Ethanol free gas for weed eater? (seasons, buying, neighbor, house)
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So I bought a new weed eater yesterday. The guy at the hardware store strongly suggested using ethanol free pre-mixed fuel/oil mixture. I bought a can, but I am dubious.
Does anyone have any evidence that this is actually better than just using gas from the gas station (in our area, the pumps say "up to 10% ethanol") and mixing it myself with the oil? All the professional lawn crews I see, always have a bunch of regular gas cans, I have never seen any of them using special gas from a special can (doesn't necessarily mean they don't). Of course, their usage pattern is quite different from mine.
Professionals typically buy ethanol free gas for their cans. I was using the trufuel ethanol free mix, but at $20/110 oz (.8 gallons) here it wasn't economical. I have a riding mower and push mower that require gas, and a weedeater, edger, backpack blower, and chainsaw that require a 50/50 mix.
Ethanol free gas here is $2.49/gallon. A bottle of good quality 2 cycle oil costs me $1.99. A gallon of 100% ethanol free 50/50 mix gas only costs me $4.48.
I usually fill up two 5 gallon cans with ethanol free and mix what I need in a 1 gallon can at home.
It is definitely better. Ethanol causes fuel lines to get brittle and ethanol gums up carburetors. I've rebuilt a hedge trimmer and one weedeater from using ethanol gas. I tossed one chainsaw in the trash from prolonged use. Once I switched, I had no more problems.
This popped into my brain. Do those not having any starting issues or issues with using ethanol or not live in warmer climates? Does that make a difference how it all reacts at say 30 below verses a mild freeze a few times a year. I did put my mower in the garage for the winter which has much better protection than the garden shed. Garage is not heated though. Just curious because my brain works that way. I did use a trickle charger on the mower to hold the battery. I had to keep moving it from mower to Ranger but when the Ranger got buried in a snow slide off I just finished the season with my shovel.
I don't think Montana qualifies as a "warmer climate".
I fill my gas cans two or three times during the summer, with 2+ ounces of Sta-Bil in every can.
In the fall, I fill them all so I will have gas for the ATV when snow plowing. Some of that gas may sit in the unheated shop all winter, in temperatures that may vary from +40 to -20F.
On warmer days during the winter, I will start the lawn tractor to charge the battery and keep the lubricants stirred up.
I keep seeing that ethanol will gum up carburetors. I find that strange, since when I was a teenager about 60 years ago, when I needed to clean a carb that had become gummed up by the leaded gas that was the only thing available, I used alcohol to dissolve the varnish in the carb. It worked, and real carb cleaner was too expensive!
"Professionals"?? I spent my entire working career with wrenches in my hands, working on industrial equipment, aircraft, and Outdoor Power Equipment. The last shop I worked for purchased 87 octane regular unleaded 10% ethanol for all equipment sold and serviced by them. We had no problems. I was certified by Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, and Tecumseh 4 stroke cycle engines, and Peerless transaxles.
I have a Stihl chainsaw and leaf blower that I purchased from a Stihl dealer. He also sells and services Cub Cadet, Toro, and Gravely. He has warning signs and pictures of what happens to small engines if you use ethanol gas. Here is Gasoline Guidelines for STIHL Outdoor Power Equipment.
All major manufactures of small engines state it is safe to use up to 10% ethanol blended gasoline in their engines. Mechanics will tell you that parts are designed to handle 10% - 15% ethanol without any deterioration. But since ethanol is hygroscopic, the higher the amount and longer it sits, the more water can impact the fuel. Just don't keep it static and in storage too long.
Actually....... it's a bit deeper than that.
While small engine manufacturers tell you that you "can" use up to 10% ethanol fuel they highly discourage it. For example, ECHO and Husqvarna will actually give you an additional 1 year warranty if you do not use ethanol blends in their equipment. If you have an issue within the year after the warranty expires and send the equipment in they will test the fuel. If there are no traces of ethanol in the system they will extend your warranty for an additional year and repair the product. (I've used this and they kept to their word and fixed my weedeater free of charge)
Ethanol causes a couple of problems.
1.) A tank of mixed 2 stroke oil/E10 gas will separate while sitting. 2 stroke oil cannot bond to ethanol. So what you end up pouring in your weedeater/blower/trimmer/etc.. tank is mostly gas. Because of this, it will not lubricate the engine and will cause premature failure.
I've had to throw away a chainsaw, a string trimmer, and a hedge trimmer all from burnt pistons while using the recommended 50/50 2 stroke mix and E10 gasoline. Since I switched two years ago I have not made one single repair on any of my equipment.
2.) Ethanol absorbs water at a rate of 50x the rate of gasoline. Therefore you risk running water through your fuel system if you allow fuel to sit longer than 30 days.
3.) Ethanol is a great solvent. Solvents dissolve plastic, rubber, fiberglass, and a lot of other components. Simply put... it will dissolve fuel line, gaskets, and O-rings/hoses if left in the system long enough.
I don't know of any small engine mechanics who will tell you that these components are designed for ethanol use. Quite the opposite actually. Components in CAR engines can handle ethanol. Small engines are a different animal altogether.
"Professionals"?? I spent my entire working career with wrenches in my hands, working on industrial equipment, aircraft, and Outdoor Power Equipment. The last shop I worked for purchased 87 octane regular unleaded 10% ethanol for all equipment sold and serviced by them. We had no problems. I was certified by Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, and Tecumseh 4 stroke cycle engines, and Peerless transaxles.
Hmm....
Oddly enough.... while most small engine manufacturers have tried to allow you to use up to E10 since it is readily available now, most still recommend that you use ethanol free gas if you can get it. As do the companies who produce small equipment. I would assume that they are also professionals.
"Did you know that using alternative fuels in ECHO 2-stroke engines will void your engine warranty over time? And that engine and carburetor problems can still occur when running your equipment on approved 10% or less ethanol content, depending on how your fuel is stored and if the fuel in use is older than 30 days?"
Further, some manufacturers still prohibit the use of ethanol fuel in their equipment.
Manufacturers that prohibit E10 use:
Bombardier (Can-AM)
Mercury (marine)
Pleasurecraft Engine Group
Ferrari
Ducati
Ariens
Manufacturers that warn of ethanol fuel use:
Nissan (marine)
OMC
Hyundai
Kia
Porsche
Volkswagen/Audi
Harley Davidson
Suzuki
Murray
Poulan
Sears
Briggs and Stratton
Honda
Generac
Polaris
With the exception of four Sunoco stations on the entire island that sell ethanol free racing fuel, you cannot buy ethanol free fuel on Long Island. Can't imagine what a gallon of that would cost!
Anyway, I found this product, and wonder what the thoughts are about it. Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment - Concentrated Gas Formula 32 oz - Treats 512 Gallons https://www.amazon.com/gp/product//B...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I've used the Startron enzyme formula in my Polaris RZR on a few occasions where I was riding in an area that didn't have ethanol free. I'm honestly not sure if it helped because typically I would refuel with EF gas when I got it home but it never hurt anything.
Newer engines are built with plastic/rubber parts that are more resistant to oxidation than older small engines. The problem with gasohol is that it contains ethanol (duh!) which has an -OH group on it that can react with the plastic/rubber. That degrades it and makes it weak. Small engines often have a diaphragm type carburetor: thin rubber membrane that can easily pop a hole in it & cease to function when the rubber gets oxidized and brittle.
The cost of non-ethanol isn't that much more than ethanol, and most of us don't use so much that it will break us to use it. OTOH- for most of us, the season for small engine use is short enough that the ethanol won't cause that much damage. Just run the engine dry before you put it away for the off-season. Even with the more expensive non-ethanol stuff, you probably don't want to be running with saved but stale fuel anyways.
BTW- re: Stabil-- it absorbs the water from fuel but itself turns into a gummy mess in the bottom of the tank & carb bowl. I don't use it, but this whole matter is more religion than science. Go with your conscience.
With the exception of four Sunoco stations on the entire island that sell ethanol free racing fuel, you cannot buy ethanol free fuel on Long Island. Can't imagine what a gallon of that would cost!
Anyway, I found this product, and wonder what the thoughts are about it. Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment - Concentrated Gas Formula 32 oz - Treats 512 Gallons https://www.amazon.com/gp/product//B...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Around here it's usually the 'Pure' stations that sell ethanol free gas, and it runs about 30 cents per gallon more than regular E10.
The StarTron is good stuff though if that's your only option.
The cost of non-ethanol isn't that much more than ethanol, and most of us don't use so much that it will break us to use it. OTOH- for most of us, the season for small engine use is short enough that the ethanol won't cause that much damage. Just run the engine dry before you put it away for the off-season. Even with the more expensive non-ethanol stuff, you probably don't want to be running with saved but stale fuel anyways.
One thing to consider is definitely how much you use your equipment.
I use mine year round, so it's even more important to run a good quality fuel to extend the longevity of the equipment. Most of my equipment is fairly expensive (I run a Husqvarna riding mower, push mower, string trimmer, and backpack blower) with only a few "disposable" pieces (Ryobi trimmer with an edging/hedge trimmer attachment, Poulan Pro 18" chainsaw) so it's much more cost effective for me to use EF fuel than trying to replace the equipment every 1-2 years.
Spring - I run the riding mower to mulch/pick up leaves from the end of winter, blower to blow leaves/debris and clean the gutters, chainsaw to trim some limbs, and hedge trimmer to start pruning bushes.
Summer - Riding mower, push mower, blower, edger, hedge trimmer, chainsaw (weekly).
Fall - Riding mower, blower, chainsaw
Winter - Riding mower, blower, chainsaw
Since we also have the RZR we ride it year round. I've found the engine to run a bit rougher on E10 and have had some issues with sputtering and such that went away when I switched to EF gas. This is probably the most expensive small engine that I have (~$24k) so playing roulette to save $4 at a fill up just isn't worth the risk for us.
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