Non-ethanol gas a necessity?

[livemusic]

Somebody mentioned in a thread here to use non-ethanol gasoline in the chainsaw. I went to get some yesterday... yikes! I paid $1.67 for gasoline for the truck (the 'normal these days' 10% ethanol gas). Non-ethanol gas was $3.00! I was shocked. Seems a rip; seems it would cost less to refine that than 10% ethanol added gasoline. I guess they charge it because they can. But how many people pay the price?

A big question for me is... how long will non-ethanol gasoline last in the can without deteriorating? How long will 10% ethanol gasoline last if I add in the ethanol treatment stuff and add in the 2 cycle oil? In other words, I mix it and store it.

I had a lot of trouble starting my Stihl ms290 last week after it sat for a few months. Nothing I did worked until I replaced the months-old mixed fuel (10% ethanol gas with ethanol treatment added and 2 cycle oil added) and it cranked right up. So, I guess the mix 'went bad.'

Do you buy non-ethanol gas or treat your 10% ethanol gas? If so, do you only pay the price for small engines, such as a chainsaw? I also have a bassboat again after being out of fishing for many years, and buying double-the-price gasoline would hurt. But now using 2 cycle engines again, I am new to this ethanol-gas problem that affects us all these days.

By the way... I have used premix (in a small can) and it works fine but it is REALLY expensive.

 

[USMC615]

Somebody mentioned in a thread here to use non-ethanol gasoline in the chainsaw. I went to get some yesterday... yikes! I paid $1.67 for gasoline for the truck (the 'normal these days' 10% ethanol gas). Non-ethanol gas was $3.00! I was shocked. Seems a rip; seems it would cost less to refine that than 10% ethanol added gasoline. I guess they charge it because they can. But how many people pay the price?

A big question for me is... how long will non-ethanol gasoline last in the can without deteriorating? How long will 10% ethanol gasoline last if I add in the ethanol treatment stuff and add in the 2 cycle oil? In other words, I mix it and store it.

I had a lot of trouble starting my Stihl ms290 last week after it sat for a few months. Nothing I did worked until I replaced the months-old mixed fuel (10% ethanol gas with ethanol treatment added and 2 cycle oil added) and it cranked right up. So, I guess the mix 'went bad.'

Do you buy non-ethanol gas or treat your 10% ethanol gas? If so, do you only pay the price for small engines, such as a chainsaw? I also have a bassboat again after being out of fishing for many years, and buying double-the-price gasoline would hurt. But now using 2 cycle engines again, I am new to this ethanol-gas problem that affects us all these days.

By the way... I have used premix (in a small can) and it works fine but it is REALLY expensive.

Non-ethanol 91 octane here runs about $2.75-3 a gallon. I run it in all my OPE, straight gas or mix equipment, here the last few years. Little piece of mind I suppose for a not too large investment price-wise...but have never had any engine failures with ethanol gas after I treat it with Startron and Sea Foam. Even the e-free gas I buy for my equipment gets a dose of Startron and Sea Foam.

 

[066blaster]

I've been using the 87 octane 10 % ethanol. And haven't had a issue. I use a airtight can ,and the good oils have a stabilizer in them. Seems to work ok

 

[Brushpile]

100% pure gas in all my small engines and my Chevrolet pick-up. The wifes Toyota Forerunner gets the ethanol because, well, it is a rice burner.

 

[sunfish]

$3 a gallon is cheap for your 2 cycle stuff & well worth it!

I had a lot of problems related to E-10 in my boat 10 years ago and will only run E-free now. No problems since!

 

[olympyk_999]

I see lots of complaints here about ethanol...I don't have any "E free" stations around me, so I run E10 93 in everything, and the mix gets stihl ultra oil...
my string trimmer/ back pack blower and sometimes some of the saws sit for 6 months or more, I never drain them or do anything special...its been atleast 4 years since ive done any carb work on those things, and no problems, and they do get used pretty heavily in the warm months.

 

[Jesseecho490]

I use premixed pre canned gas that I buy at the saw shop cost $10 a litre but seems to work well

 

[BWS-LLC]

I run E-0 gas in all my saws, trimmer, mower, tractor and splitter.

I used to run E-10 when I couldn't get E-0, and I haven't had any issues personally when I ran it, but the amount of saws I've had come across my bench due to fuel related issues has turned me off to pump gas.

I don't know about the stabilizers, and how and if they work, but by the time you buy your gas and that, you probably are close to the price of E-0 gas.

 

[chipper1]

I've been using the 87 octane 10 % ethanol. And haven't had a issue. I use a airtight can ,and the good oils have a stabilizer in them. Seems to work ok

What's up.

 

[chipper1]

100% pure gas in all my small engines and my Chevrolet pick-up. The wifes Toyota Forerunner gets the ethanol because, well, it is a rice burner.

Didn't know they used rice in the ethanol

 

[Deleted member 83629]

Didn't know they used rice in the ethanol

Budweiser does

 

[Xjcacher]

87 octane E10 is 1.79 here. I have 5 stations within about 10 miles of my house that sell 87 octane ethanol free that range from 20 to 50 cents a gallon more so all my OPE and the jeep get the ethanol free.

 

[livemusic]

87 octane E10 is 1.79 here. I have 5 stations within about 10 miles of my house that sell 87 octane ethanol free that range from 20 to 50 cents a gallon more so all my OPE and the jeep get the ethanol free.

That's reasonable. I am only 200 miles from you and my experience of $1.67 E10 and $2.99 E0 is crazy! What a rip.

 

[chipper1]

$3 a gallon is cheap for your 2 cycle stuff & well worth it!

I had a lot of problems related to E-10 in my boat 10 years ago and will only run E-free now. No problems since!

Once you add pre mix thats $4+, not cheap in my book.
Many of the 2-strokes(as well as 4-strokes) that were manufactured in China(some in the US) had inferior fuel lines. This is because they knew nothing about the corrosive properties of ethanol. If your equipment is newer or older than those you will have LESS problems. This is because they have learned at our cost. This most likely applies to you sunfish as you had problems in that time frame.

I see lots of complaints here about ethanol...I don't have any "E free" stations around me, so I run E10 93 in everything, and the mix gets stihl ultra oil...
my string trimmer/ back pack blower and sometimes some of the saws sit for 6 months or more, I never drain them or do anything special...its been atleast 4 years since ive done any carb work on those things, and no problems, and they do get used pretty heavily in the warm months.

What's the zip code where you are.
I also don't have any problems, but use my equipment or run it yr round.

I use premixed pre canned gas that I buy at the saw shop cost $10 a litre but seems to work well

Wow, thats like $37 a gallon. It would be more worth it to go to the "pertrol" station and buy reg gas and mix it. Use what you need and put the rest in your car. That is what I recommend people do who do not need 2-stroke mix often, that they mix a gallon at a time, use what they need and after a month of storage just put it in the car.

I run E-0 gas in all my saws, trimmer, mower, tractor and splitter.

I used to run E-10 when I couldn't get E-0, and I haven't had any issues personally when I ran it, but the amount of saws I've had come across my bench due to fuel related issues has turned me off to pump gas.

I don't know about the stabilizers, and how and if they work, but by the time you buy your gas and that, you probably are close to the price of E-0 gas.

BWS the difference is you "use it". Most people run this equipment once or twice a yr. I see many problems due to not running equipment on a normal basis. I clean carbs and send them out, it's the #1 thing I do on Honda products(this is mainly what I work on). Most of them are 4-strokes, but the same goes for 2-strokes.
You are totally correct on the cost of using stabilizers vs non-e
Some additives such as Seafoam will swell gaskets and can have negative effects. That being said I will run a tank down low on equipment(not 2-strokes) then add a lot of Seafoam just for the cleaning properties, and not as a stabilizer. I then run it all out(It will smoke and stink like mad) and then refill the tank.

 

[sam-tip]

I have seen displays showing how 2 cycle mix does not mix with ethanol. So with E10 you are getting no lubrication with 10% of your fuel.

 

[mesupra]

I only run 100ll in my saws. I also gladly pay $4.85 per gallon and usually leave a small tip to help assure the availability of it in the future.

It's great stuff and will never be the culprit of your saws problems

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Normal gasoline is 2.38 here. No gasahol allowed.

 

[olympyk_999]

What's the zip code where you are.
I also don't have any problems, but use my equipment or run it yr round

I'm in north central MA...the station I get it from is mostly a large home heating oil company, with a large diesel station for trucks, and then they have 6 gas pumps...they get tons of business as its right off the highway...so they always have fresh fuel...
the diesel tanks are constantly being filled (2-4 tanker trucks daily) as they have their own tankers.
i fill my truck up there too, never any water in the fuel, and they blend it with kerosene in the winter months and post what the temp rating is every day for that batch of fuel...never had gelling problems with their fuel

 

[chipper1]

Normal gasoline is 2.38 here. No gasahol allowed.

I heard you guys up there get a check something to do with oil, is that true?
Just thought about it, but where the heck would you get the ethanol up there lol.

 

[Whitespider]

I went to get some yesterday... yikes! I paid $1.67 for gasoline for the truck (the 'normal these days' 10% ethanol gas). Non-ethanol gas was $3.00! I was shocked. Seems a rip; seems it would cost less to refine that than 10% ethanol added gasoline. I guess they charge it because they can.

Here the difference between E10 and E0 (of the same octane rating) is 30¢-40¢ depending.
It ain't the oil company rippin' ya' off, it's your State. It has to do with mandates, taxes, tax credits, and subsidies... ethanol is actually more expensive than gasoline before all that government crap (that you pay for with your tax dollars).

I personally will not use an ethanol blend in any small engine, I've just seen way too many issues with ethanol and small engines. I use 87 octane E0 in the 4-cycles, and 91 octane E0 in the 2-cycles.
As far as storage... I wouldn't trust any pump gas (i.e., oxygenated or reformulated gasoline) after about 3 months, and if I used an ethanol blend my confidence level would drop to about 1 month.
I don't believe in any of the snake-oil fuel treatments. However, I do use Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer with 91 octane E0 in my emergency generator (the only 4-cycle I use 91 octane... for storage reasons). I check the fuel and test run it every 30-days or so. I've had mixed results... I've had the fuel go sour in as little as 60 days, the current tank full is near 12 months old and is still good. Regardless, I'll drain it and put fresh in around the New Year... 12 months with stabilizer and a plumb full tank (minimal air) is the maximum I'm comfortable with. I have no friggin' clue if the Sta-Bil helps... in fact, fuel going sour in 60-days indicates it don't help... but I figure, since the generator is emergency backup, it can't hurt neither.
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