No Safe Place

Last year after I finished splitting firewood I winterized the log splitter and put it away behind the woodshed. It was covered with a tarp but out of sight from the house and far enough out back that the dogs would not see anyone around it. We thought it would be safe but that proved to not be the case. I had treated the remaining gas with Sta Bil and turned off the gas line and ran all gas out of the gas line and carburetor. Put my usual tag on the machine as to what I did and never thought any more about it.

When I went to start it two weeks ago it wouldn't start and the closer I checked I could see someone had put something in the gas tank and turned on the gas line. The gas had drained through the carburetor, saturated the air filter, drained down into the bottom of the engine where it mixed with the oil.

Three 40 mile trips to town for proper cleaning materials, an order of replacement parts, and about $100.00 later it is back up and running again. The oil had to be flushed out of the engine twice, the air filter had to be replaced, the carburetor had to be soaked in expensive solution to remove what ever was blocking it and everything had to be put back together. Second pull on the starter cord and it fired right up. What ever was put into the tank with the remaining treated gas was blocking the gas from getting to the carburetor.

When we put it up for storage this year we will place it where the dogs will alert us if anyone comes calling with nasty intentions in mind.