Leave the bowl full. Don't run it dry.

For winter storage, leave a full float bowl of stabilized fuel rather than running the carburetor dry.

Running the carburetor dry sounds logical — no fuel left to gum up. But the problem is it never actually gets dry. A thin film of fuel clings to the inside of the bowl, and that film evaporates slowly over months, leaving behind the exact varnish and deposits you were trying to avoid. You also open the whole carburetor up to air, which can corrode the metal jets and cause rubber gaskets to dry out and shrink. That’s how you get a sticking float or a leaking bowl in the spring.

A full bowl with stabilized fuel is the safer bet. The fuel acts as a preservative, keeping the seals wet and the metal parts coated. As long as you used a fuel stabilizer and mixed it properly (or better yet, ethanol-free fuel), the fuel will stay fresh enough to start right up after a few cranks. No need to drain anything.

If you’re storing something for years, not months, that’s a different story. But for a normal winter, leave the bowl alone. Future You deserves a carburetor that doesn’t need a rebuild.