How to Empty Fuel Tank to Winterize Lawn Mower

Series Summary

Winter is indeed a cruel season for lawn mowers. After months of active duty, they sit in the garage doing nothing, dreaming of the next lawn that needs cutting. While the mower may feel ready for action with a full tank of gas and blade anxiously anticipating that next unruly blade of grass, this state of readiness can be harmful to your trusty mowing companion. You must take special steps to ensure that your mower will be in tip-top shape in the spring.

In this free series of lawn care videos, our popular expert Jon Olson tells you how to winterize your lawn mower. He demonstrates how to empty the fuel and oil tanks, as well as how to remove the blade, air filter and spark plugs. You will also learn how to remove rust and and clean the underside of the mower to ensure that your favorite outdoor appliance will be ready for duty when the yard starts getting out of control.

Video Transcript

"Hi! This is Jon on behalf of Expert Village. In this video clip, we will be emptying the fuel tank. Now the first thing that we need to do in winterizing your lawn mower is emptying the fuel tank. The first thing is to take off the fuel cap here, take a look inside and it actually looks like it is about half full. Now the easiest way to drain your fuel tank in your lawnmower is simply to just start your mower and let it run until all the gas empties out and the mower stops. Now although the fuel tank is about half full, this will take a significant amount of time to run your mower to the point where there is no more fuel left in it. Again, this method is the easiest and also, probably the most safest. "