Can somebody please referee the issue of how a motor mower should be stored over winter, following a discussion we had with somebody recently? We were told that the battery should be removed from the mower, or at a minimum disconnected when not in use for a long period. We've rarely done this and wonder whether it makes any difference either to the life of the battery or whether the mower will easily start again for the first Spring cut.

Dear Primrose
if you can provide a dry frost free place to store the mower then the battery can stay put. However it might have to be charged before use in the spring as the charge will leak away over the winter period. Batteries exposed to below freezing conditions might be damaged so it is best to remove them if you can and put them somewhere that is frost free.
Regards Sally Wright.

The most important storage issue is making sure the carburettor is empty so nasty deposits don't develop. Ideally you should start the new season with fresh petrol but with the price it is you can't waste it. I have a tap on the fuel line so just turn it off then run the engine until it empties the carb. I store my mower in the garage and part of the Spring service is charging the battery that I never disconnect. Just finished the service, red lead on the deck, grease on the steering, change oil, clean plug and charge battery - started first time.

i dragged the walk behind mower out the shed this week..... topped up the engine oil, topped up the quater full petrol tank with some out the half full can thats been sat beside the mower all winter.... started first pull

personally ive never run a carb dry in the autumn always use the remains of last seasons fuel thats been in the can all winter... including two stroke mix and have never had a problem starting in the spring.

fingers crossed for starting the ride on on sunday.... its had a solar panel on the battery all winter so im expecting it to burst into life with no problems.

I've noted recently that petrol does seem to be keeping viable better than it did say 20 years ago...back then if stored in small quantities it could sometimes go off to smell like old polyclens brush cleaner.

In recent weeks some unleaded that I bought for mowers smelled very diesel like. but was fine.

That reminds me....a work colleague did once bring me a mower from his Church to see if I could get it started...someone had inadvertently filled it with Diesel....did it smoke well with an exhaust full of diesel when we corrected the fuel fill...very much Red Arrows like...

Clive.