A reminder about ethanol

[pfrederi 17,743]

From my friends Kohler Command Pro on in his log splitter.....Uses regular gas.. Only a couple hours a year on the splitter.

 

Bad news it is OHV so the stuck float dumped gas into the cylinder so now have to change oil also.

 

Their is a station with ethanol free about 6 miles away a dollar more per gallon.  Since it only burns a couple gallons a year save  2 bucks .... but carb kit is $18

 

 

[RJ Hamner 1,007]

[peter lena 8,654]

@pfrederi  add  just an ounce or 2 , of STA BIL  to all my fuels , fuel storage treatment , zero anything in my filters or carb bowls ,prior to doing that , changed out all related , hoses / filters , and cleaned , tank , just to verify  that the additive , stops fuel  debris . with clean fuel hold points , and regular STA BIL ,  use regular ethanol  fuel , with consistent clog / break down free results . even my generator , and  walk behind snow blower , sitting for months , have clean , fuel filters , and carb bowls, instant starts  treat a lot of gas with that , and no fuel crud at all . pete  

[ebinmaine 67,766]

I find it very interesting that the FAA understands what ethanol does and does not allow it in airplanes.

IMHO ethanol should also not be allowed in any small engines whatsoever.

 

For the first time in several years we bought a new small engine. We picked up a nice new generator that will power the whole house.

In the manual it states that up to 10% is acceptable but non-ethanol is recommended. First time I've seen that.

[adsm08 2,103]

39 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I find it very interesting that the FAA understands what ethanol does and does not allow it in airplanes.

IMHO ethanol should also not be allowed in any small engines whatsoever.

 

For the first time in several years we bought a new small engine. We picked up a nice new generator that will power the whole house.

In the manual it states that up to 10% is acceptable but non-ethanol is recommended. First time I've seen that.

 

I have a generator we bought from my wife's aunt after her uncle died, it's a Honda engine from the mid 90s and has that warning in the fine print of the operating instructions label.

[Wayne0 471]

I use StaBil like Pete. However, when all my small engines are going to be sitting for a while, I shut the fuel off and let them run dry. No issues so far. 

[rmaynard 15,535]

Unlike Pete, I do not use Sta-Bil. My only experience with Sta-Bil was a bowl full of gel in the spring, and a complete carb cleaning to get rid of it. Using straight ethanol-free gas ever since with zero problems. I know lots of guys like lots of different "snake oils", but removing the problem (ethanol) in the first place will eliminate the need to doctor your gasoline.

Just my opinion, but I have been working with and maintaining small gasoline engines since 1964. Problems only began when ethanol was introduced. 

 

[Handy Don 12,281]

2 hours ago, rmaynard said:

Problems only began when ethanol was introduced.

Prior to this, one could sometimes accumulate “varnish” in carb bowls--the residue of other additives after the volatile fraction of the gasoline evaporated.

[953 nut 55,393]

7 hours ago, Handy Don said:

“varnish”

Slightly   but here we go.

A customer at the service station I worked at in high school was told by a friend that his engine was "all varnished up" so he went to the hardware store, bought a quart of varnish remover, added it to his oil and drove around to get rid of the varnish. It was clattering like an old-time deiseal starting up on a cold day. I pulled the dipstick and the stench coming from the engine was overwhelming. When he told us what he had done we didn't know weather we should laugh or cry. We pushed it off to the side and told him we would try to find a good used engine to replace it. Next day curiosity got the best of us and we put it on the lift, dropped the pan and it looked like a cavern with stalactites hanging down. 

OK,   I'm done;   now get back on topic!             

[kpinnc 12,175]

On 11/11/2024 at 4:38 PM, ebinmaine said:

I find it very interesting that the FAA understands what ethanol does and does not allow it in airplanes.

 
Ah, a critical thinker. In this day and time? And I thought they were extinct… 

 

Never mind personal experience, as in today’s world that has no weight next to internet “expert” comments…
 

If your piston powered, air cooled, manual air/fuel mix airplane engine runs like crap- well that might be an issue. Given the fact that aviation maintenance is as expensive as brain surgery without any insurance, I feel certain that there might be something to the idea that ethanol and normally aspirated engines are not good bedfellows. 

Good enough for pilots, good enough for me. 
 

@ebinmaine

As I read back over this, it could be misunderstood as my being a smarta$$ about your comment. My reply is meant as a compliment sir. Just FYI. 

 

Edited November 13 by kpinnc

[ebinmaine 67,766]

3 hours ago, kpinnc said:

Good enough for pilots, good enough for me. 
 

 

That was my thought too.  

 

 

3 hours ago, kpinnc said:

@ebinmaine

As I read back over this, it could be misunderstood as my being a smarta$$ about your comment. My reply is meant as a compliment sir. Just FYI. 

 

I absolutely took it as a compliment! 

 

[bds1984 1,435]

I run all my gas powered equipment year round so using Stabil or gummed up carburetors isn't something I encounter unless I add another piece of equipment to my fleet (If I didn't run equipment year round, I'd be on the ethanol free diet, I've never had good luck with Stabil). 
If noting more, this gives me another reason to enjoy the outdoors or garage time with a coffee or .