Problems with no ethanol gas

[Rob-D]

I've found dry carburators/fuel pumps to be more trouble than those left with Sta-bilized fuel; never had a problem with Sta-Bil and have used it for years. I e-mailed the company(?) when we first had to deal with ethanol "enriched" fuel. Received an answer from the vice-president advising the use of regular red Sta-Bil unless in a marine enviroment. I've got a bunch of small engined equipment; 3 chain saws, back-pack blower, self-propelled lawn mower, JD lawn tractor, DR lawn/leaf vacuum, Craftsman push lawn vacuum, DR Field&Brush mower, 6500 watt generator(Honda powered),a Craftsman 8HP snow-blower, and a 4-stroke Yamaha snowmobile. Use red Sta-Bil in them all; some stored for 6/7 months and have not a fuel problem(starting and running) with any of them. Oh ya, also use it in my Kawasaki Mule

I have the red, maybe I'm not mixing it correctly or something, thanks for the info I'll check the instructions.

 

[Patches]

I have the red, maybe I'm not mixing it correctly or something, thanks for the info I'll check the instructions.

I mix 2oz to 5 gallons of fuel when in use; double it to 4oz. per 5 gallons for extended storage(6 mths. or more)

 

[Skyco]

I've heard theories both ways on running the carb dry or not. Some say running them dry can dry out seals, and I tend to agree, IF the fuel is treated it should be ok to leave them wet.
The Onan has a fuel pump and no shutoff so I can't easily run it dry if I wanted to. The Generac has a shut off and sometimes I shut if off and sometimes I don't. Prior to discovering the black crud it was left on, gas was actually seeping out of the carb and had wet the air filter element. When I couldn't get it to start was when I disassembled the carb and found all the black crud. I've never seen anythng like it in 40 years of being a motorhead..
Generally the crud I've found in ethanol/gas fueled small engines is white dusty stuff from the water picked up attacking the often zinc carb parts.

 

[MrChris]

I've been using no ethanol gas from a local Exxon station for a few years now in all my power equipment.
Recently I've had two issues come up-
First, my backup gasoline generator at my camp wouldn't start. Pulled the carb off and was horrified at the amount of crusty chunks of some black substance in the carb. Cleaned it all up and got it running. BTW this generator is test run about once a month and has Stabil treated gas which is swapped out every 6 months or so.

Yesterday I went to fire up the Onan 4kW gas generator in my toy hauler RV.
Wouldn't start. This generator is also run monthly. Troubleshooting revealed the electric fuel pump wasn't pumping, could hear it buzz but no flow. Huge PITA to remove the generator from the RV to get inside it to get to the fuel pump. Playing with it I got the pump working by filling it with aerosol carb cleaner and letting it sit a few minutes. Nothing came out of the fuel filter Onan has on the input to the fuel pump when back flushing it with carb cleaner.
Inspection of the tank revealed more of this black crud found in problem one above, encrusting the fuel pickup tube. I think this crud had shellaced the fuel pump plunger into place. The fuel pickup is one I made of copper tubing when the original plastic one fell off a few years ago. No junk was visible in the tank, which is a 10 gallon or so plastic boat tank on the tongue of the trailer behind the LP tanks. This generator also is test run about once a month and has Stabil treated gas which is swapped out every 6 months or so.


So- I'm wondering if the ethanol free fuel has enough, or any, of the cleaners that are present in the ethanol "enriched" fuel.....
I think I'm going to start buying my ethanol free fuel at a different station to see if this happens again...but it may be likely it all comes out of the same source at the tank farm near North Augusta SC, regardless of the brand. It is highly unlikely the fuel in both gensets came from the same purchase but it is possible and maybe it was simply bad gas. The Exxon I've been buying it at is right at the Lake Murray dam and they move a huge amount of this ethanol free gas to the boaters.

Curious if anyone else has experienced similar problems. Lets not get into a debate here about ethanol politics, already got that going in other threads:thumbsup:

Have you been using the marine Stabil product? I understand it is black in color.

 

[Rob-D]

I just went to my small engine guy to get a rebuilding kit for my 8 hp snow blower engine. When I took it apart all the seals were cracked and crumbling apart. He said it's the new gas. I've never seen anything like it I rebuilt this thing s few years ago and my rebuilds usually last quite awhile.

Rob

 

[Skyco]

Have you been using the marine Stabil product? I understand it is black in color.

Yes but it is blue.

 

[MrChris]

I just found an Exxon station in my area that only offers ethanol free gas. It's priced the same as the ethanol blended gas so I got a 5 gallon can full for my small engines. Thought I was doing the right thing until I read your thread. Now I'm wondering how they can offer it for the same price? Am I missing something?

 

[Skyco]

Curious. Around here all the non-ethanol gas is a little higher- 10 cents or so.
I continue to use it, I do add a dose of either Techron or Regane Complete to be sure it is cleaning well.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I cant speak to the no ethanol gas as I find no one offering it at my home. However after having the carb rebuilt twice on my pressure washer and the shop telling me that 1 month is enough time to screw up a carb using ethanol fuel, I believe it. I put in Stabil but it still messes them up. Now I try to run them dry if possible and if not I double load the tank with blue stabil. I just hope that holds my lawnmower for the winter. Maybe I will pull that tank and use the gas in my autos and run the carbs dry when I get back home just to be safe. It is usually not a problem to run the pressure washer out of fuel as it lasts about 30 minutes per tank anyway.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I cant speak to the no ethanol gas as I find no one offering it at my home. However after having the carb rebuilt twice on my pressure washer and the shop telling me that 1 month is enough time to screw up a carb using ethanol fuel, I believe it. I put in Stabil but it still messes them up. Now I try to run them dry if possible and if not I double load the tank with blue stabil. I just hope that holds my lawnmower for the winter. Maybe I will pull that tank and use the gas in my autos and run the carbs dry when I get back home just to be safe. It is usually not a problem to run the pressure washer out of fuel as it lasts about 30 minutes per tank anyway.

You folks keep talking about the Blue Stabil and I can not say it works or does not but I maintain about 75 engines between my stuff, my marine business, and the mowing contractors equipment I maintain. When we use the Marine Ethanol Sta-Bil bought at WalMart we have had zero issues for the last 3 years. I have used all the others and never did me any good. Especially the red stuff. Its just been a waste of money.

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Give it a try. I get a container that treats 320 gallons for $20 at WalMart or TSC. Thats about $.06 per gallon. Cheap insurance.

Chris