Ethanol or non-ethanol gasoline?

[Currently 44]

Having gone through a BOHICA moment filling my zero turn with $55 of non ethanol gas, I am wondering what do y’all use in your machines. 
 

If only ethanol because non ethanol is not available and is the only choice in your area, what issues did you run across?

 

Is it worth the extra money to run pure gas as much as possible?

 

Do any of you use fuel treatment to mitigate ethanol fuel issues?

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited July 17, 2022 by Currently
Clarify question

[Derf40 140]

It 's my opinion that ethanol in the gas reacts to certain rubber products...like some of the older gas lines and o-rings.. some rubber products more than others..be aware, just my opinion..derf.. I'm from the old school.

Edited July 17, 2022 by Derf40
added a little more.. tnx

[Scotticus 777]

When ethanol gas first came out I was not aware of the problems it could cause.  After my ATV, chainsaw, weedeater and lawnmower all developed carb issues I became aware.

I run regular 10% ethanol gas in my lawnmower treated with Star Tron all summer up until the last mowing.  I use non ethanol gas for the last mowing of the season because the gas left in the tank will be sitting until next spring.  No bad fuel issues in the spring.  I only run NON ethanol in my ATV, chainsaw, and weedeater.  

[jeepwm69 7,751]

Ethanol free in everything other than my daily driver.

 

Ethanol is garbage that constantly screws up fuel systems, especially in small engines.

 

The local farmers co-op has ethanol free 87 octane for $.20 a gallon more than E10.

 

My wife’s miles per gallon went from 19 to 22 simply by using ethanol free in her car.

 

I use ethanol free in my jeeps and trucks simply because they aren’t driven a lot and ethanol goes bad much much quicker than pure gas

[Currently 44]

Y’all confirming what I suspected and will run ethanol free gas in my ATV like I do with my chainsaws, mower and other small engines.  
 

All they have locally is 93 and it is very expensive.  87 is all these small engines need, 93 comes into play with only high compression engines.  

[jeepwm69 7,751]

https://pure-gas.org

[Fishfiles 20,147]

[shadetree 5,977]

i run reg gas in all my toys and truck. if i know its gonna sit for awhile ?, i put stabil in the tank ?, or drain the carb. it all depends on how much you use what ever gas is in it. i don't buy into ethanol or non-ethanol, is there a difference ?, prob ?..but i don't care one way or the other..as long as i run what i put it in ?, or treat the gas that its in ?, i've never had any issues to this date.

[bcsman 1,409]

1 hour ago, shadetree said:

i run reg gas in all my toys and truck. if i know its gonna sit for awhile ?, i put stabil in the tank ?, or drain the carb. it all depends on how much you use what ever gas is in it. i don't buy into ethanol or non-ethanol, is there a difference ?, prob ?..but i don't care one way or the other..as long as i run what i put it in ?, or treat the gas that its in ?, i've never had any issues to this date.

Same here, I have never used non ethanol in anything and never had issues.  Mind you I have a 35 year old Stihl chainsaw and a 32 year old Echo string trimmer and still going strong.  Also lawn mowers and other small engine toys.  As with shade when these engines are gonna sit for awhile I add some Stabil and run them for a few minutes.  I'm certainly not saying non ethanol is bad but either I have been lucky for many years or it doesn't matter much.   

[toodeep 1,760]

I run 10% in everything (if you test it it's usually only 5% around here) and never had any issues. I consider that little bit of alcohol will collect the moisture and actually help me in the long run. I also never use stabil or any additives even when the machines sit (wood splitter, chain saw, weed eater, chipper, mowers, 4 wheelers and so on) and never have issues. I do try to run them every now and then but sometimes that turns into quite a few months.

[triharder 8]

If anybody wants a laugh F9 covered the gas treatment question quite well.

here's the link

 

also, 

Projectfarm did a video on it as well.

 

From what i've gathered if it sits ethanol free is the way to go (for me thats lawn mower, atvs, etc) daily driver get 10% ethanol.  

 

I'm not sure i'm a fan of gas treatment.   Snake oil?  

 

I agree with whomever said they fill up the last tank with ethanol free.

 

(Also, the typical snowmachine in Canada sees between 10 to 20k miles before rebuilds/etc depending on owner.  Typically USA machine only goes 5 to 10k.  USA is 10 ethanol, Canada  I believe is ethanol free.  Something to consider.

 

 

[Currently 44]

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

Looks like if I’m going to burn all the gas immediately, it’s okay to use ethanol fuel.  
If the engine will not be used for periods of time, ie lawnmowers, chainsaws, weedeaters, boats and other 2/4 cycle engines, use non ethanol fuel.
 

Storing equipment with ethanol fuel is to be avoided due to evaporation and absorbing humidity from the air from temperature extremes causing air to move in and out of a tank.

 

Small engine storage should be done with empty fuel tank and running motor dry.  
 

Sealed metal cans is the preferred method to store gasoline long term.  
Plastic containers vent out in heat and collapse inwards in cool and cold weather, I have several of those in my garage right now.  
 

Substantial anecdotal evidence from small engine repair shops that ethanol fuel increases repair events and impacts carbureted long term reliability.  
 

Fuel stabilizer use offer marginal protection that can be omitted if the steps above are followed.  
 

@triharder I will verify if Canadian fuel is ethanol free.  Those videos are quite eye opening.
 

 Thank you for all your contributions. 

[shadetree 5,977]

7 hours ago, triharder said:

If anybody wants a laugh F9 covered the gas treatment question quite well.

here's the link

 

also, 

Projectfarm did a video on it as well.

 

From what i've gathered if it sits ethanol free is the way to go (for me thats lawn mower, atvs, etc) daily driver get 10% ethanol.  

 

I'm not sure i'm a fan of gas treatment.   Snake oil?  

 

I agree with whomever said they fill up the last tank with ethanol free.

 

(Also, the typical snowmachine in Canada sees between 10 to 20k miles before rebuilds/etc depending on owner.  Typically USA machine only goes 5 to 10k.  USA is 10 ethanol, Canada  I believe is ethanol free.  Something to consider.

 

 

the video of the corroded carb bowl ^^^ ?, i'll bank all my money that carb bowl had reg fuel sit in it for a very long time..and after so long, it turns ( collects water ) to that white junk. i have seen it many...MANY times in my 30 yrs of working on small engines. IT'S NOT THE FUEL DOING IT !!..ITS FROM SITTING FOR A VERY LONG TIME !!!. do as you wish..put non-ethy in yer tank..or follow the simple rules of when to run it, or how to drain it..either way..i am not buying into which fuel is best. p.s. DO YOU REALLY THINK EVERYONE ON FLUTUBE TELLS AN HONEST STORY ??..lol.

[Currently 44]

1 hour ago, shadetree said:

the video of the corroded carb bowl ^^^ ?, i'll bank all my money that carb bowl had reg fuel sit in it for a very long time..and after so long, it turns ( collects water ) to that white junk. i have seen it many...MANY times in my 30 yrs of working on small engines. IT'S NOT THE FUEL DOING IT !!..ITS FROM SITTING FOR A VERY LONG TIME !!!. do as you wish..put non-ethy in yer tank..or follow the simple rules of when to run it, or how to drain it..either way..i am not buying into which fuel is best. p.s. DO YOU REALLY THINK EVERYONE ON FLUTUBE TELLS AN HONEST STORY ??..lol.

Point taken.

 

I did state in my post to not let fuel sit in a small engine. 
 

However I am guilty of planning to cut more wood with my saw or do one more mow with my mower and life happens and the next thing you know I get the “Oh Crap “ moment the following spring.  I know better, s*** happens.  
 

All I’m looking for is tribal knowledge so I can make an informed decision. 

Edited July 18, 2022 by Currently

[jeepwm69 7,751]

Ethanol gas definitely goes bad faster than pure gas.  Now if you add a fuel stabilizer does that help?  Well yeah, but if you're looking at storing gas long term, ethanol free makes sense.  Best would be pure gas with stabilizer, right?

 

I've seen E10 go bad in a chainsaw within a month.  Poured it out, put fresh gas in, saw fired right up (that was my father in law's saw)

 

Pure gas will go bad, and will gum up, but it doesn't happen nearly as fast as it does with ethanol gas.

 

I keep military jerry cans stored with pure gas for emergencies/ generator use.  In those sealed steel cans 2 years is nothing.  I do try to periodically rotate those (pour in car, put fresh in cans)

 

I have plastic jugs that I use constantly for mowers/saws/ATV's etc and rotate/refill.

 

Got out my Sthil hedge trimmers yesterday that hadn't been run in a year.  Normally I drain the tank if I'm going to let something sit, but last year I forgot, so thought "oh crap"

 

They fired up and ran fine.

[Straightgrain 4]

I run 92 octaine clear gas in all my equipment with a carburetor. I stabilize it with the blue marine stabilizer.

 

I'm OK with ppl doing whatever they want.

 

[triharder 8]

14 hours ago, shadetree said:

DO YOU REALLY THINK EVERYONE ON FLUTUBE TELLS AN HONEST STORY ??..lol.

No Shadetree I don't take Youtube as gospel.  

 

However, from my much less limited experience in small motor repair I have seem to have better luck with ethanol free in my small engines.

 

 

 

 

[Fishfiles 20,147]

3 hours ago, triharder said:

No Shadetree I don't take Youtube as gospel.  

 

However, from my much less limited experience in small motor repair I have seem to have better luck with ethanol free in my small engines.

 

 

 

 

 

I was the service manager of a rental equipment company with 4 locations  for 12 years  , not only did we do heavy equipment , but we also did small equipment also , everything from chainsaws , water pumps to sod cutters , etc , etc  , eventually the company was bought out by RSC , then Blue Line , then Volvo Rents ,  now it is  United Rentals , so I think I seen my share of what ethanol gas does to machinery , if giving time ,  it destroys whatever it touches , you have two choices , burn it up quickly , or put stabilizer in the gas , but even with stabilizer  , it still goes bad  

[hodge5 57]

After 23 years, I pulled the carb off of my 300 to clean it and put a Shindy kit in it. This is a photo of the float area, before doing any cleaning. I have only used ethanol-free gas in it, as much as possible- probably 90% of the time.

Edited September 2, 2022 by hodge5

[shadetree 5,977]

On 9/2/2022 at 3:29 PM, hodge5 said:

After 23 years, I pulled the carb off of my 300 to clean it and put a Shindy kit in it. This is a photo of the float area, before doing any cleaning. I have only used ethanol-free gas in it, as much as possible- probably 90% of the time.

did this carb sit with fuel in it for 23 yrs ??..or you just saying you've ran eth free fuel in it for 23 yrs ?..big difference !!. again..its always wise to drain the carbs ?, or run them dry when you do not use the fuel in the machine !!.

[hodge5 57]

I've run ethanol free in it. 

[Chevymec 510]

Ethanol free in all my stuff except my vehicles.

[Kipes 25]

On 9/4/2022 at 1:24 PM, Chevymec said:

Ethanol free in all my stuff except my vehicles.

I'm right there with you Chevymec. I am a firm believer in Startron though also if you choose to run ethanol.