Should I use ethanol free gas in my lawn mower?
To minimize issues, you should use either ethanol-free gas in your lawn mower or fuel that has the least amount of ethanol content possible. Fuel sold at a gas station is often E-10 gas, which contains 10% ethanol and can be used for your outdoor power equipment.
Conclusion. At the end of the day, when it comes to maintaining your lawn equipment, especially small engines like weedeaters and leaf blowers, ethanol-free gas is the way to go. Especially if you won't be using the equipment often, for example, when you store your lawn care equipment for the winter.
A minimum of 87 octane/87 AKI (91 RON); If operating at high altitude, see below. Gasoline with up to 10% ethanol (gasohol) or up to 15% MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether), is acceptable. Some fuel stations are now selling gasoline with up to 15% ethanol.
Non-ethanol gas or clear gas is a fuel type without any ethanol content, made only from petroleum, and free from renewable fuel additives. Due to the absence of ethanol in this fuel type, it offers a couple of advantages, including; improved gas mileage, reduced engine damage risk, and a shelf life of up to 6 months.
Edit: Just realized there's no reason to use stabilizer with ethanol free gas. The problem with ethanol in gasoline is that it allow the fuel to carry a bit more water (the alcohol will bind with water more freely than gasoline will).
There is an established body of evidence that demonstrates fuel containing higher concentrations of Ethanol can affect the integrity of plastic and rubber components in smaller engines, causing engine clogging, overly high running temperatures, and poor performance.
Using pure gas can lead to better mileage. But increased fuel economy from using ethanol-free gas may be offset by its higher cost. Non-ethanol gasoline typically costs more than ethanol-blended varieties. Using non-ethanol gas in your car won't harm the vehicle's engine.
Use clean, fresh, unleaded petrol. Purchase fuel in a quantity that can be used within 30 days to assure fuel freshness and volatility tailored to the season. Do not mix oil with petrol. Always treat new fuel with stabilizer to protect your equipment throughout the season.
Always use clean, fresh, unleaded petrol with an octane rating of at least 77 for side-valve engines or at least 85 for overhead-valve engines. We recommend the use of Briggs & Stratton Fuel Fit® petrol stabilizer to keep fuel fresh and clean.
For most engines like lawnmowers, leaf blowers, snow blowers, and generators, experts recommend that you use unleaded gas with an 87-octane rating and a max of 10% ethanol. This is typically the regular gas you find at the pump. DO NOT use 15% ethanol or higher.
Will ethanol-free gas last longer?
Longer Shelf Life
If stored properly, ethanol-free gas can last up to six months. It is not as likely to succumb to oxidation or evaporation. E10 gas has a three-month shelf life maximum. This makes ethanol-free gas ideal for storage compared to E10.
As debate has ensued over ethanol blending in gasolines, ethanol-free has popped up in a number of states marketed as Rec-90 Recreational Gasoline. Because there is no cheap oxygenate in Rec-90 gasoline, Rec-90 is almost always significantly more expensive per gallon than E10 "Regular Gasoline".
One of the primary disadvantages of ethanol is that it is not as energy-dense as gasoline. This means that it has a lower energy content and is less efficient than gasoline. As a result, vehicles that use ethanol as a fuel source may not get as many miles per gallon as those that use gasoline.
STA-BIL Storage is designed to protect engines that are being stored for prolonged periods. It eliminates the need to drain the fuel tank before storage and keeps fuel fresh for up to 24 months. Fuel left in the tank of a stored vehicle can begin to break down in as little as 30-60 days.
A: Yes! The product will still clean out the entire fuel system of the treated engine, which leads to improved performance, even in gasoline that does not contain ethanol. Q: Can you use the product in engines besides cars or small engines? A: Yes!
Multiple samples of treated fuel were added to beakers and observed over 24 months. The testing indicated that Sea Foam Motor Treatment stabilizes fuel better than other additives based upon the level of evaporation in non-ethanol fuels with no two-cycle oil added.
Do not use gasoline containing more than 10% ethanol in your Honda lawn mower. Gasoline containing higher levels of ethanol is corrosive and attracts water, which can cause starting or running problems or, in some cases, damage to your lawn mower's fuel system.
Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 87 ((R+M)/2 rating method) is the recommended fuel grade for all gasoline engines in Toro products. Gasoline with up to 10% ethanol (gasohol) or 15% MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) by volume is acceptable.
Ethanol is a great natural octane increaser, helping to resist knock. Ethanol however has less BTU's than straight gasoline, so you get worse fuel economy and a tad less power E85 (85% ethanol) for example is much less expensive than typical gas but you get worse fuel economy as a result.
Ethanol is also an excellent solvent. Simply put, it will dissolve plastic, rubber, fiberglass and much more, potentially causing serious problems to small engines.
Is ethanol free gas better for carburetors?
On the other hand, ethanol-oxygenated fuel is not so great for any vehicles that sit between uses, and/or carbureted engines, like the one in your dirt bike or older motorcycle. Ethanol is alcohol, and alcohol is corrosive to certain parts in older fuel systems.
93 octane for sure. If it was going into a boat or small engine I'd go ethanol free. For that price definitely go with 93. The ethanol free should net you a bit better MPG but the 93 will net you a bit more power.
The Verdict
Ethanol is not bad for small engines, as long as you keep it to E10—nothing higher than that! E10 specifically is the type of ethanol fuel that is approved by all modern small engine manufacturers.
Lawn mowers are designed to run on regular unleaded gasoline. The higher octane in premium gas will not make the engine run any better or faster. In fact, it could damage the engine over time.
Some people have the notion that using premium gasoline will result in better lawn mower performance. You can use premium gasoline for your mower. But most mowers won't benefit from adding premium gas over regular gas. Premium gasoline has an octane rating of 92 or higher.
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