91 octane OK?

[Dirtboy]

No pro saws here, just running a Jred 2255, Echo CS520 and a couple of smaller limbers. Have been using 87 octane with 10% ethanol and stabilizer for years with good luck. Found a gas station that's now offering 91 octane, ethanol free gas. Is that to much octane for these saws? Don't mind spending the extra $ for the 91 as long as it don't bother the saws. Thanks.

 

[KenJax Tree]

91 E free is perfect......use it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Red Elm]

Yep, what he said. Been using it 15+ years, no problems.

 

[HD2010]

I wish I could get ethanol free gas around here.

 

[firebrick43]

You really shouldn't have been using 87. It works on stock saws but if the load of gas quality suffers (octane a little low) you can damage a piston and cylinder due to detonation. Most manufactures recommend 89 as a hedge of sufficient octane. Using higher than recommended octane gasoline will never hurt your engine! You may need to adjust your carb needles slightly changing fuels.

 

[BillNole]

I wish I could get ethanol free gas around here.

It looks like you're sort of in the middle of nowhere when it comes to finding E-Free gas.

See the attached link for a pretty good source I use. Maybe if you find yourself on the way somewhere, you might stash a tank or two to carry along and get some of the good stuff along the way...

http://pure-gas.org/extensions/map.html

 

[Red Elm]

Yeah, it can be hard to find. The nearest I can find is 25 miles one way. I fill 3 two gallon cans each trip. Luckily I go to that town about every week.

 

[Dirtboy]

Thanks.

 

[woodchipper95]

Might need a little re-tune but your saws will be even more happy. You are a lucky man.

 

[Firewood Fanatic]

I run Shell V-Power 91 E-free and my saws love it.

 

[unclemoustache]

I've been pestering a friend who owns a gas station about pure gas. His supplier doesn't even carry it. He'd get it if he could.

 

[deerhunter77]

It is rough in Illinois to find e free

 

[mr.finn]

Found a Sunoco station less than 10 miles from me on the pure gas site. I stopped in the other day to see if it was real or not, well it was. They had 98,101 and 116 E free. It is in a 5 gallon steel pail labeled racing fuel. So I asked the question how much for the pail.....$75. $15 a gallon?? Is it really worth it?

 

[BillNole]

Found a Sunoco station less than 10 miles from me on the pure gas site. I stopped in the other day to see if it was real or not, well it was. They had 98,101 and 116 E free. It is in a 5 gallon steel pail labeled racing fuel. So I asked the question how much for the pail.....$75. $15 a gallon?? Is it really worth it?

It sure wouldn't be for me, but I'm generally a rather frugal individual...

I get 91 octane E-Free dispensed from a standard pump for a dime more a gallon than regular unleaded E-crap about 5 miles from my house. There's another station about 10 miles the other direction where I can get the same. Just lucky, I guess?

 

[Whitespider]

Ethanol-free, 89-93 octane, pump dispensed gasoline is as good as as you can do for small two-cycle engines these days, with 91 being about as perfect as it gets (I'm not talkin' 'bout high-performance, modified engines). A higher octane is not needed, will reduce performance slightly, and is usually more expensive... octane ratings higher than 93 are actually a waste (unless that's all you can get E-free). Octane ratings lower than 89 will usually reduce performance in most small two-cycle engines (and so will ethanol at any octane rating)... and lower octane has the potential to cause damage in a variety of ways. Ethanol, compared to gasoline, is lower in energy and higher in octane... it really is horrible motor fuel, especially in small engines, even at a 10% blend.

Octane has nothing to do with the energy content of the fuel, a gallon of gas contains the same mount of energy no matter the rating... it's simply the way a fuel's resistance to ignition is rated. (A 10% ethanol blend has less energy than straight gas.) A low octane rating will (sort'a) advance ignition timing slightly, a high octane rating will retard it slightly... the trick is to match the octane rating to the performance level of the engine. Normally an engine can efficiently use a small range of octane ratings (in this case, approximately 89-93) by making small adjustments to timing and/or fuel delivery rate (carb adjustments).

Oh... I use ethanol-free, 91 octane, pump dispensed gasoline in all the two-cycles (except the low-RPM 250cc 1974 Harley golf cart), and ethanol-free, 87 octane, pump dispensed gasoline in all the four-cycles (and golf cart). I do not buy ethanol-blended fuel for anything... ever... period.
*

 

[steved]

That's what my Stihl dealer told me to run...nothing less than 91 octane. I run 91 in everything 2-cycle. I run 87 in everything else.

What is interesting however, is that the amount of alcohol varies GREATLY from station to station. I have the ability to read the alcohol content from the on-board sensor in my truck (FlexFuel) via an Edge Insight. I have found the lower tier stations typically have LESS alcohol than the chains and big names, for what ever reason. In my travel, I basically found the station that runs the lowest alcohol and run that...I have not had any issues to date.

As I indicated previously, the alcohol content varies greatly...keep in mind that while E10 is the current blend, I've seen content pushing 25% (E25). My guess is that the tanker had a load of E85 and then hauled E10. Tell me that's good for your car...let alone OPE.

 

[Woodomaker]

Ive used 100 octane low lead.....airplane gas for 6 years.....no carb rebuilds, no storage problem.

 

[Whitespider]

...while E10 is the current blend, I've seen content pushing 25% (E25). My guess is that the tanker had a load of E85 and then hauled E10.

More likely a phase separation issue in the underground storage tank at the gas station... I've personally seen pump gas test as high as 35%.
I'm not even sure E85 can be hauled in the same "tankers" as E10 or straight gas (I'm thinkin' not).
Phase separation is a huge problem with ethanol blends... a lot bigger problem, and a lot more common, than what the industry and government are telling you.
I do not buy ethanol-blended fuel for anything... ever... period.
*

 

[4seasons]

As I indicated previously, the alcohol content varies greatly...keep in mind that while E10 is the current blend, I've seen content pushing 25% (E25). My guess is that the tanker had a load of E85 and then hauled E10. Tell me that's good for your car...let alone OPE.

Not sure about your state but in Tennessee, that is a violation of weights and measures regulations. You should report it to your State Weights and Measures department. That gas should be pulled off the market.

 

[zogger]

That's what my Stihl dealer told me to run...nothing less than 91 octane. I run 91 in everything 2-cycle. I run 87 in everything else.

What is interesting however, is that the amount of alcohol varies GREATLY from station to station. I have the ability to read the alcohol content from the on-board sensor in my truck (FlexFuel) via an Edge Insight. I have found the lower tier stations typically have LESS alcohol than the chains and big names, for what ever reason. In my travel, I basically found the station that runs the lowest alcohol and run that...I have not had any issues to date.

As I indicated previously, the alcohol content varies greatly...keep in mind that while E10 is the current blend, I've seen content pushing 25% (E25). My guess is that the tanker had a load of E85 and then hauled E10. Tell me that's good for your car...let alone OPE.

That's very interesting. I think this helps explain why some guys here report no issues with e10, but others have had a lot of problems, it is just a crapshoot out there station to station. So you really can't make a declarative statement saying e10 is OK to run, because it could be, like you found, up to e25. That is why I always say, try to find e-free gas. I simply don't trust pump gas labelled e10 and haven't since I had issues some years back. Now I have found local non ethanol contaminated and haven't had fuel related problems since then.