?? About octane for mowers and chain saw

[MossRoad]

Don稚 you two get all misty eyed on us now :laughing:

It's the gas fumes...

 

[MossRoad]

My error. I should have seen the litres to gallons conversion. Old 100/130 was 4.24 grams per gallon. I would worry more about lead solder in water pipes

I've read several studies that show children living within X distance from airports have elevated levels of lead directly attributed to piston aircraft engine exhaust. Google it up. See for yourself. Hard to believe. But that's the facts. 100LL is the primary source of all environmental lead in the U.S., contributing more than double of all industry combined.

 

[MossRoad]

And just to be fair, I used to run 100LL in my drag bike about 25 years ago. I gave up racing when I had children.

 

[cruzenmike]

I would feel that running ethanol free, no matter what the octane, would run better in your equipment and help ensure less carb issues in the future. Manufacturers recommend an octane rating because that octane ensures optimal performance and anything higher than that is just a waste of money as it isn't necessary. But when it comes to 87 octane with 10% ethanol or 90 octane with 0% ethanol, you have to justify the price difference even though you don't need 90 octane or 0% ethanol. I personally run ethanol free in anything with an engine other than my cars and that includes gas/oil mixes. One major advantage to ethanol free is no need for stabilizers and a much longer shelf life as opposed that gas with ethanol in it.

 

[buickanddeere]

Rather than 'saving money". I'll pay a couple of extra bucks to ensure that there is more than enough octane in old gas to prevent detonation even if the engine is being over worked in hot conditions.
How much does downtime , parts and labour cost ?

 

[AxleHub]

Octane ratings today are like "a magic show". When you understand that gasoline is sent by pipeline with the various choices of MTb additive to certain areas and no MTb additive at many others. . . None of them has the ethanol added till it gets to the tank farm locations. . . . Why? Because the ethanol is too hard on the pipelines.

So in our 40 counties or so of eastern MN and western wi, it used to be 87 octane plus 10% ethanol got it to 89 octane e10. But now the typical tank farm mixture is 84 octane with either 10% or 12% ethanol. Now my wife's new used Lincoln mkx 2010 specifically states not to use e12 or e15 gasoline in the engine. It "specifically" states e12 or e15 will void the warranty (same engine as the ford edge etc).

I use 87 octane no ethanol in my special truck (2 wheel drive Chevy silverado ss) (lq9 6 liter high compression engine).

The point is, there is about a 15 to 17% mpg change between e10 and non-ethanol and another 5 to 8% from 87 non ethanol to 92 octane non-ethanol.

And prior to 6 years ago when I used e10 in my small engines and had frequent issues, I went to non-ethanol 87 in all my many small engines and have zero problems since.

My point is the tank farms set the base octane level and then "elevate" the octane level artificially with ethanol.

My cost in western WI for non-ethanol 87 octane is 20 cents a gallon more than e10 and my mileage improvement alone is better than 20 cents worth.

 

[fried1765]

Octane ratings today are like "a magic show". When you understand that gasoline is sent by pipeline with the various choices of MTb additive to certain areas and no MTb additive at many others. . . None of them has the ethanol added till it gets to the tank farm locations. . . . Why? Because the ethanol is too hard on the pipelines.

So in our 40 counties or so of eastern MN and western wi, it used to be 87 octane plus 10% ethanol got it to 89 octane e10. But now the typical tank farm mixture is 84 octane with either 10% or 12% ethanol. Now my wife's new used Lincoln mkx 2010 specifically states not to use e12 or e15 gasoline in the engine. It "specifically" states e12 or e15 will void the warranty (same engine as the ford edge etc).

I use 87 octane no ethanol in my special truck (2 wheel drive Chevy silverado ss) (lq9 6 liter high compression engine).

The point is, there is about a 15 to 17% mpg change between e10 and non-ethanol and another 5 to 8% from 87 non ethanol to 92 octane non-ethanol.

And prior to 6 years ago when I used e10 in my small engines and had frequent issues, I went to non-ethanol 87 in all my many small engines and have zero problems since.

My point is the tank farms set the base octane level and then "elevate" the octane level artificially with ethanol.

My cost in western WI for non-ethanol 87 octane is 20 cents a gallon more than e10 and my mileage improvement alone is better than 20 cents worth.

So...oooo what would you suggest,(for small/old engines) when there is no regular or premium, non ethanol, lead free automotive gas sold at a pump within 100+ miles?
I would use either regular or premium, non ethanol lead free, if I could, but I am not willing to drive 100+ miles to get it.
It is 100LL at the local airport for me!

 

[Texasmark]

I have a Stihl chainsaw and weed eater that the owners manual says to use 89 octane. I also have a John Deere mower that the manual says to use 87 octane. I have been purchasing non ethanol gas for each of these octanes at a cost of about $1 a gallon more. I have been using the non ethanol because I understand that it is much better for these Engines than using gas with ethanol in it.

Recently a new station started selling non ethanol but only in 90 octane. My question is would it be OK to use this 90 octane in my mower even though it only call for 87 octane or am I going to eventually encounter a problem with using this gas. Same question for the chainsaw, is it OK to use 90 octane when the manual calls for 89 Octane.

Thanks

Didn't read any responses. 87 is the min. requirement. Per another's suggestion who solved a carb/intake manifold problem I was having on an engine, i decided to put premium fuel in all my small gas engines. As he indicated, they start easier and run better.........Done deal!

 

[AxleHub]

So...oooo what would you suggest,(for small/old engines) when there is no regular or premium, non ethanol, lead free automotive gas sold at a pump within 100+ miles?
I would use either regular or premium, non ethanol lead free, if I could, but I am not willing to drive 100+ miles to get it.
It is 100LL at the local airport for me!

I'd start looking closer in that less than 100 mile radius. I'd ask at coop locations and campgrounds. And rec vehicle and atv dealers. Chain station stores like Casey's or grocery stores that sell gas. Farm supply chains that has gas may offer it. Car clubs that display older cars etc..

If you use the pure gas website, you are only seeing part of the total. Unless the state has banned it's sale which I don't believe it can, there has to be an approved market for "off road" gasoline as some call it. . . Without it being airplane fuel.

Just the other day I ran into a station that sells 2 non-ethanol choices and only 1 ethanol choice.

The hardest state in the country to find non-ethanol gas "should be" Iowa and yet, even there you'll find lots of outlet choices.

Jmho

 

[buickanddeere]

Octane ratings today are like "a magic show". When you understand that gasoline is sent by pipeline with the various choices of MTb additive to certain areas and no MTb additive at many others. . . None of them has the ethanol added till it gets to the tank farm locations. . . . Why? Because the ethanol is too hard on the pipelines.

So in our 40 counties or so of eastern MN and western wi, it used to be 87 octane plus 10% ethanol got it to 89 octane e10. But now the typical tank farm mixture is 84 octane with either 10% or 12% ethanol. Now my wife's new used Lincoln mkx 2010 specifically states not to use e12 or e15 gasoline in the engine. It "specifically" states e12 or e15 will void the warranty (same engine as the ford edge etc).

I use 87 octane no ethanol in my special truck (2 wheel drive Chevy silverado ss) (lq9 6 liter high compression engine).

The point is, there is about a 15 to 17% mpg change between e10 and non-ethanol and another 5 to 8% from 87 non ethanol to 92 octane non-ethanol.

And prior to 6 years ago when I used e10 in my small engines and had frequent issues, I went to non-ethanol 87 in all my many small engines and have zero problems since.

My point is the tank farms set the base octane level and then "elevate" the octane level artificially with ethanol.

My cost in western WI for non-ethanol 87 octane is 20 cents a gallon more than e10 and my mileage improvement alone is better than 20 cents worth.

At Petro Canada in Mississauga we had two lines making gasoline . One process made 87 octane. The Isotherm line could make gasoline up to 115 octane unleaded, and if pushed even higher with pure Xylene or Toluene. The line was usually operated at 91 ,93 or 94 octane unless making base stock for 100LL . 89 pump gas was blended at the gas station with 87 and 91 octane.