boovuc 1,090 #1 Posted July 31, 2018 Anyone looking back through my posts knows how much I have bestowed the virtues of Av100, (Aviation 100 Octane), fuels for the small engines I use. However.................................................................... The latest run to the airport cost me $5.05 a gallon cash price! The most I ever paid for Av100 was $4.80 and a month ago it was $4.68 a gallon. I have no idea what hit the fan but it was big and the fan was on hyper-drive! Again, I have never had anything come close to how well all the motors I use Av100 in run. From all out wide open throttle to idle and everything in between. My single Kohlers both K series and Magnums. My KT17's love the stuff. Hell even my Onans like the stuff and it kept the dreaded Onan carb gremlins away. But now I use it in a Honda GXV670 for a BIG lawn as well as my horses and generators, saws, weedeater and blower mixes. I use a lot more and it's getting salty. We have non-ethanol regular fuels. How is everyone on these fuels for longevity? I can give up performance as long as I'm not tearing a part carbs and fuel lines like I was. 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chip61 664 #2 Posted July 31, 2018 I've been running non ethanol 87 octane in all my small engines for several years now. No issues since I switched. I put stabilizer in anything that is going to set for more than a few weeks. I have some mixed stabilized fuel for my 2-strokes that is two years old and still hasn't gone stale. I think you would be fine using the lower grade non ethanol fuel. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 58,299 #3 Posted August 1, 2018 I don't use any additives at all and have no problems when using ethanol free gas. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 71,062 #4 Posted August 1, 2018 8 minutes ago, 953 nut said: I don't use any additives at all and have no problems when using ethanol free gas. Same here. I have access to 91 octane non ethanol and switched to using it exclusively this year for all our small engines. I usually pay about 30 cents per gallon more for the non ethanol. Engines that sit for 6 or 8 months or even more have NO issues starting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RandyLittrell 3,894 #5 Posted August 1, 2018 Well oddly enough, my 3 year old push mower does not like the 93 octane ethanol free fuel. It give me problems all last summer, this summer just put the cheap crap in there and it runs great. Randy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RJR49 129 #6 Posted August 1, 2018 I thought about using AvGas but am under the impression that 100 Octane is too much for small engines. $5.00 / gallon for Ethanol free is cheap. At most hardware stores it's nearly $5.00 / Qt! I am willing to pay that price for engines I don't use much. I'm willing to pay it to avoid some of the Ethanol disasters I've had. Interestingly, only in carbureted motors. The fuel injected motors in the boats and cars I've owned never had a problem. True it gets used more quickly in cars. But the boats sit for a few weeks, periodically, during the boating season, and my Corvette doesn't get used much during Connecticut winters. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cvans 1,009 #7 Posted August 1, 2018 No ethanol, no problems. Works for me! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
r356c 375 #8 Posted August 1, 2018 (edited) Thank you Wawa, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania based service station chain for bringing ethanol free gas to Florida. No 2-stroke carb rebuilds each year, every year for 4 years after switching to ethanol free fuel. A splash of Sea Foam does seem to help the 2-stroke weed eater engines come into full song a few seconds earlier in my opinion. The Wawa subs (hoagies) are pretty good too! Edited August 1, 2018 by r356c 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike'sHorseBarn 3,153 #9 Posted August 1, 2018 I use 91 octane ethanol free in all my small engines and it makes them tun so much better. I have a lot less carb trouble now. I run it in the 39 John Deere B and that really makes it sing. It sounded like it was gonna blow on the ethanol crap. As far as the price the last I got was around $3.80 a gallon and the closest place to me is in Milroy and that is 20 minutes away from me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge 3,464 #10 Posted August 1, 2018 Fuel prices have jumped - around here the ethanol free 91 octane went from $3.19/gal up to $3.39/gal now, but still worth it versus running the engine-killing ethanol. $2.79/gal for the corn crap fuel on average, so $.60 cents a gallon more for the non-subsidized fuel. Evidently, folks are getting the message around here - two of the small engine shops that I personally know the mechanics are saying they are seeing a lot less problems that are fuel related versus only a year ago - despite being in the business of repairs they both will tell customers not to use the ethanol fuels or risk having problems. I capture every customer I see at the gas stations with a gas can and let them know the stuff they are using really matters on small engines - I won't even use the ethanol in my modern Hemi pickup truck. Almost 5mpg average per tank difference - it pays for itself and the thing just plain runs better. The local dealership has yet to let me test that theory with a Hellcat or a Demon, but I'm working on it Sarge 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
