Anybody have a shutdown routine?

[f4radar]

I like to let the engine sit and idle smoothly for a few seconds before I hit the kill switch...is that superstition or habit worthwhile?

 

[toomanytoys]

I just shut em down and walk away. I dunno right or wrong…

I do the same with my lawn equipment. I have a Kohler in a cub 128 that had over 1500 hours. Had 250 on it when we got it. Started smoking at about 1450 hours. By 1500ish it was pouring smoke out so bad you couldn’t stand to run it. Cylinder was out of round.

 

[Mark Brooks]

I just shut em down and walk away. I dunno right or wrong…

I do the same with my lawn equipment. I have a Kohler in a cub 128 that had over 1500 hours. Had 250 on it when we got it. Started smoking at about 1450 hours. By 1500ish it was pouring smoke out so bad you couldn’t stand to run it. Cylinder was out of round.

I was given an mower for that exact reason... it Fogged for Skeeters! Haven't dug in to it to find out what's all a miss... aka nice to know outta round

 

[Strigoi]

If I know the bike will be sitting for awhile I'll usually shut off the gas valve and let it run until it dies. That's just to help keep the carb from getting gummed up and needing to be cleaned though. Most of the time I just shut them off.

 

[nightgrider]

I just hit the kill switch, shut off the fuel, and walk away. Never had any issues.

 

[toomanytoys]

I was given an mower for that exact reason... it Fogged for Skeeters! Haven't dug in to it to find out what's all a miss... aka nice to know outta round

this one had a Kohler k301a. 12HP. I never tried to fix it. Just pulled the head and measured the bore and sure enough it was out of round. This is a known problem with these engines. Maybe not a problem but just how they wear out the bores over time. 1400 some odd hours is a pretty good service life to me.

It was about 200 dollars worth of parts and machine work to fix it. I had another unknown hour short block on the shelf. Transferred the needed parts and threw it in there. Runs great but the tractor doesn’t get used anymore since 4 years ago I bought a new John Deere x570.

another barn ornament.

 

[Harquebus]

If it is a lawnmower or minibike motor that has been run at full throttle for quite some time and is quite hot, before shut-off I run the throttle gradually down to turtle speed (says so right on the throttle knob) and let it idle for a minute to 30 seconds* maybe, then kill it.

It's 'cooling it off' and is just a superstitious thing I do.

*I use an inline fuel shut off valve, if the engine has one, and let it run dry.

 

[ZR9B]

let idle for a sec, turn fuel off then kill it. just done that since i can remember.

 

[Minimichael]

I suppose I oughta start shutting the fuel off like so many of you guys...

I do run the carb dry for the winter. Otherwise, I just hit the switch, and it kills me that the ride's over!

 

[Degoragon]

I usually let it idlle for a bit before I shut it down. If it something I don't see myself using for a few weeks after I park something, then I will run the carb dry.