Gasoline - Ethanol or Non-Ethanol

[Gem99ultra]

I have been using Non-Ethanol fuel for the last couple of years, after having to replace the fuel lines on every gasoline powered lawn tool I have; a major headache. However, my local non-ethanol supplier has discontinued selling non-ethanol. Now the nearest source is 20 miles away and the cost is over $0.40/gallon more than ethanol added fuel.

Price on ethanol added is $2.45/gal (87 octane) - Non-ethanol is $2.89 (90 octane)

Do you use only non-ethanol gasoline in your lawn implements?

 

[shank102]

i use non-ethanol gas in my trimmer but my zero turn I just add some ethanol treatment to my gas can and fill it up with the ethanol gas. Never had any issue.

 

[k0ua]

I have been using pure gas for several years now since replacing fuel lines in my trimmer. I use it in everything now except the automobiles. Yes it costs a bit more, but seems to last much longer and the small engines have less problems. Fortunately for us it is available everywhere here.

 

[davesl708]

I use pure gas in all small gas engines. My push mower is 18 years old and still starts on one prime one pull.
Trimmer, chainsaw and generator all use pure gas. No issues. The gas in the generator is 4 years old and only gets Sta-Bil once a year.
The people I know who use ethanol in their new machines have problems soon after.

 

[Wa11banger]

Guys I know there are cases of fuel lines going bad and deterioration causing issues.. but here is my story.. I moved into my house aug2005.. I have a troybuilt 42" lawn tractor that has been fed alcohol based fuel since the day I brought it home.. For no particular reason than non alcohol fuel situation is similar to the OP's too far away from me to be worth it. I treat the fuel I estimate to be the last two mowings of the season and put it up for the entire winter. I do exactly the same for the echo weedwacker.. Also exactly the same for a 2008 procraft Super 210 bassboat with a 225 Mercury on the back of it.. All of them start first time every time after the first start when winter is over and have given me no fuel related issues.. Batteries are a different story.

My 2005 avalanche, 2000 Durango (replaced in 09 with a Nissan cube) 72 Nova, 2002 36ft motorhome all also run on alcohol gas.. No treatments in any vehicle with the semi annual (or whenever I remember) lucas injector treatment. the Motorhome gets fuel additives started around nov and stops in mayish timeframe.. Again all working very will with zero issues so far..

What I can tell you is maintenance. I rinse the mower down and blow it off every run.. It is stored in the garage. same for the weedwacker.. oil is changed at the prescribed interval on every vehicle and I replace the external fuel filters on the frame on all of them around 50-60k miles.

Not related entirely but on my 05 2500HD I replace that diesel fuel filter ever other oil change. again no issues with fuel.

I must just be using more fuel through my small engines than most and it does not get to hang around to get degraded or acidic. so far (knocking hard on desk) everything just works because it is supposed to.

Rick

 

[oldpilgrim]

many states, including here, don't allow non E.

It's interesting that they charge .50 gal NOT to put in E.

 

[sixdogs]

By all means get non ethanol if you can. 20 miles is worth the drive to save the aggravation of something not starting and needing fuel lines or a rebuilt carb.

 

[mjonesnh]

Non ethanol with a shot of Startron in can before filling. Went through the fuel line replacement when I was using ethanol. None replaced since I changed to pure gas. worth the extra 40 cents to me

 

[Streetcar]

many states, including here, don't allow non E.

It's interesting that they charge .50 gal NOT to put in E.

Ethanol is a cheap way to oxygenate the fuel.
Other methods cost more money
In my area too hard to get pure fuel
Add stabilizers and deal with ethanol

 

[4570Man]

I burn no ethanol in all of my equipment. Our vehicles burn the cheaper ethanol gas.

 

[cqaigy2]

Use ethanol gas for years in vehicles and small engines. I started using treatment in the small engines a few years ago, but haven't had problems with any fuel lines.

I did borrow a post-hole digger from a friend. Wouldn't stay running and noticed the fuel line inside the tank was laying at the bottom. I'm wondering if the cheap fuel-line isn't formulated to survive for very long, requiring you to replace it often.

 

[TomSeller]

All my small engines and the two lesser used gas vehicles get non ethanol. The two daily drivers get whatever is available when they run low on fuel.

 

[CobyRupert]

At 40 cents a gallon more expensive, that would cost me an extra $1.20 a year on trimmer and chain saw gas!! Why go to that expense when you can just change out gas lines and carbs? (^sarcasm) : )

 

[radioman]

i dunno guys... it seems to me that its not the gas e vs non e is the problem. its the new emissions and california carb requirements and untested time gas lines is the problem. I been running 15 ethanol gas in everything. yup - had to replace the lines in over 10 year ol motors had to clean newer small engines carbs to get it running smooth every 2 years. everytime people ask me how come their machines doesnt work or run, I just automatically know they are NOT working with their motors. they just want it to start and run. We ALL do, but as long there are moving parts, we WILL have problems one way or another. I get it that one person never have problems for 10 years and the other constantly gets it fixed every month. there seems to be no magic formula to keep things running smooth, but you can do your darnest to. I put marine stabilizer in everything gas and power service in diesel. snake oil or not, it seems to give me less down time then most people have online.

 

[rekees4300]

Not many stations sell it. Nearest is 2 hour round trip. Went there once and they stole my credit card number. Now use Stilh Motomix in trimmers and chain saws. Expensive but get exceptional performance.

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

 

[Gary Fowler]

I was using non-ethanol gas in my mowers but it means a trip of about 25 miles to get it, so a few years ago I just started getting the 10% ethanol blend from the local gas station. It seems to run just as well in my small engines as in trucks and cars. I haven't had to replace any fuel lines in more than 15 years. All the newer small engines now come with ethanol resistant fuel lines so that is no longer an issue.
Carb gumming is an issue but Stabil seems to make the gas consumable for at least 6 months so I put a generous dose in the gasoline at the end of mowing season and then dose the lawnmower tanks again when they go into storage. They work just fine come spring. I did forget to do that with one mower once and it wouldn't even try to start. Drained the tank and put in fresh gas and it started right up, dodged the bullet on that one.
Pure gas is about $.55 per gallon more here.

 

[sixdogs]

I buy a season's supply of pure gas in cans and put Stabil in it right away. A year later it's as good as when I first got it and I only have one trip to get it. Everything starts and runs fine and no more problems. The number of pure gas stations has increased considerably over the past few years so things should only get better on the supply side.

 

[ArlyA]

Here in MI, ethanol is added to all fuels for clean air reasons. Exception to that is premium fuel and that's what we run and in our Stihl and Echo powered tools. Higher octane fuels is recommended by those manufacturers anyway. I've used Stabil and will not again after some went bad. All we'll use now is SeaFoam and that's added to all our occasional use engine fuels.. Can't say we've had any problems with machines using ethanol spikes fuels..

 

[sixdogs]

Here in MI, ethanol is added to all fuels for clean air reasons. Exception to that is premium fuel and that's what we run and in our Stihl and Echo powered tools. Higher octane fuels is recommended by those manufacturers anyway. I've used Stabil and will not again after some went bad. All we'll use now is SeaFoam and that's added to all our occasional use engine fuels.. Can say we've had any problems with machines using ethanol spikes fuels..

Are you sure it's ethanol free?

 

[ArlyA]

Well is does state that at the pump,,,, so I'd say it is.