Winter Mower Storage. Drain the gas? Stabil? Start it once a month?

[fried1765]

Went out to my log splitter today, dragged it up to the house, aired up the tires, checked the oil, turned on the fuel, the choke, the throttle and the kill switch. Pulled the cord and it started first pull.

The last time I recall running it was 96 degree day in summer of 2019. It had half a tank of E10 87 octane. No fuel treatment.

It's a 212cc $99 Predator engine from 2017 or 18 as I recall.

In my SCAG zero turn I simply use ethanol gas (+ Stabil), and let it sit over the Winter.
In my chainsaw, and 3500W generator I use 100LL aviation gas.
That stuff keeps forever, and does not get gummy, or eat fuel lines. I sometimes do not start the generator for 3 or more years.
I do not want to rebuild any carbs.

 

[MossRoad]

The point I'm making is that E10 sitting for 18 months in a half-full plastic fuel tank on a log splitter that sits outside had ZERO effect on operation. The original poster was concerned about E10 "going bad" in a month or two. It doesn't.

As for using 100LL in small engines, we've had that discussion before. Leaded fuel has been banned in the U.S. since the 80's for good reason; the TEL it contains is poison to the environment and children. The only exception is 100LL for aviation use, because the engines in approximately 167,000 airplanes in the U.S. require high octane fuel for safety reasons, and nothing has been found suitable for raising octane that high.

Using 100LL in a small engine actually causes the engine to run hotter and produce LESS power as it warms up. Hotter running engines are less fuel efficient, and don't last as long. There's better alternatives to 100LL for stability, like Stabil.

 

[MossRoad]

https://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=14754

 

[fried1765]

The point I'm making is that E10 sitting for 18 months in a half-full plastic fuel tank on a log splitter that sits outside had ZERO effect on operation. The original poster was concerned about E10 "going bad" in a month or two. It doesn't.

As for using 100LL in small engines, we've had that discussion before. Leaded fuel has been banned in the U.S. since the 80's for good reason; the TEL it contains is poison to the environment and children. The only exception is 100LL for aviation use, because the engines in approximately 167,000 airplanes in the U.S. require high octane fuel for safety reasons, and nothing has been found suitable for raising octane that high.

Using 100LL in a small engine actually causes the engine to run hotter and produce LESS power as it warms up. Hotter running engines are less fuel efficient, and don't last as long. There's better alternatives to 100LL for stability, like Stabil.

Yup, I am familiar with your story about 100LL.
My response: I will keep on, keeping on!
BTW: 100LL is not all that high for octane rating.
Automotive racing fuel is similar, or a bit higher.
I actually burned 100's of thousands of gallons of 115/145 octane in the US Navy.
Good stuff!!

 

[MossRoad]

Yup, I am familiar with your story about 100LL.
My response: I will keep on, keeping on!
BTW: 100LL is not all that high for octane rating.
Automotive racing fuel is similar, or a bit higher.
I actually burned 100's of thousands of gallons of 115/145 octane in the US Navy.
Good stuff!!

I know it's not that high for octane rating. It's 100/130. At the airport I worked at in high school, we had a ground tank for 115/145. We'd also truck in a tanker of 115/145 for air shows.

I pumped around 7000 gallons a week of 100LL for about 6 years. We had a small 350 gallon truck (the little 100) and a large 2000 gallon truck (the big 100). This was in the late 70's to mid 80's. Besides small private planes, we had quite a bit of piston powered freight traffic. Fox Photo had a large film processing plant here, and we'd get several smaller singles and twins bringing in 24 hour photo film 6 nights a week, so that was around 3-400 gallons a night right there. Then we had several Beech 18's and a couple DC3's flying auto parts in and out. So we used about 1 semi-load per week and had a standing order.

I used to use 100LL in my drag bike because I got it cheap and I had pre-ignition issues due to higher compression and carbon buildup. I wouldn't run it today. I'd use racing fuel or octane booster. Both are plentiful and contain no lead.

And as mentioned, 100LL in an engine designed for lower octane fuel is probably causing more long term wear due to heat. It's just not necessary, and the lead is harmful to the environment. There's better alternatives.

 

[MossRoad]

Doing the math, 7000 x 50 x 6 = about 2,000,000 gallons. Yikes! :laughing:

 

[fried1765]

I know it's not that high for octane rating. It's 100/130. At the airport I worked at in high school, we had a ground tank for 115/145. We'd also truck in a tanker of 115/145 for air shows.

I pumped around 7000 gallons a week of 100LL for about 6 years. We had a small 350 gallon truck (the little 100) and a large 2000 gallon truck (the big 100). This was in the late 70's to mid 80's. Besides small private planes, we had quite a bit of piston powered freight traffic. Fox Photo had a large film processing plant here, and we'd get several smaller singles and twins bringing in 24 hour photo film 6 nights a week, so that was around 3-400 gallons a night right there. Then we had several Beech 18's and a couple DC3's flying auto parts in and out. So we used about 1 semi-load per week and had a standing order.

I used to use 100LL in my drag bike because I got it cheap and I had pre-ignition issues due to higher compression and carbon buildup. I wouldn't run it today. I'd use racing fuel or octane booster. Both are plentiful and contain no lead.

And as mentioned, 100LL in an engine designed for lower octane fuel is probably causing more long term wear due to heat. It's just not necessary, and the lead is harmful to the environment. There's better alternatives.

What are the .... "better alternatives"??

 

[MossRoad]

What are the .... "better alternatives"??

I believe I listed those in previous posts. Stabil will eliminate any problems with E10. And none of your engines require 100 octane.

 

[fried1765]

I believe I listed those in previous posts. Stabil will eliminate any problems with E10. And none of your engines require 100 octane.

Well..... I have forgotten the alternatives listed in previous posts, other than using Stabil.
I never indicated that I needed, or wanted, 100 octane!
What I want, and need, is zero ethanol content!
Where would you suggest that I purchase non-ethanol gasoline?

 

[gstrom99]

Where would you suggest that I purchase non-ethanol gasoline?

Your locale dictates IF you can buy it at all. In RURAL Iowa, Casey's sells it. Not available in Illinois or Indiana. Many outdoor equipment places sell it, but it's really expensive.