Fog or not

[Hookmaster]

I have easy access to my new, used sled. Can I run it once a month or is it better to fog it?

[MN Mike]

I've always run mine once or twice a summer and never had a problem.

Mike

[311Hemi]

I always fog my 2 strk engines, and always will unless a manufacturer tells me otherwise. Snowmobile, snowblower, etc.

Guys certainly get by with not doing it and don't have an issue.....but I am curious if these guys have opened the cases and actually looked at the rods, bearings, and other internals of the engine after years of not fogging them? You probably wont notice any issue until it's too late.

[Macgyver55]

Guys certainly get by with not doing it and don't have an issue.....but I am curious if these guys have opened the cases and actually looked at the rods, bearings, and other internals of the engine after years of not fogging them?

I have "gotten by" for many years without fogging. I'm not promoting it nor discouraging it, just saying it as worked well for me to start my sled a couple times a summer. If not done properly it wont help, but a good warmup cycle will help lubricate and protect enginge parts just as fogging will.

As far as your curiosity, in 34 years as a mechanic I've pulled apart more than my share of motors, both customer and my own. My own engines were every bit as clean as any others. Didnt seem to affect longevity either. My previous sled had 14,000 miles the present one has 12,000 and I've had others over 10,000 miles and never experienced a bottom end failure other than a blown crank seal.

If you are not vigilante about starting it, take the easy way and fog it.

[311Hemi]

I would agree that starting it multiple times throughout the summer (not just once and forget the rest of the summer!) and bringing up to operating temp would help burn off any moisture and would help re-coat all the internal parts to help prevent corrosion. In that case I would agree you wouldn't need to fog.

I also believe that storage location plays a part in it. If the vehicle is stored in an area that is more susceptible to temp changes it's that heating/cooling that could cause more moisture to accumulate in the engine. In a garage, especially an insulated one you wont see as drastic of temp swings vs it being stored outside next to the shed under a tarp. I would also think storage in a more moist environment would help magnify the possibility.

I have seen rust on rods in a snowmobile engine that has not been properly winterized.

You have not experience any rust on the internal engines components of 2 strokes that have sat for 6-8 plus month, and probably stored that way on more than 1 occasion?