So does anyone use non ethanol gas

/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #21  
I have not changed the fuel filter in 12 years and 253k miles on my minivan so that is not unreasonable, if you maintain your equipment, we rarely changed fuel filters when farming either but we payed close attention to the quality of the fuel used

Interesting, but how do you assess quality of fuel?

I usually buy from the same station and get good results. However, I had one tank in my passenger car that got horrible mileage. I don't know how I would be able to insure gas quality other than by buying from a brand name dealer.

Years ago, the common knowledge was that Sinclair gas was better quality, and 76 has advertised that they are better quality (but that is from the vendor itself).

Short of testing gas, I don't know how one would be able to say one gas was good and another was bad until it was already running (and potentially damaging) a piece of equipment.
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #22  
Non-ethanol here is about 30-40 cents more per gallon. I use it about exclusively in my lawn tools, and as much as practical in my vehicles. I can get 10-14% better gas mileage in my truck, so the price is a wash, but the real difference is the truck is much more responsive. Try it sometime and see after a couple tanks of non-ethanol how much more responsive your vehicle is and if you mileage improves. I'd like to hear others' feedback on this. Call me crazy, but I believe if everyone purchased non-ethanol on purpose, after a short supply disruption, the tables would turn to where it is cheaper than ethanol added and our food prices would eventually benefit as well. Government is actually talking about pushing to 15% ethanol now. Problems will persist and become more apparent. My opinion for what it's worth.
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #23  
According to the map link posted earlier (thanks) I can get Ethanol free gas 60 miles from here at a Loves truck stop. But I have a stihl weed whip that takes 89 octane or better. Wondering if it will have enough octane.
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #24  
According to the map link posted earlier (thanks) I can get Ethanol free gas 60 miles from here at a Loves truck stop. But I have a stihl weed whip that takes 89 octane or better. Wondering if it will have enough octane.

Call them and ask them what the octane is?
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #25  
According to the map link posted earlier (thanks) I can get Ethanol free gas 60 miles from here at a Loves truck stop. But I have a stihl weed whip that takes 89 octane or better. Wondering if it will have enough octane.

The place that I buy ethanol free from only has 92 octane premium in ethanol free. It's worth a phone call before driving.

BTW, CA (and a few other states) definitely has a dearth of ethanol free. Check out some of the other states (638 stations in Wi.; only 6 in Calif.).
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #26  
Since most of my time is in the SF Bay Area... not many options.
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #27  
You can get ethanol free gas here in sw va. On almost every corner and is typically only .05-.08 cents higher than 10% ethanol. Lots of rural stations are all non ethanol only. I quit running ethanol in my saws and mowers and it has really eased my problems a lot. No more hard starts or rebuilding carbs
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #28  
I use ethanol free gas in all my dozen or so small engines. The cars are the only things that we put the 10% ethanol in.
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #29  
Hi MossRoad, you haven't changed your fuel filter in 12 years?!?!? :eek: That seems remarkable! Maybe I misread.

Nope. You read that right. Never changed it. If I did, it was so long ago that I forgot. I'm on my third battery, though. :laughing: I've just never had any problems with the thing. It almost always starts, with the exception of under zero degrees, when I sometimes have to give it a shot of starting fluid.

I'm also on my original spark plugs. I have spares, but never changed them yet. Maybe this summer.

I'm somewhere around 5-600 hours in 12 years. I avearage about 1.5 gallons per hour. Maybe a tad less.

I have 3 six gallon cans of gas that I rotate, putting 4 gallons in the tractor at each fill. In the summer, I go through about a gallon per week mowing. Harvesting firewood 4-5 weekends per year, I go through 5-6 gallons per weekend. Snow plowing is rare. So, 25 gallons for mowing, 25 gallons for firewood, and maybe 15-20 gallons for brush hogging/special projects depending on who asks. That adds up to about 75 gallons per year at most. So, about 800 gallons through the filter in 12 years is my best guess. Doesn't sound like that much when you add it all up. I do use stabilizer in my 3 cans but only in the fall when all brush hogging, firewood, mowing and leaf cleanup is done. Those three cans can sit all winter if there is no snow. That's about the only thing I do special.

Personally, I think people get overly worried about fuel contamination(I'm talking about gasoline, not diesel). If you rotate out your fuel on a regular basis, run your tanks down, run your small 2 stroke engines out completely, and if you have to store gas more than 6 months, use a stabilizer, keep your filler area clean as well as your gas can nozzles, you should be fine.

It's worked for me. :thumbsup:
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #30  
I only run non-ethanol premium in all my mowers, saws, etc. You can find gas stations that carry it here:

Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

Just curious why you do that?
Unless an engine manufacturer specifically calls for premium (high octane) gas in an engine, most folks agree that it is a waste of money and can overheat your engines.
Not critisizing, just asking. ;)
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #31  
Just curious why you do that?
Unless an engine manufacturer specifically calls for premium (high octane) gas in an engine, most folks agree that it is a waste of money and can overheat your engines.
Not critisizing, just asking. ;)

I run premium (non ethonal) in everything. I don't do so much for the octane, I do it because its the only grade that you can purchase that doesn't contain alcohol.
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #32  
Nope. You read that right. Never changed it. If I did, it was so long ago that I forgot. I'm on my third battery, though. :laughing: I've just never had any problems with the thing. It almost always starts, with the exception of under zero degrees, when I sometimes have to give it a shot of starting fluid.

I'm also on my original spark plugs. I have spares, but never changed them yet. Maybe this summer.

I'm somewhere around 5-600 hours in 12 years. I avearage about 1.5 gallons per hour. Maybe a tad less.

I have 3 six gallon cans of gas that I rotate, putting 4 gallons in the tractor at each fill. In the summer, I go through about a gallon per week mowing. Harvesting firewood 4-5 weekends per year, I go through 5-6 gallons per weekend. Snow plowing is rare. So, 25 gallons for mowing, 25 gallons for firewood, and maybe 15-20 gallons for brush hogging/special projects depending on who asks. That adds up to about 75 gallons per year at most. So, about 800 gallons through the filter in 12 years is my best guess. Doesn't sound like that much when you add it all up. I do use stabilizer in my 3 cans but only in the fall when all brush hogging, firewood, mowing and leaf cleanup is done. Those three cans can sit all winter if there is no snow. That's about the only thing I do special.

Personally, I think people get overly worried about fuel contamination(I'm talking about gasoline, not diesel). If you rotate out your fuel on a regular basis, run your tanks down, run your small 2 stroke engines out completely, and if you have to store gas more than 6 months, use a stabilizer, keep your filler area clean as well as your gas can nozzles, you should be fine.

It's worked for me. :thumbsup:
Can't argue with results like that. :thumbsup:
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #33  
One reason for using premium in everything is that you don't have another can of gas to deal with.

Switch my 13HP Briggs riding mower to 91 octane no Ethenol and it runs much smoother.
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #34  
One reason for using premium in everything is that you don't have another can of gas to deal with.

Switch my 13HP Briggs riding mower to 91 octane no Ethenol and it runs much smoother.

I wonder if you're doing any damage to anything by running it too hot, or just burning money? Or, maybe the few problems are worth the extra pennies. Anyhow, I don't have anything that asks for premium gas, only 87.
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #35  
I have to use premium also to get alcohol free gas. Well worth it in my opinion for small engines in order to avoid the alcohol. Small engine guys around here say ethanol is the best thing that ever happened to their business but they dislike the problems it causes for their customers.

Ken
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #36  
My local station has three grades on ethanol free gas. I use the 89 mid grade, mostly because Stihl suggests that.
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #37  
I wonder if you're doing any damage to anything by running it too hot, or just burning money? Or, maybe the few problems are worth the extra pennies. Anyhow, I don't have anything that asks for premium gas, only 87.

As I understand it high octane gas is easier on the engine because the burn is smoother. Less chance of detonation. That does not sound like it would cause the engine to run too hot.
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #38  
You can get ethanol free gas here in sw va. On almost every corner and is typically only .05-.08 cents higher than 10% ethanol. Lots of rural stations are all non ethanol only. I quit running ethanol in my saws and mowers and it has really eased my problems a lot. No more hard starts or rebuilding carbs

Up here in the northwest most Co-Ops (CENEX) sell premium 92 octane with no ethanol.
I tried it and my mileage did improve -more power and responsiveness to. but I think the price difference is about a wash...

It really makes a difference in my old high compression muscle cars.. (but they all require premium anyway) Also agree it's the way to go for small engines...
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #39  
I do my best to run non ethanol in all my small engines except the 2 stroke scooter. I can only get non ethanol in high octane and the scooter mechanic told me that high octane would burn the tip off of the sparkplug.

Your scooter mechanic is full of smoke! My Vespa runs great on non-ethanol!
 
/ So does anyone use non ethanol gas #40  
As I understand it high octane gas is easier on the engine because the burn is smoother. Less chance of detonation. That does not sound like it would cause the engine to run too hot.

My mistake on the hotter comment. You wallet will burn hotter, not your engine.

Who expeinces engine knock in a small engine that runs at a pretty much continous RPM? If its tuned up properly it should not knock on 87 octane fuel unless it is a high compresion engine that calls for higher octane.

Paying a Premium for High Octane Gasoline? | Consumer Information
 

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