argh! stupid ethanol... ways to keep from blowing up small engines

[jerseyjeff]

I have been getting a fantastic education on AS, but I have been getting a bit more concerned about ethanol in my life. When we got our new digs, I wanted to have as few small engines as possible, and now, I have a 2-stroke leaf blower, weedwhacker, pair of saws, and 4 stroke snowblower, mower, genny, and wood chipper.

So, I did a real good job of keeping small engines out of my life right?

I think ethanol in gas is really dumb, why use foodstuff to make fuel when there are folks that are starving, and when gas works better, gives better mileage, better storage, and better hp too.

Thats just me.

as of now, I feed everything except the generator super, and the genny gets plain regular as per the manual. I switch out the regular every 3 months, siphoning it into my truck. Right now I am keeping all my regular gas cans empty, and I will fill them prior to the next big storm (I am a weather junkie, so I have a pretty good idea when things will go sideways) The super tends to be refilled every 4-6 months.

I add startron stabrite into all gas, and keep sealed, full, and cool and dark. I used to use Stabil, but was told startron was better (and it is more expensive, so it has to be better) , and I really want the engines to be ok.


I have heard a rumor that shell has a premium gas without ethanol, any truth in that?

I know I can get avgas, but don want to retune all the gear, and I like being able to pour old(er) gas into a car/truck could get premix, but that is obscenely expensive, I was at walmart and noticed coleman fuel (purified filtered white gas) is 9 a gallon, and that was interesting.

What are folks using to keep gas stable? I know a full container and tank helps, but is stabil/startron/amsoil better? one brand of gas better?

 

[excess650]

NJ seems to be short on locations with ethanol free gasoline. Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

 

[ckelp]

IMHO fuel and oil is personal opinion,
i never use any additives...
if you want to test if it has ethanol in take a bottle put some water in it mark the top of the water and fill the rest with gas and shake if the water level rises about 10% of the total capacity then you got ethanol..

 

[XSKIER]

I've been going with the no ethanol in Shell "V-power" theory for about a year. I use sta-bil at the pump and rotate the stored fuel to my truck after about 2 months. Nothing scientific, just superstition.

 

[stihl023/5]

Startron will work just fine I use it all the time. Never had any problems.:msp_thumbsup:

 

[mikefunaro]

The majority of southern NY, NJ and CT are all in a "RFG" area which makes the use of ethanol is gas mandatory and not optional per the blenders.

The best workaround, at least for the time being in the area, for something like a generator or a seldom used weedwhacker is to try to get your hands on some SEF fuel or tru fuel or something, for the sake of storage, unless you want to idle the things out.

I had some four stroke equipment (walk behind blower, etc) that was getting torn up by sitting with the ethanol gas in it.

In my mind if it's going to use a tank of gas in less than a month or two then normal gas is fine. For stuff that will sit, I just store with some SEF or TruFuel, and then when I'm ready to use it a lot I just switch to regular fuel. You can even re-use the sef or tru fuel and just save it and dump it back in.

It is a pain in the ass.

 

[Chris-PA]

I think ethanol in gas is really dumb, why use foodstuff to make fuel when there are folks that are starving, and when gas works better, gives better mileage, better storage, and better hp too.

Why drill for oil a mile under the Gulf of Mexico? Why use expensive and dangerous fracking? Why are tar sands now profitable? Why is everyone all excited about drilling in the arctic? Why is the UK now an oil importer? Why are we fighting all over the world in every place that has oil?

Ethanol is stupid. It takes more energy to make than you get from it, drives up food prices, uses a lot of water in a time of drought and destroys equipment. But it makes a few well connected folks wealthy and helps the public ignore the obvious reality about oil.

 

[Monadnock]

TruFuel seems like the way to go here, at least at the homeowners level. It'd be nice if they offered a gallon sized container in the $10 range. Maybe as more and more failures occur, it'll show up on store shelves.

 

[Mad Professor]

Coleman fuel is not suitable for motor use.

I'd put AV gas in the generator as ethanol is still going to screw with the fuel system unless you run it dry.

Rotate your gas stock on the rest and run the carbs dry when not in use. A good fuel filter will help remove the jelly that forms from ethanol laced fuels.

Note: I tune my 2 strokes to run AV gas and year old mix is still fresh when stored in sealed metal cans.

 

[z71mike]

I live in Jersey too. And thanks to NYC, we have no option of ethanol free gas.

Anyhow......the only problem I ever see, caused by ethanol, is that it eats fuel filters regularly. So my saw carbs where getting gunked up with yellow sludge, which is dissolved filter element thanks to ethanol. So in my 2-strokes (saws, trimmer, blower, quad), I run VP race fuel. Every summer when I take the wife and kids down the shore, I stop at Cycle House in Forked River on 9 and pick up a few 5-gallon pails.

All my 4-stroke equipment (mower, snowblower, powerwasher) gets 93 pump gas. I really haven't given any of my 4-strokes any kind of special attention AT ALL, aside from the hi-test. I don't use additives and I don't cycle out my fuel cans. I usually burn through my fuel supply in about 6 months, so say I fill them all up only twice a year. My 4-strokes seem to be alot more tolerant of Obama-gas for some reason.

 

[Chris-PA]

The only problems I've had that I can actually pin on ethanol are with my old generator with a Tecumseh HM100 10hp. The carb in that thing just corrodes and gunks up in a matter of weeks even if I run it out. Whatever materials and plating they've used in that is simply inadequate - even for non-ethanol I think, but worse with anything that attracts water. However, we lose power for extended periods on a regular basis, which means two things: First, I'm not going through elaborate procedures of draining fuel and and filling with something else, and second when I run the generator it's getting the cheapest 87 octane E10. Making electricity from gasoline is damned expensive! I usually add 1oz of 2-stroke oil (often TCW3) per 5ga of gasoline for my mowers and generators.

I do have a newer generator now with an OHV B&S, and it has no way to shut off the fuel and run it out - yet anyway.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Nothing special just 93 octane and synthetic oil i don't worry about the ethanoll hoopla i burn it fast enough it don't sit around long.

 

[excess650]

I noticed a relatively local station on the pure gas usa site, so drove over and filled up a 5 gallon can today. It was Gulf branded 91 octane at $3.999/gallon. When I got back I found my ethanol tester and tested it. It IS ethanol free!:msp_thumbup:

I moved my snowblower out of the garage, drained the float bowl(yeah, I didn't run it dry or turn the gas off), pushed the primer, and gave it a yank....(8hp Tecumseh) and it fired right up. I added a little Seafoam and then filled the tank with the ethanol free 91 octane, ran it for a while, throttled up/down, and adjusted the carb. Its ready to go!:msp_thumbup:

It sure gives me peace of mind knowing that I have a LOCAL station with ethanol free gasoline. The chainsaws will be getting this exclusively!

 

[Moparmyway]

Nothing special just 93 octane and synthetic oil i don't worry about the ethanoll hoopla i burn it fast enough it don't sit around long.

I used to think the same thing ........... untill;

My 044 saw went and decided to start acting up one day. It was running at idle, then stopped. I started it and ran for about 2 minutes of cutting, then it died again. It would start several more times, stall out, then ABSOLUTELY FREAKING NOTHING !!!

I broke the chord on the pull start trying to get her going ................. so I packed up and went about fixxin THE saw. My 044 is decked, ported, and was running better than an 046 ........... but now - BUBKUS !!

A quick call to where I worked as a kid repairing this stuff and I had enough parts for a new fuel line, carb rebuild, new fuel filter and spark plug. Only problem is that they told me to look for pitting inside the carb due to ethanol in the gas now-a-days.

Took off the carb, and on the fuel pump side, between the gasket and body was water droplets just hanging out waiting for a ride. The pits in the aluminum in the same place was just about heart-breaking !!!! How could THE saw have this happen ??????

Oh well, $70 later for a new carb - NOW I start looking into this "phenomina" with ethanol gas, and find out that my weed wacker cant even hold 5# of pressure for 3 seconds ............... intake area pitted and have an air leak to the atmosphere through the aluminum !

ETHANOL SUCKS !!!!!!!!!

I use Stabil Marine additive and some Marvel Mystery Oil now in my gas, and am hoping/praying this does the trick as I do not wish to replace anything else, especially my 044 !!!

ETHANOL SUCKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[KenJax Tree]

I used to think the same thing ........... untill;

My 044 saw went and decided to start acting up one day. It was running at idle, then stopped. I started it and ran for about 2 minutes of cutting, then it died again. It would start several more times, stall out, then ABSOLUTELY FREAKING NOTHING !!!

I broke the chord on the pull start trying to get her going ................. so I packed up and went about fixxin THE saw. My 044 is decked, ported, and was running better than an 046 ........... but now - BUBKUS !!

A quick call to where I worked as a kid repairing this stuff and I had enough parts for a new fuel line, carb rebuild, new fuel filter and spark plug. Only problem is that they told me to look for pitting inside the carb due to ethanol in the gas now-a-days.

Took off the carb, and on the fuel pump side, between the gasket and body was water droplets just hanging out waiting for a ride. The pits in the aluminum in the same place was just about heart-breaking !!!! How could THE saw have this happen ??????

Oh well, $70 later for a new carb - NOW I start looking into this "phenomina" with ethanol gas, and find out that my weed wacker cant even hold 5# of pressure for 3 seconds ............... intake area pitted and have an air leak to the atmosphere through the aluminum !

ETHANOL SUCKS !!!!!!!!!

I use Stabil Marine additive and some Marvel Mystery Oil now in my gas, and am hoping/praying this does the trick as I do not wish to replace anything else, especially my 044 !!!

ETHANOL SUCKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

We burn through about 20 gallons a week for the past 5 years without any problems, we keep everything maintained and inspected regularly.

 

[one.man.band]

Coleman fuel is not suitable for motor use.

.....it will work in a pinch in a briggs engine.

makes the motor sound mellow.

-OMB

 

[Moparmyway]

We burn through about 20 gallons a week for the past 5 years without any problems, we keep everything maintained and inspected regularly.

If you are getting Ethanol gas, then its only a matter of time before the moisture it absorbs will affect your machines carb/intake.

Unless you pull apart your carbs as routine maintenance, then you might be in for the same surprise I was in for ............. when you least expect it !!!!

I live in NY, so there aint any options for non-ethanol gas in these parts .......... MAN, I wish I were closer to your gas station than mine right now !!!

 

[one.man.band]

I use Stabil Marine additive and some Marvel Mystery Oil now in my gas, and am hoping/praying this does the trick as I do not wish to replace anything else, especially my 044 !!!

ETHANOL SUCKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

MMO has 1% to 3% chlorinated hydrocarbons.

if you buy brake cleaner..... two choices....with and w/o.

the chlorinated cleans better....because it is caustic, and can etch metal.

other than a last resort before dropping the oil pan in a vehicle...... it's not for me.

also bad for barrels that throw lead around.

-OMB

 

[z71mike]

If you are getting Ethanol gas, then its only a matter of time before the moisture it absorbs will affect your machines carb/intake.

Unless you pull apart your carbs as routine maintenance, then you might be in for the same surprise I was in for ............. when you least expect it !!!!

I live in NY, so there aint any options for non-ethanol gas in these parts .......... MAN, I wish I were closer to your gas station than mine right now !!!

Find a cycle shop that sells VP race fuel. Buy SEF94.

 

[Mad Professor]

.....it will work in a pinch in a briggs engine.

makes the motor sound mellow.

-OMB

The briggs won't last long on ca. 60 octane fuel