Ethanol Free Gas

[3930dave]

I have a Honda lawn mower and genset. Both come with shutoff valves from the factory. Owner's manual for both recommends running the carburetor dry, and it also recommends to use non-ethanol gas if possible.

What works in one geography may not work in others, and will often vary with Time.....

I used to store small engines dry, but we now tend to get white-deposits in carbs here, that tend to glue things together/shut. Around the time of my first experience with this ^ reality, I had gotten back into motorcycling about 15 years ago - after successfully storing my MC over our long Winters "wet", I went to storing all engines wet, treated with storage supplements in fuel. So far, pretty good.

E0 has been "disappeared" here too. If you can still buy E0 @ pump, count yourself lucky - it probably still compares (very) well with what I bought last, VP Racing T4.

https://vpracingfuels.com/products/vp-t4-fuel

2025 in "Advanced" countries..... street-drugs are cheap or free; Quality Fuel - not only really expensive, but You Need To Know Somebody, to get it....

Rgds, D.

(Edit - ^ for engines stored into Next Year/seasonal use, not for Years or longer.....)

 

[Jstpssng]

That right there tells me they know it's worth

No, it means they know we will pay it.

I know which stations tend to have the best prices to fill my pickup in my area. I don't have a clue what I'm paying per gallon for the E0, I just know I need it.

 

[mrmikey]

No, it means they know we will pay it.

Good point, better said than my statement.

 

[JasperFrank]

I feel lucky to live in Oregon. Almost all rural stations sell, "Clear." $$$ though it is.

 

[Oaktree]

I use canned gas in my saws especially because they can sit for a long time with no use. I run Echo Red Armor 50-1 and since I purchased a Harbor Freight Bauer 20 volt chainsaw, they get used even less.

I have a HF Lynx 40v chainsaw, and while it's handy for those small jobs it's waay too wimpy to do any real cutting with. I've found the same with most battery landscaping (for lack of a better term) tools.

I'll use the can gas in weed wackers or in an emergency in a chain saw, but it's too expensive for everyday use. Chainsaw runs fine with mix made from E10 anyway. Weedwackers are more finicky.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Does changing over from e10 to e0, without any other work, reverse any "damage" that has accumulated over the years? Just talking about sludge, sticking float etc. not rubber damage.

 

[dodge man]

Does changing over from e10 to e0, without any other work, reverse any "damage" that has accumulated over the years? Just talking about sludge, sticking float etc. not rubber damage.

I don’t know for sure but I’d say no.

 

[grsthegreat]

Does changing over from e10 to e0, without any other work, reverse any "damage" that has accumulated over the years? Just talking about sludge, sticking float etc. not rubber damage.

That wont get rid of any buildup. I had to rebuild a few carbs before i did the switch. Have never had to repair a piece of equipment since i changed.

 

[NoTrespassing]

In my mind one problem with ethanol hype is it burns cleaner. I believe that’s true but raising the crops to make it is mostly done by diesel burning tractors and combines, plus all the pesticides, weed killers and fertilizer applied to the fields. Then the energy and pollution that the ethanol plants create. Are we really ahead with the ethanol fuel.

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2200997119

​

The sobering truth about corn ethanol​

The findings of Lark et al. (4) are all the more striking in that their estimate of GHG emissions from RFS2 represents a floor, not a ceiling. They draw this conclusion from observations of changes in farming that occured in the United States, but there are other major emissions sources they did not explore that, when accounted for, only add to the emissions attributable to corn ethanol. Lark et al. (4) note no fewer than three such sources: 1) greater production of nitrogen fertilizers, which are derived from fossil fuels; 2) international land use change, such as when farmers in other countries convert forests and grasslands to agriculture in response to higher commodity prices; and 3) the fuel market rebound effect, which is an overall rise in fuel consumption in response to greater fuel supply. Other studies have indicated that emissions from these sources can be substantial in their contribution to total biofuel emissions (8–10).

 

[MossRoad]

Yesterday a neighbor & I were talking about ethanol gas and carburetor damage. He showed me he puts one of these in line gas valves in every mower & small engine. Before shutting off you close valve running carburetor dry.View attachment 3558088

I did that to my log splitter and power washer because they can be years between use, or just hours.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I did that to my log splitter and power washer because they can be years between use, or just hours.

I've been dumping the tank on my Chinese brush cutter and running it dry when using ethanol. Prior to that, I had to replace the fuel lines. I'm hopeful that it will do better on E0.

 

[MossRoad]

I've been dumping the tank on my Chinese brush cutter and running it dry when using ethanol. Prior to that, I had to replace the fuel lines. I'm hopeful that it will do better on E0.

I all honesty, I've been using E10 87 octane in every piece of power equipment, tractors, cars, etc... since the 80s and have yet to see any ill effects. I just follow the manufacturer's recommendations as to long term storage. No issues. I fill three 6-gallon plastic cans in the fall. If I don't use it up snow blowing (haven't in several years), I dump it into my Suburban and refill in the spring.

I only own one piece of equipment that requires higher than 87 octane fuel (a larger chainsaw), and that octane doesn't have ethanol in it anyway.

I just don't see the problems that other folks report.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I all honesty, I've been using E10 87 octane in every piece of power equipment, tractors, cars, etc... since the 80s and have yet to see any ill effects. I just follow the manufacturer's recommendations as to long term storage. No issues. I fill three 6-gallon plastic cans in the fall. If I don't use it up snow blowing (haven't in several years), I dump it into my Suburban and refill in the spring.

I only own one piece of equipment that requires higher than 87 octane fuel (a larger chainsaw), and that octane doesn't have ethanol in it anyway.

I just don't see the problems that other folks report.

Yea, now we're talking E15 here. The one station I saw it at, didn't have E10. Basically, it said, may contain up to 15% ethanol.

 

[MossRoad]

Yea, now we're talking E15 here. The one station I saw it at, didn't have E10. Basically, it said, may contain up to 15% ethanol.

Still E10 stations around?

 

[NoTrespassing]

Still E10 stations around?

There are still stations selling E10, yes. I don't know how long that will last. The station I was at, I believe it was a Pilot, had changed from E10 to E15.

 

[Jstpssng]

Does changing over from e10 to e0, without any other work, reverse any "damage" that has accumulated over the years? Just talking about sludge, sticking float etc. not rubber damage.

I am going to say "no" as ethanol has the opposite effect; it cleans any sludge and varnish which might be in the fuel system.
At the same time it's destroying your o-rings, gaskets, and the rubber tips on your float valves.

 

[Dftodd]

I feel lucky to live in Oregon. Almost all rural stations sell, "Clear." $$$ though it is.

In Oklahoma, they sell regular gas a most stations, and you have to choose the separate nozzle to get E10.

Local truck stop has ethanol free gas on a dedicated pump.

Thats where I get my gas for all my small engines.

 

[Dftodd]

That wont get rid of any buildup. I had to rebuild a few carbs before i did the switch. Have never had to repair a piece of equipment since i changed.

Same here. My zero turn has only had a partial tank of ethanol gas in it. Its what the dealer put in it to test it. It's had ethanol free ever since.

It's 7 years old and still running great.

 

[not2old]

I all honesty, I've been using E10 87 octane in every piece of power equipment, tractors, cars, etc... since the 80s and have yet to see any ill effects. I just follow the manufacturer's recommendations as to long term storage. No issues. I fill three 6-gallon plastic cans in the fall. If I don't use it up snow blowing (haven't in several years), I dump it into my Suburban and refill in the spring.

I only own one piece of equipment that requires higher than 87 octane fuel (a larger chainsaw), and that octane doesn't have ethanol in it anyway.

I just don't see the problems that other folks report.

I've only had problems with ethanol in two pieces if equipment and they both had Briggs and Stratton motors. coincidence????

 

[CalG]

Can the ethanol be removed from pump gas by adding a cup of water to a five gallon can of gas and then pouring that through one of those "removes the water" screen funnels?