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If you can get it, run ethanol free gas. I am lucky and have a station around the corner that sells the corn free stuff. I run it in all my lawn equipment and in my carburetor pickup truck. the carb on the truck is a Holley street demon with a phenolic fuel bowl, basically a revision of the old thermoquad carbs Chrysler made in the 70s. The plastic bowl is supposed to lower fuel temps by up to 20*, I have been running the carb for two years now and very much like it.
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That's pretty interesting. Looks like I could blend my own. I might experiment a bit this spring.Originally Posted by Bruce Wrenn
I wonder if Kerosene would be a better choice than diesel?
"The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)
Contributor
On the subject of running things dry before putting them away for the season, you may want to be sure to drain the carb float bowl. I can run my snowblower and my outboard "dry", but there is still gas in the float bowl - not much, but enough to varnish up the innards. The manuals for both my snowblower and my outboard advise to drain the float bowls for just that reason.
Grant
Ottawa ON
Member
Actually, plastic carbs have been around since the 60's. Anyone ever hear of a Carter Thermoquad? They weren't exactly great carbs and the plastic bodies were notorious for warping,but it would insulate the fuel and keep it cooler.
Member
I find the idea that small engine manufacturers can't design engines that work with 10% alcohol after all these years to be absolutely ridiculous.
Member
It is not that they can't.It requires the use of more expensive materials. Since there is no benefit to the use of alcohol in gas it would just be more money wasted. Please don't bother with the theories, I'm very well versed in the stories and am not going to discuss it further.
Member
My snow blower was very difficult to start so I brought it to a small engine repair shop. The carburetor that came with the unit (a Toro) was plastic! I've seen a lot of carburetors in my life but never a plastic one, until now. Anyway he replaced the carburetor with a metal one ,spark plug and gas filter, and warned me several times about bad gas and the need to keep it for only 2-3 months, even when using Sta bil.
What do you do with your gas ( I have to mix it with oil) after it gets old?
Thanks
Plastic Carb, I rebuilt an older push mower engine and it had a plastic gear inside.
"Remember back in the day, when things were made by hand, and people took pride in their work?"
- Rick Dale
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Why would it be money wasted? There are lots of folks like myself that can’t reasonably (cost and or effort) get ethanol free gas. The waste of money comes from repairing and replacing parts and equipment or buying high priced canned fuels because the manufacturers are too cheap to fix the issue.
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I always find the whole ethanol thing laughable at best. Issues from ethanol are rare and usually more likely related to lack of care in general. I consider us to be experts on it here where I am. We have been using it since about 1980 and it would be tough to find a station not selling it here. (Illinois/Iowa/Missouri) area. I haven't had an engine issue with a vehicle or small engine that I could blame on the ethanol in years. In the early days there were some issues because the ethanol blend cut crud loose in the fuel system and lead to problems with plugged filters and orfices. Just as the unleaded fuel created some issues in older engines. I also haven't bothered to "winterize" my mowers, string trimmers, and other small engines ever. My Dixie Chopper I sold last summer was 17 years old. Never did I ever do anything special with the fuel system on it. Can gas go bad? Definitely! It reeks when it does. As for what to do with the old gas the suggestions of using it in the vehicles is excellent.
Member
There was a time when just about all small engines were affected by alcohol. The worst for me was a Tecumseh engine. Today, I have smalll engines made by Kohler, Briggs and Stratton, Honda, Echo, and Harbor freight. They have all been working fine on standard pump gas for several years. I did nothing more than a dose of Stabil in the last tank full at the end of the season and an occasional dose of Seafoam. This is not a theory. Why don't I have any problems? Am I really that lucky? I think modern design is the most likely explanation. There is an obvious benefit to manufacturers to design in compensation for alcohol. Consumers are more satisfied with their products.
As stupid as it is, gas diluted with alcohol is here to stay, even though it has no environmental benefits and does not reduce cost or increase supply of domestic fuels. Manufacturers realized that a long ago and took action. There are many reasons why small engines don't run well. Bad gas is just one of them.
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Who do you think makes money when an engine owner has to buy replacement parts?
Who makes money selling the high priced canned fuels with the manufacturer's name on the label?
Spending a few dollars more to make a better product often loses customers in the store due to the higher price. Too many people judge a product on price as opposed to quality.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
I agre completely Jim. Bob seemed to be implying that there was no value to anybody for the mfrs to fix the problem from their end.My feeling is that they have every incentive not to fix it. Mfrs and repair shops just blame the fuel, never acknowledging that they could mitigate the problem with just a few small changes. Ethanol is not going away any time soon; the auto companies have accepted this fact, why won’t the small engine manufacturers.
Coast Guard regulations require special fuel hose since ethanol spiked gas came out, so there is some affect on rubber as well. That being said, up until this year I have never had a problem using 87 octane E10 gas in any of my two stroke engines. Two Stihl saws a Stihl trimmer and a Stihl blower and a Toro snowblower. This year I did replace the carb on my oldest 018 saw, who knows what the problem was. But now that my local Kroger gas station sells "recreational" 90 octane ethanol-free fuel, my next 2 gallon can will be filled with that as it is only about a buck a gallon more than regular. I do run them dry at the end of the season. Frustrating they can't or won't design the fuel systems to accommodate at least E10.
Last edited by Ole Anderson; 01-10-2018 at 9:26 AM.
NOW you tell me...
Contributor
^^^^This^^^^
Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night
Contributor
Bingo! Have not had to touch my fuel systems since I started doing this.
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