Just wondering , how often do you have fuel system problems ( rubber component deteroration ) due to use of ethanol fuel ?
Do you use a fuel additive ?
Do you use NON - Ethanol fuel ? ( here in Fl. ...... it's usually available at SOME marinas ... lot a boats in Fl. ) and they have their share of headaches too !
Finally , does the use of Ethanol fuel affect any of your ( new equipment warranty ) ? ......
#2
pugaltitude
Your going to open a big can of worms with this post.
Some will say ethanol causes big problems while others will say hardly any.
As for warranty the engine manufacturer did not put the fuel in the engine so cannot be classed as warranty.
What you will get though is if a customer had a problem with fuel after buying product from the dealer then if would be repaired FOC.
If the customer bought it else where then they would probably be charged for the repair.
Your going to open a big can of worms with this post.
Some will say ethanol causes big problems while others will say hardly any.
As for warranty the engine manufacturer did not put the fuel in the engine so cannot be classed as warranty.
What you will get though is if a customer had a problem with fuel after buying product from the dealer then if would be repaired FOC.
If the customer bought it else where then they would probably be charged for the repair.
It all depends upon how much the equipment is used and for how long.
The biggest ethanol problem I come across is corrosion due to water condensing in metallic float bowls causing agressive galvanic corrosion and biological fungal blooms.
If the equipment has not been used for a long while.
Did 140 fire pumps this year @ $ 60.00 each.
I love ethanol, should be more of it.
#4
Carscw
Ok I will be the odd one.
I think this ethanol myth is so the manufacturers can blame something for the low quality cheap parts they use.
I have over 100 mowers and have never had a problem that I can say was because of ethanol.
Lots of guys on here say they see it all the time. But can not prove it was because of the ethanol.
#5
Carscw
Condensation has been getting in carbs since carbs have been around.
#6
ILENGINE
Ethanol by itself isn't much of a problem. The people that use their equipment a lot don't see problems, The people that use their equipment on occasion, and also purchase their fuel from questionable stations are the same people that are having ethanol problems. With all the problems that is supposedly caused by ethanol, for some reason doesn't effect vehicles.
#7
exotion
Ethanol isn't the problem the moisture is attracts after sitting far longer than you are supposed to let it. (Every machine has a part in the manual about storage) people think they can park their machine in their garage or shed or yard let it sit for 6+ months and come out and start up without a problem. Oh the machine didn't start couldn't be my fault it ran when I parked it
I do lawn services on a when needed basis for my customers and service calls for primarily cemeteries. There are periods when my lawn equipment doesn't get used such as last summer which was very dry in my area. I treat my stored fuel with Star Tron fuel additive regularly and this extends the storage life enough so I usually don't run into problems. I keep several cans of Sea Foam handy for the situations when it is needed to do a quick assist to a machine that is showing a problem.
My equipment is kept in a closed cargo trailer that heats up during the day and cools down at night. I feel that this daily temp change has a direct negative affect on the storage life of the fuel both in storage containers and in the equipment in my trailer. This trailer is painted white and is my newest one, my older trailer is painted dark blue and the interior temps during the day get 15 degrees higher than the white trailer. So I learned a long time ago to treat my fuel with something and Star Tron fuel additive works best for me.
Last fall I bought two new Husqvarna chain saws and if I bought six quarts of Husqvarna pre mixed non ethanol fuel, the warranty for each saw was extended for another year, so I bought the fuel. I used this fuel in my older Husqvarna saws and they ran like they had been modified.
Last summer I was out in Indiana or Ohio and unintentionally purchased 87 non ethanol fuel for my 2011 Ford E350 5.4 L van. I had five others with me and they noticed the increase in power and I noted an additional 100 miles of range on that tank of fuel.
Just some thoughts from
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:
I haven't had any problems with the ethanol gas. I have left gas in my riding lawnmower every year for the past 17 years for 6-7 months before running it out. I have never used any additives.
Judging by the list of gas stations in Georgia that sell ethanol free gasoline, you are probably buying it and don't know it. Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada
If you go to this website and click on different states, you will find that as you get closer to the northeast, the number of ethanol free sellers decreases to the point where high octane racing fuel is the only ethanol free fuel available. The only ways that I can buy ethanol free fuel here in CT other than racing fuel, is at power equipment dealers, premixed and not, 93 octane and it is $16 to $20 per gallon!!!!! One quart or five gallons!!!
Mad Mackie in CT
If you ever experience Phase Separation from water contamination in an ethanol blend, you will experience first hand the evils of ethanol. And it only takes 1% water to do it. Don't want to bore you with several details but I must share this. Have an 89 Isuzu Trooper. Began running rough and shutting down. Suspected bad fuel. Pulled the pump from top of tank. That left between a 3-4" opening. Couldn't really tell much. Drain the tank. Peering through the larger opening, the tank looked coated with a light gray paint that had not been mixed well. Flushed it with a garden hose. And then my ethanol lesson began. The tank was 21-22 years old and should show it. The inside of the tank looked like highly polished stainless or chrome. I then began learning about the highly corrosive acid created by phase separation. Rubber fuel line joints eaten internally. Other crap as well. I spent a good bit of cash on unbiased chemical analysis of several samples I had captured when drain the tank. Fortunately for me, I had filled 10 pint jars before discarding the remainder. Here's something interesting. I had converted the trooper from fuelie to a weber carb. Took the carb apart and it was coated with a slime. Carb cleaner, brake cleaner, gunk, etc; nothing would touch it. I had thought about when I flushed the tank with water. I have a dedicated pump sprayer in my shop with only water. Hit the carb with water and it flushed right out of there. Same thing with intake. Strange stuff. Every 2-cycle device I have had in the last several years has been seriously impacted with ethanol. Some I would put carb kits in 3-4 times over a few months then just end up tossing them. Began using non-ethanol (4 miles from house) about 4-5 years ago and everything is just fine.
#16
chobbs1957
Always fill the tank full of gas before parking equipment, greatly reducing the chance for condensation. Same thing applies to storage containers. Another strategy I have read about that makes sense.
Always fill the tank full of gas before parking equipment, greatly reducing the chance for condensation. Same thing applies to storage containers. Another strategy I have read about that makes sense.
Very true. Ethanol has a very short shelf life and most of the problems occur when a motorized whatever spends more time sitting than running. Another thing I learned is with 2 cycle stuff. The ethanol will literally separate the oil in your mix from the moving parts. The 2 cycle industry states that synthetic 2 cycle oil will not allow that to happen.
Here's a couple of pics of the phase separated ethanol from my trooper. Distinct layers of gas, unknown acidic chemical, greatly diluted (very low octane) ethanol. The gray matter looks exactly like that gray colored blown insulation including texture when viewing in real life. Shake the jar and it returns to the layered state in less than 60 seconds. Initially, this really impacted the marine industry and they are mostly to thank for having come up with additives to prevent and control the effects of ethanol.
#19
Carscw
This thread has gotten too funny.
This whole country is always looking for someone or something to blame.
For their own stupidity.
Don't blame what's in your gas because you don't take care of your equipment.
Fuel deteriorates over time. Deterioration begins with the most volatile compounds evaporating. Once evaporation reaches a certain point it will be hard/impossible to start the machine. As more compounds evaporate, the fuel will form brown gummy deposits in the system. Given enough time the gummy deposits will become a hard varnish. Gummy deposits and varnish can plug passages in the carburetor preventing the engine from running or causing the engine to run poorly (surging, lack of power, stalls, etc.). Deposits can also cause the carburetor to leak fuel if they prevent the float needle from sealing properly.
Most fuel stabilizers form a layer over the top of the gasoline and greatly reduce the rate the fuel's volatile compounds evaporate. They also prevent the absorption of moisture by the fuel. If fuel stabilizer is added to gasoline the day the gasoline is purchased, the fuel will stay fresh longer.
Gasoline with no ethanol will greatly reduce the amount of moisture the gasoline can absorb from the atmosphere. Many areas of the country have ethanol-free gas available, and finding it is easy. Search for "ethanol free gasoline" on the Internet.
Well ya it certainly can't be my fault... I went to the gas station filled two gallons of gas in October pulled my mower out of the garage in April put gas in it from my gas cans and it won't start.... Must be either a garbage machine or the gas station cheated me because it ran when I put it in the garage
Ethanol does what it does, take it or leave it. Probably the dirtiest little secret about it is in several samples taken on tanks "restricted" to 10%, there were/are several cases where the percentage exceeded to greatly exceeded 10%. Makes since due to it be a much cheaper source for increased octane.
