winter and...water? I dunno...that's how my brain worked anyways.
54 years experience on 1 to 12 sleds a sesaon.
Carb sleds: Always put a couple tablespoons of two stroke oil in the cylinders and pulled the engine over several times to distribute. That is after putting in fuel stabilizer for the last part of the run time before storage. No fouled plugs as a result. Put new ones in the first ride of the season.
Etecs: Used the oiling feature and fuel stabilizer. No issues. 3500 mile plug life. Turbo 1500 mile life
In that time only two problems related to storage:
1) 2008 ski doo 800 - clogged pilot jet (Probably the only time we used ethanol fuel)
2) 2005 ski doo 800 - engine oil line check valve failed and engine hydro locked w/ crank case full. Ended up catastrophic failure - blew a hole hole out the bottom.
Carb sleds: Always put a couple tablespoons of two stroke oil in the cylinders and pulled the engine over several times to distribute. That is after putting in fuel stabilizer for the last part of the run time before storage. No fouled plugs as a result. Put new ones in the first ride of the season.
Etecs: Used the oiling feature and fuel stabilizer. No issues. 3500 mile plug life. Turbo 1500 mile life
In that time only two problems related to storage:
1) 2008 ski doo 800 - clogged pilot jet (Probably the only time we used ethanol fuel)
2) 2005 ski doo 800 - engine oil line check valve failed and engine hydro locked w/ crank case full. Ended up catastrophic failure - blew a hole hole out the bottom.
