SuperiorPower
02-16-2009, 08:51 AM
Has anyone started with this yet?
Just a quick tip, if you have not done so yet this winter, take the time NOW to go start your equipment and let it run for a few minutes. For example, here in Missouri they have mandated 10% ethanol in all gasoline. Industry professionals say Ethanol evaporates faster than regular gasoline and is also much drier. With it evaporating faster, the gasoline gums up carburetors quicker, etc. The ethanol based fuel also deteriorates your rubber fuel components like fuel lines, diaphragms in 2 cycle engine carbs, etc.
Either way, the octane drops VERY FAST when it has access to oxygen. So when you have a relatively small quantity of gas (like you might find in your mower, blower, or trimmer carburetor) that has access to almost equal portions of oxigen, it seems to evaporate quickly. Power equipment manufactures and other OPE professionals are suggesting to purchase 91 or 93 octane gas and then to use it within about 1 month of buying it. The first reason is because of the octane evaporation which makes the gas almost "not flammable" and thus your equipment starts VERY HARD. After a month or more your 91 octane could possibly be down to about 87 octane....
The other reason is if you keep fresh gas circulating through your carburetor there is a lower likelyhood that your carb will become gummed up.
So you ask, "what about stabil". Good question. Stabil helps, but does not cure an existing bad gas problem and only slows down future bad gas problems. Like I explained about the ethanol and octane issues, this also causes stabil to have at best a limited effect on the preservation of gas quality. There is just no good alternative to starting your equipment monthly, preferably weekly or bi-weekly. Keeping your equipment in a cool area helps too (I'm not suggesting freezing temps, just cool stable temps) since warm temps tend to deteriorate gas more quickly.
If at the end of your season you find yourself with some mixed 2 cycle gas left in the jug or your equipment has almost a full tank of gas, whether 2 cycle or 4-cycle, don't hesitate to run it through your vehicle or other equipment that will be used before spring. It will not hurt a 4 cycle to burn the mixed 2-cycle gas, though it may smoke a little because of the light oil mixture in the gasoline.
As before, should you have questions about your equipment and its maintenance, shoot me a PM or post the question in this "Outdoor Power Equipment Discussion, Repairs, Buy or Sell" section and I'll try to answer your questions promptly.
Eli
Just a quick tip, if you have not done so yet this winter, take the time NOW to go start your equipment and let it run for a few minutes. For example, here in Missouri they have mandated 10% ethanol in all gasoline. Industry professionals say Ethanol evaporates faster than regular gasoline and is also much drier. With it evaporating faster, the gasoline gums up carburetors quicker, etc. The ethanol based fuel also deteriorates your rubber fuel components like fuel lines, diaphragms in 2 cycle engine carbs, etc.
Either way, the octane drops VERY FAST when it has access to oxygen. So when you have a relatively small quantity of gas (like you might find in your mower, blower, or trimmer carburetor) that has access to almost equal portions of oxigen, it seems to evaporate quickly. Power equipment manufactures and other OPE professionals are suggesting to purchase 91 or 93 octane gas and then to use it within about 1 month of buying it. The first reason is because of the octane evaporation which makes the gas almost "not flammable" and thus your equipment starts VERY HARD. After a month or more your 91 octane could possibly be down to about 87 octane....
The other reason is if you keep fresh gas circulating through your carburetor there is a lower likelyhood that your carb will become gummed up.
So you ask, "what about stabil". Good question. Stabil helps, but does not cure an existing bad gas problem and only slows down future bad gas problems. Like I explained about the ethanol and octane issues, this also causes stabil to have at best a limited effect on the preservation of gas quality. There is just no good alternative to starting your equipment monthly, preferably weekly or bi-weekly. Keeping your equipment in a cool area helps too (I'm not suggesting freezing temps, just cool stable temps) since warm temps tend to deteriorate gas more quickly.
If at the end of your season you find yourself with some mixed 2 cycle gas left in the jug or your equipment has almost a full tank of gas, whether 2 cycle or 4-cycle, don't hesitate to run it through your vehicle or other equipment that will be used before spring. It will not hurt a 4 cycle to burn the mixed 2-cycle gas, though it may smoke a little because of the light oil mixture in the gasoline.
As before, should you have questions about your equipment and its maintenance, shoot me a PM or post the question in this "Outdoor Power Equipment Discussion, Repairs, Buy or Sell" section and I'll try to answer your questions promptly.
Eli