Gas with Ethanol in Small engines.....Do not run engine dry for storage.

[niemeyjt]

My local Stihl dealer recommends running dry for over winter storage.

We do not (AFAIK) have Ethanol in our petrol (gas) here - but he says the additives used to reduce pinking and overcome the other "environmental" enhancements to fuel tend to gum up carbs over winter.

He claims he is busy every spring replacing gummed up carbs.

As an aside, if I can slip a "front porch" question in here - with all the grain shortages, ought we still to be diverting foodstuffs from feeding people into fuel production?


J

 

[clemsonfor]

Govment says yes!

 

[JoeBuyer]

I am lucky enough to live 15 miles from a coop that sells ethanol free gas which I use exclusively for all my small engines and give the caddy a tank of it every time I am there.

 

[Dadof3]

Ethanol impregnated gas is good for over a year with a stabilizer. Why would you need anymore storage time than that?

 

[s219]

Ethanol impregnated gas is good for over a year with a stabilizer. Why would you need anymore storage time than that?

No stabilizer can negate/offset the bad effects of ethanol. It's a completely different set of issues.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Ethanol impregnated gas is good for over a year with a stabilizer. Why would you need anymore storage time than that?

Storage in a tank is different than storage in a carburetor.

 

[clemsonfor]

Ethanol impregnated gas is good for over a year with a stabilizer. Why would you need anymore storage time than that?

Stabil does not keep Ethonol from absorbing 10x its weight in water over time, thus settling out to the bottom and you end up with a lean burn situation which will burn up your out board pistons once that fuel is used.

 

[jinman]

I have noticed on a lot of my small 2-cycle engines that the fuel pump bladder inside the carb has deteriorated and is torn or ripped. I don't know if it is from ethanol or just poor materials in the bladder. About every two years, I have to replace all hoses, the priming bulb, and the bladder. I actually bought a couple of brand new carburetors for around $30 each. I can replace a whole carb really quickly for far less than taking them to the shop. Then, I can fix the old carbs when I get around to it. I never used to have this much trouble with my 2-cycle engines, but nothing lasts over a couple of years now without some rubber part or multiple parts falling apart.

 

[Dr Dave]

Sounds like it might be cheaper to use non ethanol fuel, most manufactures dont recomend it, some void warranty. If you cant get non ethanol fuel locally, check at a marina, airport or race shop. Ethanol does atract water, when I was racing, the guys that run straight alcohol, drained fuel from tanks back into barrels after the race to prevent taking on water.

Dave

 

[California]

with all the grain shortages, ought we still to be diverting foodstuffs from feeding people into fuel production?

Govment says yes!

No, the grain producers installed congressmen in office to represent their interests. Congress wrote the laws that 'government' has to enforce. Congress is the focal point for this problem.