BissettTech
New Member
Has anyone been experiencing any problems due to ethanol??
Ethanol wash problems
- Thread starter BissettTech
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chowdozer
Addicted to ArboristSite
Generally just an ever so slight slurring of words.
cuttinscott
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yes and thank our government it is going to get WORSE!! Right now were seeing approx 9% on the fuel we have tested and I heard rumor that 1 local distributor is going to start selling 15-20% mix which will be NO GOOD at all for our industry.
Scott
Ethonal is killing almost half of our customers machines, Iv seen it as much as 15% were Im at, you can get drunk just sniffing it
Poley4
ArboristSite Guru
Poley4
ArboristSite Guru
I'm glad to see in my area a few stations that advertise that their fuel is ethanol free.
BissettTech
New Member
It doesnt seem to make a difference on the make of the equipment. I have seen it destroy Husky, Stihl, Redmax..etc.. I have been advising my customers to go heavy with the oil in their mixes. I would rather change a fouled plug or clean out the exhaust port than tell the guy or gal that their 800.00 dollar chainsaw is a pile of scrap because of the fuel they are buying.. Heard rumors of going to 20% in the south from mr Husky rep. God help us all if that hits the whole country....
RED-85-Z51
Addicted to ArboristSite
Echo rep says all Echo's are good to E-10, E-20 on up requires tuning.
The problem im seeing on the common blend now is softening of the Stihl Accordian fuel lines...they swell up and start to dissolve, similarly to when they get ahold of soem raunchy gas...But again, its rare down here to find alky...Ive only tested and got anything a couple times now...
The problem im seeing on the common blend now is softening of the Stihl Accordian fuel lines...they swell up and start to dissolve, similarly to when they get ahold of soem raunchy gas...But again, its rare down here to find alky...Ive only tested and got anything a couple times now...
flyboy
ArboristSite Operative
I rebuilt a carb in a Stihl 031AV (my Dads saw) in July. I took it apart this week because it wouldn't start and the metering diaphram was destroyed.
I have switched to airplane gas from the local airport. It keeps for a very very long time without going bad. It is 100 octane low lead. It has the added bennefit of having very little odor. You can get it on your shoes or hands and not even smell it 5 minutes later.
I have switched to airplane gas from the local airport. It keeps for a very very long time without going bad. It is 100 octane low lead. It has the added bennefit of having very little odor. You can get it on your shoes or hands and not even smell it 5 minutes later.
RED-85-Z51
Addicted to ArboristSite
I imagine that stuff is known to the state of California to cause Birth Defects, and most likely it causes cancer....
I wear nitrile gloves...I dont want my nads falling apart, or to create a mutant red, or to get the cancer...I highly reccomend nitrile gloves!
Don't trust polymer gloves for organics, a lot of solvents go right through and carry what's dissolved with them. Then it's in or right against your skin till the gloves come off.
Better than nothing if you toss them often though.
Better than nothing if you toss them often though.
RED-85-Z51
Addicted to ArboristSite
If Im working with grease or oil, I latex glove it, and use that pair until I get a breach or Im done...
If Im working with chems, like Carb cleaner or gas, I go with nitrile, and toss them if they get soaked. I try to use the chem-dip on carbs, and rinse with carb cleaner with a straw from a distance, then blow dry with air...
With gas, its more or less the fact that usually the gas has gone bad, and frankly it usually makes me want to vomit smelling some of it, so I really prefer to not have it on me. If it hits the gloves enough I cant wipe it off with a rag...the gloves go in the can, and I whip out a new pair...
I mean it isnt perfect, and often I find myself forgetting the gloves, but I feel like in the future, Ill be grateful I took what steps I do.
Really, you can clean a carb without getting anything on you, but the nitrile gloves make certain..
You can usually (not always) change the oil in a mower and remain clean, but pair of cheap latex gloves makes certain...
I wear latex gloves when I paint as well...
Wear a disposable mask when I run something over the wire wheel, like a rusty nasty mower blade, I dont know what kinds of crap are on that blade, I sure as heck dont want to breath them..could be dried up dog $#I+ for all I know.
Iwear goggles when grinding chain, or grinding blades..one little flek of hot steel on your retina...boom, blind. I already am almost deaf, but I wear ear plugs when running anything louder than an air die grinder.
on the flip side...I dont own a single peice of PPE for when I run the saws....
(except ear plugs)Bill G
ArboristSite King
stihl86
Addicted to ArboristSite
Ethanol
It's dissolving the sealer used to seal welch plugs in carbs. Turns the sealer to a jelly-like goo. If you lucky, it will plug the jets. If your not, saw will run lean. Stihl has spec'd Zama (Stihl now owns them) to change material for a third time. Things are definitely changing.
It's dissolving the sealer used to seal welch plugs in carbs. Turns the sealer to a jelly-like goo. If you lucky, it will plug the jets. If your not, saw will run lean. Stihl has spec'd Zama (Stihl now owns them) to change material for a third time. Things are definitely changing.
Nitroman
Addicted to ArboristSite
An overreaction consistent with youth. Leaded gs was manufactured and sold in this country for almost 90 years, and was available up until 1980 at any gas station. In the '70, finding an unleaded gas pump was not an easy thing to do. Stop the hand-wringing.
Go here:
http://www.ansellpro.com/download/Ansell_7thEditionChemicalResistanceGuide.pdf
Also Fisher Scientific has excellent charts available for various glove materials. Some get pretty expensive.
rsscully
ArboristSite Member
icelation8
ArboristSite Member
It is a federal mandate that fuel can not contain more than 10% Ethenol unless otherwise posted. Ethenol is nothing new it has been used at 10% ratios since the early 80's. Im originally from MN and every station has had 10% ethenol as state mandate since I remember. Only issues with ethenol is that is absorbs water. That translates that if you have good fuel storage practices you will not have any issues if you have poor fuel practices then you will continue to have issues. On old products 60's and 70's you may have some swelling of rubber components. At the very most if you run an ethenol blended fuel you may have to richen the carb up a little bit but it will not take much. If your testing fuel and it is over 10% contact the local government.
testlight
ArboristSite Operative
Yes ethanol will dissolve some plastics and some rubber it can also cause jet and such to get gummed up and not work correctly.
Bill G
ArboristSite King
In our state the Illinois Department of Agriculture division of Weights and Measures does the testing, If you have a concearn then contact Sidney Colbrook, If any Illinois residents need his number let me know. Sidney is a great guy and will investigate it fully. I will assure you he would love to know of any station selling fuel that is not within the state standards.
Bill
Elmore
Addicted to ArboristSite
Another Government Boondoggle
Just remember, come November, which bunch in D.C. has bushed...err "pushed" ethanol into our fuel tanks and take precautions.
http://www.fuel-testers.com/ethanol_engine_precautions.html
http://www.fuel-testers.com/state_guide_ethanol_laws.html
Just remember, come November, which bunch in D.C. has bushed...err "pushed" ethanol into our fuel tanks and take precautions.
http://www.fuel-testers.com/ethanol_engine_precautions.html
http://www.fuel-testers.com/state_guide_ethanol_laws.html
