Non-Ethanol Fuel or Regular ?

[hotajax 284]

Just curious.  What do you guys run your old Horses with?  I've been using e-free for a few years now, and I think over the long run, it has been beneficial, especially over the winter when it is not running religiously.  I'm paying 6 bucks in my area, and regular fuel costs about 4 bucks.  Thanks gents.

[ebinmaine 80,103]

Every single Small Engine piece of equipment we have gets non-ethanol fuel.

 

To the best of my knowledge there is not one additive that negates the effects of ethanol such as grabbing extra water and rusting lines, degrading rubber, and possibly eating aluminum parts.

 

Regular gas around here is just below $4 this week. I believe non ethanol can be had for around $5.70.

 

 

 

[sqrlgtr 3,606]

Same here non-ethanol fuel only. Haven't had any fuel related issues since going to the real stuff. I can't recall price difference around here but don't believe its much different than what @ebinmaine posted may be just a tad cheaper.

[pfrederi 21,005]

Mostly non E   but  during the heavy mowing season those horses may get regular.  The 418 and the GT1848 are gas hogs so 5 gallons doesn't last much more than a week.  But late September  (when Rod Stewart was supposed to be back in school ) they start getting non E so that will set in them over the winter.

[hotajax 284]

19 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Mostly non E   but  during the heavy mowing season those horses may get regular.  The 418 and the GT1848 are gas hogs so 5 gallons doesn't last much more than a week.  But late September  (when Rod Stewart was supposed to be back in school ) they start getting non E so that will set in them over the winter.

Yeah, I was thinking my Maggie could get some regular gas while it's flowing pretty fast, and then scale back to efree when it's sitting longer

[CasaytheMann 241]

When I bought mine from the previous owner it leaked gas from a carburetor o-ring, so he installed a shutoff valve after the fuel filter. I located an owners manual online that said ethanol degrades rubber,  so I asked him what gas he ran in it. He said the cheapest he could find. I installed a new o-ring and run only ethanol free gas now.

[My_horse 128]

I’ve been using ethanol free least 10 years now in all my equipment. There may have been a couple times where, in a pinch, I used regular gas. Usually in the middle of mowing season, where I ran out of E0 and didn’t feel like driving the 40 minute round trip to the place that has it. 

[ebinmaine 80,103]

21 minutes ago, hotajax said:

Yeah, I was thinking my Maggie could get some regular gas while it's flowing pretty fast, and then scale back to efree when it's sitting longer

 

 

Just keep in mind that if there is any sort of detritus anywhere in your fuel system, the switch going from alcohol to standard gasoline could potentially find that and free it up thereby causing you issues. That's why we don't switch.

[lynnmor 8,974]

I use regular E10 without issue.  I do use ethanol free in my two cycle engines and those that will sit for months.  

[ML3 2,465]

Ethanol free for sure! Fortunately theres a local fuel station only 1.5mi from home that has it. Its more $$ but definitely less aggravation. 

[ri702bill 12,701]

Ethanol free makes a huge difference. Don't gripe about the 2 buck a gallon difference. Here in RI, E-free 90+ octane runs about TwentyFive bucks a gallon. That would be at Lowes, Home Depot, the local Outdoor Power Dealer - MORE if I travel 3 towns over to a Motorsports oriented Vendor that dispences VP racing fuel from 5 gallon containers. Around here, $10 a gallon would be welcome.

[peter lena 9,993]

@hotajax personally use regular  gas , for me it was an EXPERIMENT  TO A REPEDITIVE PROBLEM ? fuel hose break down debris was very common . went to ground zero ?, cleaned out tank , replaced fuel valve , 6" clear  fuel rated hose , fuel filter  , check valve ? to verify  clean fuel hold up to source, verifying , clean / clear , duplicate up to carb ? then started adding  an ounce or two , of  STA BIL fuel storage additive , to every tank top off , also  never  let  a tank sit  virtually empty  , guess what ? many years in now , no fuel hose break down debris at all  !  also have a regular  look see , verify  after  any usage , trans oil check , engine oil  , etc , REPEDITIVE PROBLEMS SHOW YOU THE WAY  , BREAK DOWN EVERY STAGE . TRY  SOMETHING  DIFFERENT , regularly  roller stool  , intended FUNCTION PROBLEM AREAS ? COMFORTABLE SEAT  , lets  you  think about  what's failing . BTW , my mower bearings are  smooth / quiet  , those WERE  another  problem , years in , solid , quiet  , reliable , pete       

[EB-80/8inPA 2,090]

ETHANOL:

Eventually Tank Harbors Annoying, Nasty, Obstructive Lumps

Edited 13 hours ago by EB-80/8inPA

[ebinmaine 80,103]

9 minutes ago, EB-80/8inPA said:

ETHANOL:

Eventually Tank Harbors Annoying, Nasty, Obstructive Lumps

 

 

Nicely done sir. 

[EB-80/8inPA 2,090]

4 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

Nicely done sir. 

Thanks.  Perhaps @SylvanLakeWH can do a haiku?!

[ebinmaine 80,103]

16 minutes ago, EB-80/8inPA said:

Thanks.  Perhaps @SylvanLakeWH can do a haiku?!

 

 

Agreed. I had that thought too.

[mrc 1,109]

ethanol free is definitely worth a couple extra bucks!    especially when available to you locally.   do you really want more problems in your life?   i have to travel about 1.5 hours from my home to get e-free gas in another state.  well worth the extra time to avoid many, many hours of fuel related problems IMO.

 

regards

mike

[SylvanLakeWH 32,020]

1 hour ago, EB-80/8inPA said:

Thanks.  Perhaps @SylvanLakeWH can do a haiku?!

 

56 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

Agreed. I had that thought too.

As requested...

 

Ethanol in gas

Nonsensical additive 

Government of course

 

 

[MainelyWheelhorse 3,022]

I’ve run local regular gas in all my tractors since I rehabbed and started using them. I’d assume they have ethanol, but I haven’t had any problems yet with any of the associated problems with running ethanol in the gas so possibly not. I’ve had my 312 for four years and no issues.

 

ethanol in the gas so emissions it will pass

but the rubber lines don’t last for us to cut grass

with our tractors from the past 

 

I was going for a Dr. Seussesqe rhyme I’m on the fence about if I did it.

Edited 10 hours ago by MainelyWheelhorse

[Wheelhorse#1 1,962]

Regular gas only in all my small engines ,worth the extra $ in my opinion.

[953 nut 68,202]

E Free for me,

Pay extra now

or wish you had later.

New hoses and carburetor kits

ain't free!

[C-85 812]

I’ve run E10 and haven’t had any issues.  WAY before E10 was ever thought of (a long time ago) I saw some carburetors with varnish in them because if you let any gas sit still in them long enough, the gas will break down into a big mess  .  I do add Stabil to my gas as a precaution and I’ve always drained all the gas out for storage.  That has worked for me 

 

C-85

[adsm08 4,918]

5 hours ago, MainelyWheelhorse said:

ethanol in the gas so emissions it will pass

 

Alcohol in the gas has basically nothing to do with emissions. It does not impact 4 of the 5 gasses directly, may reduce Nox some as it burns cooler, and if the whole life-cycle is looked at is a net carbon producer vs straight gas.

 

It is partially to try and reduce fuel prices as it is cheaper, but it is largely a give-away to corn farmers.

[ebinmaine 80,103]

27 minutes ago, C-85 said:

carburetors with varnish in them because if you let any gas sit still in them long enough, the gas will break down into a big mess

 

Since the switch to E free several years ago we've had no issues.  

We have machines that set for as much as a full calendar year without being touched.  Start right up. 

 

Before that I had a friend who was still using booze fuel and saw rotted fuel lines in (IIRC) four months.  

 

 

We do have some Stabil here that was in my father's garage. It was old when we got it and he'd had it for years too. 

I have mixed it in with the generator gas. 

Honestly can't say if it works. No real testing. 

 

[953 nut 68,202]

37 minutes ago, adsm08 said:

largely a give-away to corn farmers.

           Are you telling me that the anti-petroleum "I'm from the Government and I'm here to help you" crowd is showing favoritism to the corn farmers even though it ended up driving up gas prices?              Say it isn't so.