Winter Mower Storage. Drain the gas? Stabil? Start it once a month?

[bigtiller]

Good research!
Now check my profile!
"Northeast and Florida"
You did pick up on the Florida part.

I picked the Florida part because we don't have a state named Northeast.

 

[shooterdon]

I was buying E free gas for a while. It was about $.70 a gallon more IIRC.

Decided to use regular gas and add Stabil to the tank at the end of the season and run the engine for 5 minutes. May not work...will see.

 

[RandyT]

I don't like Stabil. I refuse to use a product that expires 2 years after opening the bottle.

 

[dodge man]

You can get ethanol free gas in Illinois. In certain areas it can be hard to find. For a while I could only get pure gas at 87 octane but can now get 93 octane in pure gas at Casey’s.

 

[buck12]

You can get ethanol free gas in Illinois. In certain areas it can be hard to find. For a while I could only get pure gas at 87 octane but can now get 93 octane in pure gas at Casey’s.

We can only get 87 octane but that is all I run anyway because I’m cheap.

 

[fried1765]

I picked the Florida part because we don't have a state named Northeast.

Your point is?

There is also no state named..... West Coast, Deep South, Northwest, or Midwest.

 

[Frankenkubota]

r

Just so you are all clear on this.... if your engine calls for 87 octane and you're running higher octane fuel, your engine is probably running hotter and creating less power VS the 87 octane.

Octane vs. Horsepower - Separating fact from myth in the debate over which fuel makes more power - NASA Speed News Magazine

How many people will tell you, i use premium because my car runs better or gets better mileage. It does neither. Then you show them subject article. They say ok, but i still believe it helps my car.

People are people.

 

[fried1765]

r

How many people will tell you, i use premium because my car runs better or gets better mileage. It does neither. Then you show them subject article. They say ok, but i still believe it helps my car.

People are people.

My reason for using 100LL in my small engines is ONLY to avoid nightmare carburetor gum ups.
Opinions of running hotter, or less mower power, are not of particular concern to me.
Just plain reliable STARTING/RUNNING is what I need.
100LL is my only reasonable option in this part of the Northeast.

BTW: The local fire departments all use 100LL in their portable generators, and chainsaws.
This liberal nanny state has mandated, for we the common people: "Non-ethanol fuel may not be dispensed from a pump" (airports excepted).

 

[John0829]

I don't like Stabil. I refuse to use a product that expires 2 years after opening the bottle.

A bottle of Stabil barely lasts 6 months with the turn over of fuel I have, besides everything expires at some point these days. Even the gas you put it in which is the point of this discussion.

 

[Oaktree]

My reason for using 100LL in my small engines is ONLY to avoid nightmare carburetor gum ups.

Gas went bad, and carburetors gummed up way before ethanol was used as an additive. Yes, the ethanol does attack some of the components in older fuel systems, and does seem to separate out faster, but it's no cure-all. Most any engine made in the last 20-odd years ought to be just fine with it.

I don't like Stabil. I refuse to use a product that expires 2 years after opening the bottle.

A bottle of Stabil barely lasts 6 months with the turn over of fuel I have, besides everything expires at some point these days. Even the gas you put it in which is the point of this discussion.

Yeah, I go thru a bottle well before it allegedly goes bad too. It comes in several size bottles, just get what you're likely to use in a year or so.

 

[MossRoad]

Your point is?

There is also no state named..... West Coast, Deep South, Northwest, or Midwest.

People are trying to find you non-ethanol gas as a courtesy to you. They don't know which state you live in up north. If they did, they could see that it's not available in your state. You're taking a defensive stance to folks that are trying to help you out.

 

[hube2]

I've just been doing some reading, sorry, I did not save the link, it was from a state that mandates ethanol at the pumps and it was a document for stations preparing their tanks for selling it. I just tried another search and could not find the same document.

What I read is that, ethanol will separate out of the gas over time. If there is water in the tank the ethanol will attract the water and settle to the bottom of the tank and this is the source of most issues. It seems that the most likely cause of problems is if water can get in, whether that is because of how it is stored or due to condensation.

 

[MossRoad]

My reason for using 100LL in my small engines is ONLY to avoid nightmare carburetor gum ups.
Opinions of running hotter, or less mower power, are not of particular concern to me.
Just plain reliable STARTING/RUNNING is what I need.
100LL is my only reasonable option in this part of the Northeast.

BTW: The local fire departments all use 100LL in their portable generators, and chainsaws.
This liberal nanny state has mandated, for we the common people: "Non-ethanol fuel may not be dispensed from a pump" (airports excepted).

- Stabil will resolve any ethanol-related issues you are concerned about.
- It's cheaper than 100LL.
- It doesn't poison the environment with lead.
- If you'd follow your equipment manufactures' recommendations for fuel and long term storage, you'd have zero issues.

So that's four great reasons to not use 100LL.

 

[ericm979]

I've just been doing some reading, sorry, I did not save the link, it was from a state that mandates ethanol at the pumps and it was a document for stations preparing their tanks for selling it. I just tried another search and could not find the same document.

What I read is that, ethanol will separate out of the gas over time. If there is water in the tank the ethanol will attract the water and settle to the bottom of the tank and this is the source of most issues. It seems that the most likely cause of problems is if water can get in, whether that is because of how it is stored or due to condensation.

I have yet to have that problem but it does not get that cold here. Phase separation is more likely at low temps.

Keeping water out of your gas is a good idea no matter if it's E0 or E10. This is why I like sealed fuel storage cans. When the can is not sealed it "breathes" with temperature changes. Each time it breathes in, it can be pulling in moisture laden air which can condense and now you have water in your gas.

However I have had no problem with leaving fuel in the tanks of my generator and splitter (which sit in unheated buildings). E10 + Stabil + shutting the gas tap off and letting the carb run dry when I shut them off always works. Both always start within two pulls.

The lawn mower doesn't have a tap so I just leave it. It may take some cranking for the first mowing in the spring but it starts.

Excess octane does not make an engine run hot. Higher octane gas actually has slightly less energy (BTUs) than regular. But unless you can get your 100LL at the same price as 89 octane pump gas, you're just throwing money away. And with the lead, polluting the air you and your family breathes with chemicals that cause brain damage. Yea back when we were kids no one knew that, but we do now. Commonly available race gas also does not make the engine run hotter. It's just higher octane for engines that need it.

OTOH, fuel with too low octane can cause severe engine damage from detonation. In two strokes this can be unnoticeable until the engine seizes.

pure-gas.org's data can be out of date. Call first.