Premix vs gas station 2 stroke

[TheMan419]

I got rid of all my 2 stroke engines. Weed wacker is electric. Snow blower is 4 stroke. I make sure to run the blower dry in the spring. Lawn mower is 4 stroke. It gets stabil in the fall. No issues w anything.

 

[buck12]

I mix Stihl silver bottle two stroke oil with ethanol free gas and have no issues with pole saw, string trimmer, or chain saw.

 

[ericm979]

I don't trust the premixed stuff's oil. I like to know what oil I'm using (Redline Allsport though there are many good synthetic oils). And it's really expensive. Mixing oil and gas just isn't that difficult (hint: get a ratio-rite)

If you can't find E0 readily and not too expensively, E10 works ok. I mix up a gallon at a time out of a sealed container of 93 octane E10 with fuel stabilizer in it. That container gets rotated every two months- whatever is left goes into the truck and I go get another container. The only E0 I know of is an hours drive one way and is $1.50/gal more than E10. Just not worth it.

 

[Leo Rabon]

For $50 a year in pre-mix fuel costs VS $6 for pump gas, every three years you could by a new Echo string trimmer and throw the old one away.

ECHO 21.2 cc Gas 2-Stroke Curved Shaft String Trimmer with Rapid-Loader Trimmer Head GT-225 - The Home Depot

Easily maneuver while completing your outdoor work with the addition of this excellent ECHO Gas 2-Stroke Cycle Curved Shaft Trimmer. Easy to use.

www.homedepot.com

That is true but I don't think the trimmer you listed would make it through one season for my sometimes heavy duty ab---use. I have a commercial duty trimmer that, like I said have used for 10 seasons and I paid over 2 times what your suggestion costs 10 years ago. Also, the curved shaft trimmer is not something I like.
Leo

 

[WilliamBos]

I didn’t think it was worth it just wanted some reassurance that it wasn’t magically a lot better for the equipment. I can probably go thru 10 gal a year. Which isn’t a lot. But it’s a lot of money for the premixed. Thanks

That engineered fuel does not contain benzene, which does far more damage than ethanol.
Unlike pumpgas, it is good for 2 years once opened. I lay all of my equipment up on it, and keep some on hand.

Even with stabilizer, gas is only good for 30 days.

 

[big bubba]

as far as premix, i don't trust anyone making the oil mix, friend or commercial, except myself. i make it a very slightly rich mixture as a safeguard.
as far as the premix vs pump, i really don't see what all this fuss is about. once you have ethanol free premium in a proper container w/some sort of treatment added, what's the difference? storing it is the same as premix.

far more important to seek out ethanol free than fretting premix vs pump. for the savings of several gal of pump fuel rather than premix, go buy an extra air filter or spk plug for the road ahead. & use that energy fretting between the two to work in the yard instead

 

[MoKelly]

Also, the curved shaft trimmer is not something I like.
Leo

I agree with the curved shaft trimmer. Not sure why that is even a thing.

Perhaps because it’s lighter?

MoKelly

 

[Leo Rabon]

To each their own personal likes and dislikes. Like I said (for me) the pre mix fuel has served me well for 10 years (no repairs by me or repair shop visits). Currently, I can afford the 50 bucks or so that I spend annually on 2 gallons of the pre mix. When I can't afford it any longer, I will make a change. Use what you like and serves you well. That is what I have a habit of doing. There is no wrong answer on this subject.
Leo

 

[MoKelly]

To each their own personal likes and dislikes. Like I said (for me) the pre mix fuel has served me well for 10 years (no repairs by me or repair shop visits). Currently, I can afford the 50 bucks or so that I spend annually on 2 gallons of the pre mix. When I can't afford it any longer, I will make a change. Use what you like and serves you well. That is what I have a habit of doing. There is no wrong answer on this subject.
Leo

You are correct.

Your response reminded me of when a company I worked for was acquired by a larger company. The new CEO came in and had meetings with employees.

Every time he talked about making changes from our way to his new way, he’d say “don’t worry. It’s not wrong or right, it’s just different”. Must have said that 100 times in a 60 minute speech.

MoKelly

 

[Sberry]

I use 89 pump and have had less problems since quitting the Stabil too. That crap sits and gums. A secret is to run the old fuel thru at start up. New is so hi detergent it cuts varnish so quick it clogs and doesn't get a chance to flow thru especially if it sits a day after a start up.
I haven't bought but one or 2carb parts in 3 decades. Carb clean and rebuild used to be regular, cheap fuel isn't a new concept. I think its actually better than it ever was.

 

[workinonit]

Buying pre mixed gas reminds me of Coleman "white gas" and RC plane gas. Make sure you got your little funnel so you don't spill any on your little clean weed eater. I probably use five gallons a year easily. Heck, until I read this thread I didn't even know you could buy it pre mixed, at the pump or in the can. I still run non ethanol fuel in my truck. Gas stations here probably sell more non ethanol than they do E10.

 

[fried1765]

Buying pre mixed gas reminds me of Coleman "white gas" and RC plane gas. Make sure you got your little funnel so you don't spill any on your little clean weed eater. I probably use five gallons a year easily. Heck, until I read this thread I didn't even know you could buy it pre mixed, at the pump or in the can. I still run non ethanol fuel in my truck. Gas stations here probably sell more non ethanol than they do E10.

Sadly, the liberal climate freaks have effectively banned non ethanol gas in my state.
The law states: "ethanol free gas may not be dispensed from a pump"

 

[workinonit]

And all of them live in apartments so they don't have grass to cut. I hope their batteries go bad in their Tesla.

 

[ning]

Even with stabilizer, gas is only good for 30 days.

I have no idea what this means.
It doesn't burn after 30 days?
It explodes instead?
Turns to rock?

Seriously, the premix or special canned stuff may make you feel better because it's less likely to g something up, but most people are going to look at you funny if you say stuff like this.

I personally use pump gas very successfully; I'll stabil gas in a generator that's almost never used, but that's about it, and the only time I had to clean a carb was on my wife's old motorcycle that hadn't been run in 5 years and I finally was getting around to selling it.

My rototiller is 15 years old now, never gotten into its carb. Starts second pull every spring, nothing special done. Other motored things are used from a little to much more often, but many are used with apparently "gas that's not good" very well.

 

[Sberry]

Everyone knows you can't cut grass with regular pump gas.

 

[MoKelly]

Everyone knows you can't cut grass with regular pump gas.

My wife tells me whenever I say stuff like that —- “Everyone and no one listens to you - and everyone is on vacation”.

MoKelly

 

[Sberry]

This is about like an oil change thread. So many know so much from the vast experience with 1 weedeater or lawnmower. My experience more closely aligns with the post above. Been at this a while. Seems the more goop we added the worse it got or certainly didn't get any better. Just more crap to buy and more on the shelf.
We didn't intentionally stop using it, simply ran out, kind of forgot about it, after a while didnt seem so pressing, 10 years passed and equipment still worked started and ran. Cleaned a couple carbs and as many on old steel as any.

 

[dodge man]

I have no scientific data, but I feel pure gas stored in a mostly full container is good for a year, and gas with ethanol for 6 months.

 

[MossRoad]

I have no scientific data, but I feel pure gas stored in a mostly full container is good for a year, and gas with ethanol for 6 months.

And I'll disagree with you because I've had many small engines sit for a year or longer with a half a tank of E10 that will start first pull.

Again, as with you, no scientific data.

 

[dodge man]

I agree, I more or less made that up and think I’m trying to be conservative. Someone above said 30 days, which is to short.