Engine Damage Caused By Ethanol Gasoline!?

[k0ua]

In this area most of the premium fuel is ethanol free. I use it in all my small engines. I tried premium in my truck for a while, and got slightly better fuel mileage, but it does not pencil out money wise for the truck. But I am convinced my small engine problems have been solved by using no ethanol premium fuel.

 

[Gcorron]

My personal experience is that premium gas is worth the price. I get extended values in both performance, and mileage in my old car.

As for small engines, about 3 years ago, I went through a terrible time with carburetors. Terribly busy at the time, so I called a friend who does this professionally, he told me to put only premium in my lawnmower engines and generator. I can't say why but I can say that I haven't had a carburetor problem since, and the start on first pull after sitting for long periods.

For me, the cost difference is a small price to pay for reliability.

George AF4JH

 

[davesl708]

Ethanol has never been feasible. Ethanol was popular in the twenties and thirties because gas was scarce. Gas was preferred due to the numerous problems from using ethanol. Those problems still exist.

I use pure gas in all my yard equipment with StaBil added to the cans at fill-up. Starts right up after sitting through the winter. Have two weed eaters someone ran E10 through. Had to replace the fuel lines and clean out the carb to keep them running. Got pure gas back in it and problem solved.

Will be glad to see ethanol go.

 

[like2wheel]

Ethanol has about 15% less BTU per volume than pure gasoline if I remember right

I think you remember wrong, I remember it being more than 30% less.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_gallon_equivalent

 

[Walt 2002]

This is odd and I don't know the answer. Only ethanol has been available in our area for 15 years or more. we have two cars, 5 - 4 stroke small engines and 6 - 2 stroke small engines. I have never had any problem that I could attribute to ethanol with any of them and one is a 60+ year old Wisconsin AKN which often sits for prolonged times. I do not drain, use any kind of stabilizer nor concern myself with shelf life with engines and gas cans sitting from one season to the next. Only time I ever had a problem is when I became concerned after reading horror stories on forums, used some Stabil which I didn't realize the shelf life had expired on (My fault) then I really had a mess, that was 6 - 7 years ago, went back to not using anything. No problem. I also work on small engines and occasionally come across a sticking valve which MAY have resulted from ethanol.

Walt Conner

 

[ultrarunner]

It's more costly than E gas here but worth it to me. You can find stations and information on them here.
Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada
Even our premium is E mix.

Just double checked San Francisco and still none... ;-(

 

[GManBart]

I've gone to running pure gasoline in all my small engines, and I see a difference. The big thing I've noticed is a smoother idle...not sure why, but it's obvious. The place I buy it from has 91 octane, so it's a perfect fit for all my 2-stroke engines (Stihl) that call for 90 octane or better. I bought 5 gallons the other day and it was right around $3 a gallon....worth it in my opinion.

 

[bigtiller]

E-10 has about 1/3 less energy than regular gas, which will lower gas mileage 3 to 4 percent on average. That is why it is about 4% cheaper at the pumps.

I don't like it in small engines but my cars like it. I haven't had a gas line freeze up for years and my last can of Heat was so old the bottom of the can rusted out and started leaking.

 

[s219]

I think you remember wrong, I remember it being more than 30% less.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_gallon_equivalent

Wow, I was a little off -- the site says: 1.5 gallons of ethanol has the same energy content as 1.0 gallon of gasoline.

If that's the case, E10 gas will have 96% of the energy content of pure gas. So we're losing 4% energy with E10 ethanol blends if my math is right.

 

[Btown]

The pictures are misleading at best and wrong at the worst. the first upper left picture is eroded valve stems caused by improper air filter maintenance and dirt ingestion. the white deposits on the stems is lead from leaded gasoline, which was discontinued in the 70's, prior to ethanol being added to gas. There is also a picture of an engine that is burning oil, and car engine destroyed by a fire, two or three pictures of gasoline varnish that could of happened prior to ethanol fuel. A water damaged carb, which may or may not of contained ethanol, and some other misc pictures. ethanol could of contributed to some of the problems, and fuel stabilizer may have prevented some of the problems but don't think that it couldn't of happened without the ethanol.

Leaded gasoline was available well into the early 1990's