Garden Machinery and Ethanol in fuel

[dewaltdisney]

Alerted to this potential problem on here where the new ethanol laced fuel can cause corrosion and gumming issues in small garden engines on the winter lay-up I had a look at what to do as a preventative measure. You can either wash the ethanol out with water using a separation technique to give pure petroleum. This appears quite easy but a bit of a faff so I looked at the fuel stabilising fluids available. I bought the Briggs and Stratton fuel treatment and this stabilises the fuel and protects the engines, hopefully.

As I have seven two-stroke and four-stroke engines I had a bit of a job on today. I mixed up 5 litres of new petrol and added the stabiliser. I then mixed a litre of 2 stroke and started my process. I had previously run the fuel out of my kit so refilling with the new mixture and running for five minutes was fairly easy on paper. Of course, it wasn't as I had trouble starting three of them and it was spark plugs out to clean in order to get them going. My mower and chipper, 4 strokes, were fine my chainsaw, pole saw and small hedge trimmer were the buggers to get going. My trusty Echo pole clippers went first pull.

Anyway, all done now so I am just waiting for Kelly to tell me I wasted my time

DWD

[Dave54]

Like I've said before Walt. I use Aspen in my 2 stroke kit. There are other similar options but they're all around the same price.
You can leave the fuel in, and they all start fine. The extra money is worth the lack of messing about and PITA starting to me.
You can still get E5 petrol ,and that's been fine in the 4 stroke ride on mower.

[kellys_eye]

Anyway, all done now so I am just waiting for Kelly to tell me I wasted my time

<cough>

:LOL:

Fuel stabiliser doesn't remove or protect against the effects of ethanol (sadly). In a domestic vehicle (car) situation your tank is effectively part of a sealed system that prevents ingress of air and thus moisture - which is attracted to the ethanol - but garden machinery inevitably has an 'open' venting system which is why ethanol is particularly bad. I'm not sure that even the most modern garden machinery uses a sealed vapour system like modern cars do???

Fuel stabiliser prevents oxidation of the other chemical constituents of petrol, particularly the benzine content which causes the 'varnishing' effect in carbs and ends up gumming up the system entirely.

I use stabilsing additives in every new 25 litre tank of petrol I buy (for garden tools) but have recently taken to de-ethanoling it before using the additive. Theoretically it will last a few years in storage but 25 litres is around a years consumption only so a two year storage period is more than I'd ever anticipate.

I tried to get some Apsen fuel last week - unavailable locally - but came back with the Stihl equivalent (£19 for a 4 litre tub ) which will be used to fill all my machines, run them til the fuel goes all through and then switch off to leave stored over winter. This type of fuel is (as good as) benzine free (as well as being ethanol free) and is actually recommended to be left in garden machinery when in storage. It works as you'd expect as a fuel!

[Argyll]

I watched a video on it a few weeks ago. Wouldn't it be simpler to just buy premium fuel which is E5?

[kellys_eye]

E5 is still ethanol (5% solution) but ANY amount of ethanol will attract moisture (it's hydroscopic nature makes this so) and cause the issues we're concerned about.

I have a small genset that stopped working due to the moisture ethanol (E5) drew in and then corroded the carb. It also caused a backfire that threw a valve pushrod off a rocker! No point in trying to clean carbs that get this way - replacement is the only real option.

But don't forget the benzine in petrol - it's this that caused the gumminess and 'varnish-like' deposits you see in fuel bowls.

[dewaltdisney]

The stuff I used was Briggs and Stratton Fuel Fit. The blurb says it protects against ethanol corrosion as well as conditioning the fuel. We will see.

DWD