Ct to NH and back

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,271]

  Making the Connecticut to New Hampshire run this morning for some ethanol-free fuel from the pump. 
  Generator and tractors all need some “special gas” 

 

  

[ebinmaine 67,116]

NIIIIICE 

[953 nut 54,912]

35 minutes ago, Sparky said:

need some “special gas”

Special fuel!  

[lynnmor 7,294]

I make a gas run monthly, problem is that the ethanol free is only available in my home state of PA so I only purchase a minimum amount.  My purpose for making a gas run is to avoid paying the $.30 tax penalty in PA.

[peter lena 8,563]

@Sparky   sta-bil in your fuel is cheaper , and definetly stops fuel hose break down , all my filters are clean , as well as my fuell bowl,s , just my experience , regular use trials  , pete

[WHX?? 48,699]

It's just unbelievable you guys have to make those runs for hi test when they have it at every station here. 

[ebinmaine 67,116]

2 minutes ago, peter lena said:

@Sparky   sta-bil in your fuel is cheaper , and definetly stops fuel hose break down , all my filters are clean , as well as my fuell bowl,s , just my experience , regular use trials  , pete

 

Pete, here in Maine and NH that is NOT the case. 

Sta-bil is not price competitive to E-free gas. 

 

The newer fuel hoses should not be affected by ethanol so that's no longer a metric. 

 

The gas itself however, certainly is. 

I've removed carb bowls and fuel lines after as little as 4 months. Ethanol pearls in the bowl. 

Bad news. 

Bad experiences. 

 

We haven't used any ethanol laced gas in years because of these occurrences.  

 

No additives. 

No problems. 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,440]

Rec gas by me is about a buck more per gallon... Two stations within 1/2 mile. Remarkably always same price... hhhmmm... 

[squonk 40,964]

We have stations here 30 cents different in price within a couple miles of each other. Then by the interstate there are 4 stations that quite often have gas wars. 20-30 cents cheaper than the lowest priced place in town. Just got to drive 10 miles round trip  to get it

[ri702bill 8,240]

I can get 94 octane ethanol free "racing gas" instate about 14 miles away - but - they are proud of it - to the tune of $13 bucks a gallon.......

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,271]

  So like I’ve mentioned before, the only way to buy it here in Connecticut is in those cans that you buy from Home Depot or a hardware store.

right around $26-$29 per gallon!! Yikes! 
  Here’s how this works out for me.

  I bought 30.7 gallons ($4.66per gallon) of 91 octane e-free for $143. My truck used $34 to make the whole trip. That brings the cost of a gallon up to $5.76. Still way way cheaper than anything I can buy locally. 
 And my neighbor covers half of the fuel

my truck uses since a couple of those jugs are his. 
  @peter lena  I have to disagree with you. Stabil is just a bandaid that helps the ethanol laced fuel last a couple more months. It doesn’t remove any ethanol. Some of my tractors will sit for months (my 867 was just fired up after 10 months sitting in the shed for example)…my generator is another example. 
  I’ll gladly spend a buck a gallon more for quality fuel over bandaided fuel. Not saying I don’t use a stabil type product, but I only use it in the fuel that I use in tractors that are seeing regular use.

  My truck did surprisingly well on fuel. The Tundra easily beats all other 1/2 ton trucks in pretty much every category EXCEPT miles per gallon…well she managed to get 21.2 MPG! That’s a record for this truck!! 

  

  
 

 

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,271]

But the best part of the whole trip was this:

  I’m riding up the highway in Massachusetts in the right lane with cruise set at 67. My Waze nav app tells me that there is a cop up ahead in .4 of a mile. I’m in a 65 zone and on cruise control so I don’t change anything. In my side mirror I see this older lowered civic coming up faaaast in the left lane. Just as he boogies by me (like I was standing still) he spots the cop in the median and quickly darts to the right in front of me and jumps on his brakes. I hit my brakes (disengaging cruise control) so as to not rear end this punk. 

  We roll past the cop and he doesn’t move…I’m kinda miffed at first, but then I see in my side mirror that he finally pulled out onto the highway and now he’s coming fast. The punk in the civic is doing like 2 under the speed limit but the cops knew better, they passed me and pulled him over! I was loving it! 
 

[squonk 40,964]

I have found Sta-bil crystals in carb bowls. Doesn't do diddly. I use Sea Foam once in a while. I buy the 94 octane HD, Lowes , Tractor Supply fuel for long term storage

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,271]

20 minutes ago, squonk said:

I have found Sta-bil crystals in carb bowls. Doesn't do diddly. I use Sea Foam once in a while. I buy the 94 octane HD, Lowes , Tractor Supply fuel for long term storage

  I do use Stabil…but it goes in the ethanol pump gas I buy locally that I will use in 30-60 days in my weekly mowing tractor(s). 
  I’m not convinced it really does much other than give ya an extra 30 days before the ethanol starts to cause trouble. 
 

[oldlineman 1,475]

I use it in my mower tractor 1989 414-8 , but the last mowing of the year she gets the good stuff. My snow tractor, 1979 c 101-8 gets the good stuff and the generator and the weedeater and the chainsaws. I have no gas troubles. Tractor gas troubles that is.

[lynnmor 7,294]

Taryl put out several videos where he tested various additives both long and short term.  I would suggest that anyone who is concerned about ethanol should watch those videos.  I mentioned it before but members keep coming back to claim their favorite brand of snake oil is the best.  While Taryls testing is not quite scientific, it is way more than anyone else did.  To save you some time, the tests showed that additives to treat ethanol were a waste for the most part.  Personally I do use Stabil in gasoline that may be stored for some time, chainsaw mix is one example.  The purpose of using Stabil is to reduce the oxidation of the fuel, look it up.

[Sailman 1,291]

Started using the non ethanol gas years ago when the jets in small outboard motor carbs would get plugged from the ethanol stuff. Use only non ethanol now in ALL my small motors with little issues. Don't care about the extra $1.00 per gallon....cheap insurance. Stabil added if they sit for a while. My mechanic says the quality of gas now means none of it lasts a long time.

[EB-80/8inPA 1,610]

5 hours ago, squonk said:

 

I have found Sta-bil crystals in carb bowls.

 

My biker neighbor stopped using it when he heard it acted by forming a film to hold in the volatiles, which then turns to carb clogging gunk.  I’ve had great luck with e-free gas and PRI-G (and PRI-D for diesel or No.2) as a stabilizer/preservative.  
I’ve also heard that ethanol takes more energy to produce than it yields, all inputs considered.  How weird is that?

Edited August 27, 2023 by EB-80/8inPA

[lynnmor 7,294]

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

I’ve also heard that ethanol takes more energy to produce than it yields, all inputs considered.  How weird is that?

Not weird at all when you consider that ethanol exists to benefit certain people, and the remainder counts for nothing.

[JoeM 7,871]

$4.69 here week before last. Price in WV is about the same. 

Stopped using E Gas last year and problems all went away plus the machines seem to use much less, about 20 percent less. 

I had newer pressure washers that is compatible, One tank of e gas and the carb main jet will plug and will not start on the next use. 

[ebinmaine 67,116]

9 hours ago, Joey Small Block said:

compatible

Yeah I like that "claim". 😃. 

 

11 hours ago, lynnmor said:

Personally I do use Stabil in gasoline that may be stored for some time, chainsaw mix is one example. 

 

We don't even use it for that. 

Several of our small engines are task specific like the walk behind snowblower and lawn mower. They set for as much as 9 months straight and start every time. 

Even the tractors that don't get used for a year or so have no additives. 

Perhaps a bit of luck involved but we've had no issues yet. 

 

[lynnmor 7,294]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Yeah I like that "claim". 😃. 

 

 

We don't even use it for that. 

Several of our small engines are task specific like the walk behind snowblower and lawn mower. They set for as much as 9 months straight and start every time. 

Even the tractors that don't get used for a year or so have no additives. 

Perhaps a bit of luck involved but we've had no issues yet. 

 

I bought a new Homelite chainsaw 48 years ago, the manual said to use Stabil and I have used it ever since.  The thing with mixing gas for chainsaws and blowers is that there is no way to determine how long it might be stored.  You may have noticed that some brands of two cycle oil for chainsaws have stabilizer already in it.

[Lee1977 6,631]

On 8/26/2023 at 9:36 AM, 953 nut said:

Special fuel!  

Richard do you make that down in the hollow behind your house.

[peter lena 8,563]

@lynnmor  usually reference my experience , with what is a regular problem to many , initially , found  tank crud , fuel bowl debris , since doing what works for me , just keep on doing it , 3 kohler engines , start right up , seperate  snow blower , starts right up, stand by generator , starts right up . realise this not what happens to many ,  have also detailed in the starting phase of each engine , every related lever / movement piece , makes for a quick soild start . just my experience, pete 

[ri702bill 8,240]

On 8/26/2023 at 1:49 PM, Sparky said:

So like I’ve mentioned before, the only way to buy it here in Connecticut is in those cans that you buy from Home Depot or a hardware store.

right around $26-$29 per gallon!! Yikes! 

 

Sooo, since my 2 gallon gas container was empty, I wanted to go to the place 14 miles north of me for 2 gallons of ethanol free 94 octane VP Racing Gas this Garage sells.

Hmmm, I figured I'd call first to make sure they had some.... so glad I did......

They no longer sell it at the pump, but in 5 gallon cans AT $19.50 A GALLON!!!! Ninety eight bucks & get a free container - I don't think so.

It gets better (or is it worse??) IF you bring an approved container, their "Fuel Barista" will pour it from a 5 gallon can into yours - FOR $28.50 A GALLON !!!! - NOT!!!