At this time of year (winter) I find a large portion of call-outs are related to fuel quality and water in the fuel.  In 18 years of servicing, I could count on less than four fingers, the number of customers I have encountered with both water in their mower fuel tank and a plastic fuel can.  That’s got to be a great recommendation for the use of plastic fuel cans.  How many of you have unintentionally used fuel from a can, and then left the can outside over night? If it is a metal can with the lid screwed on, and it rains, water will enter the can.  It travels up the thread in the screw lid when the air inside contracts during the cooler nights of winter.

Chainsaws, shredders / mulchers, and rotary hoes tend to be machines that are used and then stored for long periods.  I can’t stress enough, the importance of using fresh fuel in this type of machine.  In order to make starting easier and more reliable consider adding a fuel stabilising product to your machines petrol, to keep it fresh.  Petrol does not have an infinite shelf life.  It goes off or stale, depending on how well it has been stored.  As a general rule, don’t use petrol older than three months, and store in an air tight container placed in a cool, dry place.  So if a machine was running ok last time it was used and now it’s hard to start, won’t start, or runs rough, consider your fuel quality.