To Oxygenate or Not Oxygenate, that is the question

[briantutt]

Should I be running non-ogygenated fuel in my saws or can I use the Ethenol loaded lower Octane stuff? I have heard that the Ethenol based fuels can damage small engines...:dunno:

 

[timberjack]

If you have a choice, go for the non-oxy.

I only buy my saw fuel in MN where i can still get premium non-oxy, but then it's only 15 miles away to the nearest gas station.

All our fuel up here has up to 10% ethanol, and they don't have to post it's content on the pump. I wiped out 2 pistons in 2 365 Husky saws in a 6 month period before discovering the ethanol in the fuel we have. They both wore on the intake side of the piston only. The dealer and i figured that it was the alcohol content of the fuel. He theorized that as the fuel mix hit the piston, the alcohol content "washed" the oil off the piston, and accelerated the wear pattern. And of course, no warranty, as husky specifies intake side wear is due to using improper fuel. Lesson learned.

Since i've been sourcing the non-oxy, and testing it to be certain, i haven't had any piston failures, so must be doing all right.

Ken

 

[galde]

The local (Maryville, TN) Texaco distributor still supplies pure (ethanol-free) gasoline, but will likely be forced to switch to the ethanol-contaminated fuel in April. The terminal in Knoxville, TN is installing equipment to blend the desired ethanol level (E-10, E-20, E-85.....) when filling the tanker trucks. Ethanol-contaminated fuels are bad news for quite a number of reasons. Since ethanol use has been mandated by an ignorant congress that has been duped into thinking that this is a step toward "energy-independence", all of the hand-held equipment manufacturers claim that their new products are fine with E-10. The service techs that work on these products tell a different story. My new Stens catalog explicitly states that there is no warranty on carburetors and other fuel components used with anything above E-10. You might be safe with E-10 in a new product if: 1) the fuel is fresh when you bought it; 2) you use it promptly; 3) you store it in a proper container, in the right conditions; 4) you mix it with a quality mix oil; 5) you religiously avoid leaving any fuel in the fuel system ( tank, fuel lines, carb) when the unit is stored. Some here on this site advocate using 100LL aviation fuel to avoid the ethanol, but this won't work with catalytic mufflers.

 

[galde]

Test for ethanol????

Does anyone know of a method to test for ethanol (or the amount, if present)in gasoline? Some stations here claim their gas to be ethanol-free, but their gas is delivered by the same trucks that deliver to stations with "E-10 " on their pumps.

 

[timberjack]

galde, easy test to do, just need a test tube with a cap, and some water.

Bailey's has a "kit", i got something similar years ago from the Experimental Aircraft Association.
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=18454

You fill to line with water, top up with fuel, put the cap on, shake it up, and let it settle out for a minute or two, and if the water level has risen to the 10% marking, you've got E10.

Here was the one i have. Actually, looks like they've updated it. Mine is only a simple test tube with a cap, and a sticker applied to it with a few more detailed markings to indicate percentage of ethanol.
http://www.aviationfuel.org/autogas/test_kit.asp

Ken

 

[Taxmantoo]

All our fuel up here has up to 10% ethanol, and they don't have to post it's content on the pump.

Same goes for Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. I'd have to travel hundreds of miles to see an alcohol content sticker that wasn't on a E85 pump.

 

[briantutt]

Touched a nerve or what!

I guess I already have my answer but I was asking because precisely the same reason. Less and less stations carry the "collector cars only, non-oxygenated" sticker on the pump.