How to Store a Snow Blower for the Off-Season (So It Starts Next Winter)
Most snow blowers that won't start in November were put away wrong in April. Here's how to handle the fuel, oil, spark plug, battery and storage spot, step by step, for gas and battery models.
The snow blower that won’t start on the first big storm almost always has the same problem: gas that sat in the carburetor all summer. Modern fuel goes stale within a few months, and the ethanol in it draws moisture and leaves gummy deposits that clog the carburetor’s tiny passages.
The fix takes about 30 minutes in spring. Do it once the forecast is clearly done with snow, usually March or April depending on where you live.
What you’ll need: fuel stabilizer (not an alcohol-based one), fresh engine oil of the type your manual lists, an oil drain pan, a spark plug socket, a rag, a brush or old broom, and a cover or old sheet.
Step 1: Deal with the fuel
This is the step that matters most, and the manufacturers don’t all agree on how to do it. Check your owner’s manual. Most say one of two things:
Option A: Stabilize it. On the last fill-up of the season, add fuel stabilizer to fresh gas at the rate on the bottle. Then run the engine for 5 to 10 minutes so treated fuel reaches the carburetor. Toro’s manuals give numbers in this range, depending on the model.
Option B: Run it dry. Run the engine until it stops on its own. Some Toro manuals say to restart it and repeat this two more times, so both the tank and the carburetor are truly empty.
Many owners do both: they use stabilized fuel all season, then run the machine dry at the end. Either way, don’t leave untreated gas sitting all summer. One Toro manual says not to store unstabilized fuel for more than 30 days, or stabilized fuel for more than 90.
Leftover gas in your can? Use it in your car, or take it to a hazardous-waste drop-off, following your local rules.
Step 2: Change the oil
Change the oil while the engine is still warm from the last run, since warm oil drains faster and carries more grit out with it.
- Make sure the engine is off and the spark plug wire is pulled.
- Put a drain pan under the oil drain plug (or tip the machine per your manual, with the fuel tank empty).
- Drain the old oil, replace the plug, and refill to the mark on the dipstick with the oil your manual specifies. Many snow blower engines use 5W-30.
Old oil holds acids and moisture that can sit against engine parts all summer. Fresh oil now means the machine is ready in fall.
Step 3: Protect the cylinder
Several Toro manuals include this step for long storage, and it’s worth doing:
- Remove the spark plug.
- Pour about 1/2 ounce of engine oil into the spark plug hole.
- Pull the starter rope slowly a few times to spread the oil around the cylinder walls.
- Put the spark plug back in, but leave the wire disconnected until fall.
If the spark plug looks fouled or worn, replace it now. It’s a cheap part and one less thing to check in November.
Step 4: Clean it and check the wear parts
Salt and sand from the driveway sit on the housing all summer and speed up rust.
- Brush and wipe it down. Get the salt off the auger housing, the chute and under the frame. Let it dry fully before covering it.
- Touch up bare metal on the auger housing with a little paint, or wipe it with a light coat of oil.
- Check the shear pins (two-stage machines). Replace any bent or broken ones, and buy a few spares now.
- Look at the scraper bar and skid shoes. If they’re worn thin, order replacements while there’s no rush.
- On single-stage machines, check the rubber auger paddles. If they no longer reach the ground, it’s time to replace them.
- Check the belts for cracks or glazing if you can see them without taking the machine apart.
- Lube the chute rotation and pivot points with a light spray lubricant.
Step 5: Choose the storage spot
- Keep it dry and covered. A garage or shed is fine. Throw a breathable cover or an old sheet over it to keep dust off. Avoid plastic tarps that trap moisture.
- Keep it away from flames. Even with an empty tank, don’t store it next to a water heater, furnace or anything with a pilot light.
- Get it off a damp floor if your shed has a dirt or concrete floor that sweats. A pallet or a couple of boards will do.
- Release the drive and auger controls so the cables aren’t under tension all summer.
- Tire pressure: if it has air-filled tires, top them up before storage and again in fall.
If you have a battery snow blower
Battery models skip most of the above, and that’s a big part of their appeal. There’s no fuel, oil or spark plug. You still need to clean off the salt and check the paddles or skid shoes. The batteries are the main thing:
- Don’t store them full or empty. For long storage, guidance generally lands around 40 to 50 percent charge.
- Store them indoors and cool. EGO lists a 50 to 80°F storage range for its 56V packs. A hot garage or shed in July shortens battery life, so bring the packs into the house or the basement.
- Check them every few months and top them up if they drop low.
- Don’t leave them sitting on the charger all summer.
In the fall
Before the first snow, reconnect the spark plug wire, check the oil level, fill up with fresh stabilized gas, and start it in the driveway. Do it on a dry day in October, not the morning of the storm. If it won’t start even though you stored it properly, our lawn mower won’t-start checklist covers the same small-engine basics.
Shopping for a new machine instead? Start with whether you need single-stage or two-stage, and if your driveway is gravel, see our picks for the best snow blowers for gravel driveways.