15% ethanol!?!?

   / 15% ethanol!?!? #1  

Wacky

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
1,113
Location
West Virginia
Tractor
2010 GC2610
I had just got my Sthil 029 Farmboss back from the dealer. They said the reason I could not get it to run was because the fuel pickup was full of "gelled ethanol type gunk". He said the good ol' government was trying to raise the ethanol content to 15%. He has seen this type of increase of the gell around the pickups in the last 8 months and he sees no end in sight.
If the government increases the ethanol content, what is this going to do to cars and trucks, lawn equipment that are not ethanol rated?? I hope there is an additive someone will come out with to help deal with this atrocity.
 
   / 15% ethanol!?!? #3  
Well it looks like you are a pilot, me also. Just over 7,000 hours. I run 100LL through all my small engines. They run great on it. May cost a few more dollars each year but will save you tons in repair bills.

Chris
 
   / 15% ethanol!?!? #4  
I am convinced that ethanol is a curse to small engines needing tiny metered fuel flow. I don't know why it does not seem to have the same effect on larger auto/truck engines, but all of my small 2-cycle and 4-cycle engines are suffering from ethanol related problems. I've had a Stihl chainsaw that the pickup tube suddenly turned to mush. I have two 2-cycle string trimmers with carb diaphrams that disentegrated. My John Deere LA145 mower with a B&S engine has a float valve that sticks. It has required me to pressurize the input fuel line with 30 psi air to force the needle valve open everytime I want to use the mower. One tank of pure non-ethanol gas and the problem has disappeared. It's like magic.

I will pay whatever I have to pay for non-ethanol gas for my small engines. I got really lucky and found a local gas station buying only non-ethanol gasoline. They are almost $0.20 higher per gallon, but I have started buying all my small engine gasoline from them.

In my opinion, government regulators who prescribe ethanol in our gasoline are out of touch with normal folks like us.:thumbdown: How many of these people do you think ever touched a chainsaw or string trimmer? More ethanol = more problems.:mad:
 
   / 15% ethanol!?!? #5  
I'm fortunate enough to have a station that sells non-oxygenated gas in my town. That's the only stuff that goes in my chainsaw, mowers, motorcycle and boat. I've had the repair bills from ethanol in the past, and would rather not go there anymore. To me, the added cost of non-oxy is worth it.
 
   / 15% ethanol!?!? #6  
And the non-oxy is what, in relation to ethanol in the fuel? :confused3:

I can buy ethanol-free gas and get it for 10 cents more per gallon. That is about 4% more in the price, but I consistently get 10% better fuel mileage.

Ethanol is definitly, IMO, another feel-good enviro policy that is costing us big time in so many ways. The fuel pick-up line destruction is but one of them. :mur:
 
   / 15% ethanol!?!? #7  
I've had similiar problems with my Stihl saws, lawn mowers and other lawn/garden equipment. I started adding 1 oz per gallon of gas of "SeaFoam" additive about 6 months ago and all my problems went away. Not sure why, but SeaFoam seems to keep the water and ethanol problems at bay in 4 and cycle equipment. Works for me, try it yourself.:D
 
   / 15% ethanol!?!? #8  
And the non-oxy is what, in relation to ethanol in the fuel? :confused3:

I can buy ethanol-free gas and get it for 10 cents more per gallon. That is about 4% more in the price, but I consistently get 10% better fuel mileage.

Ethanol is definitly, IMO, another feel-good enviro policy that is costing us big time in so many ways. The fuel pick-up line destruction is but one of them. :mur:

It's my understanding that the EPA is starting to introduce requirements for major design changes in small engines. I can't help but wonder if the higher use of ethanol is intended to help eliminate the older small engines from usage? "Unofficially" requiring people to replace their older equipment with newer regulated ones due to failure.
 
   / 15% ethanol!?!? #9  
Get used to the future? Wisconsin's new fuel laws are pushing 2 grades of road gas, 87 octane E20 and a 91 octane E10 'premium.' 92 & 93 octane 'real gas' is getting hard to find.
 
   / 15% ethanol!?!? #10  
As to the OP the EPA is testing to see if 15% ethanol will burn OK in engines. The results are due maybe by the end of the month. From what I remember they said it looks good, a hint that the gov may push it from 10% to 15% soon.

There was a place that sold the good old MTBE gas but about a week or so ago they said they couldn't get it any more. I suspect that non ethanol gas will get hard to find soon. I have yet to see a car that doesn't loose 10% fuel economy burning 10%. I don't understand how anyone in their right mind could honestly say burning the same amount of gas and burning 10% ethanol for no reason is better than the ground contamination MTBE causes. Once you figure in all the fuel used by the farmers, the fuel used in the fertilizer, the water needed to make ethanol, etc is just doesn't make sense.

I can understand a flex fuel car that can burn up to 85% ethanol but I have yet to see one pump in this state that has it, hardly worth buying a car that forces you to drive to the next state to take advantage of the "flex".

As far as small engines go I think this is a government trick to force you into replacing those old engines. The newer ones have catalytic converters in them.
 
 
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