What octane of gas do you use?
 

This may be an old question,so if I apologize in advance. What octane of gas does everyone here use? I'm switching to the high octane alcohol free. Have rebuilt two carbs and my k301 in my 1200 is still hard to start! Its getting enough gas,has good spark has compression and is timed right. I think its the crappy gas. I put new needle and seat,gaskets and the throttle bushing in cleaned the carb inside and out and blew out the needles and all the passages.I 'm gonna try new gas,or some octane booster first and see what happens. The fuel tank is clean as a whistle too,so anyone have some input?? Thanks,Brian

87. Always. Blended is my only choice. (We have a refinery and an ethanol plant in my county.) I've rebuilt alot of motors, carbs and the like.... sometimes you end up with a "cold natured" motor. I can offer ten different things that can cause a hard start... but I have found sometimes that's just some engines nature. As long as it will start, and it runs fine... you just have to deal with it. Try the higher octane fuel, it may help. Sounds like you've checked everything I would have suggested!:beerchug:

I think you are wasting your money! I use 87 octane E 10.

The main thing with E 10 is to use storage cans that are sealed to keep water out. Don't leave your tractor sit out in the rain.

I run Sonoco 93 no ethanol only because I can't get 87 no ethanol here. I'd prefer 87 if I could get it. Alcohol belongs in booze not gas. :beerchug:

87 octane laced with Startron. Great stuff.

Same, same!

87% plus Startron----------------- engine runs happy, happy.:beerchug:

Enzyme to kill ethanol, plus proven to reduce carbon build-up.

Nik

Cold natured is one thing,taking longer than three minutes to start is another,thought about trying octane booster. I have heard these small engines don't like the 87 octane gas esp the ethanol. Heard of it gumming up carbs . I don't know will have to give startron a try and see,afraid I'm gonna burn up my starter. The gas is stored in a good air tight gas can and I've never left it sit out in the rain. Thanks for the replys guys!

There are lot's of myths floating around. Much easier to perpetrate these stories on the public in internet chat rooms.

We have had E 10 in this area for 25+ years. ALL my small engines have run and run well on it. I have seen no deterioration of rubber parts other than what was normal with straight gasoline. Still have old tractors that have the original fuel hoses, needles/seats, etc. on them. The only carbs I have seen gummed up was BEFORE I found out that the ethanol really likes to attract water. The sealed cans fixed that problem. Carbs that run on straight gasoline will gum up also. They'll also dry out and get full of a white powder caused by corrosion and this is nothing new. Been going on since there's been carburetors.

Ethanol does a very good job of keeping your fuel system clean, ONCE IT IS CLEAN. If it's dirty, it's first doses of ethanol can/will scrub the dirt off and may cause problems.

Octane boosters bought off the shelf in parts house will raise octane a very insignificant amount. But so will kerosene. Check contents of the bottle and see what you're actually getting.

Higher octane fuel puts out no more power than regular if your engine is tuned to run on regular. 93 is also no more volatile than 87 so there is no advantage in starting the engine.

If your engine is taking 3 minutes of cranking to start, you have a mechanical/electrical problem and that's what you should concentrate on rather than some miracle in a can or bottle.

Of course, you could just have a tank of contaminated or really old fuel.

Just got my ltx1050 using shell 93. Probably extravagant but I do not plan on having another mower as I'm 63 now and want to give the machine every possible advantage.

I run 91/93, whatever the top fuel is at the pumps with Startron and MMO. The cheap plastic cans that don't seal very good, some not at all, are kept in an unconditioned shed on top of a wooden pallet. I have never had any fuel related issues.

You said "hard to start".... I didn't realize you meant THAT hard to start! ...... Buddy you are missing something, there is definitely a mechanical issue somewhere...

I use "cheapo" 87 and it works fine. In the winter I put in higher.

I add a splash of SEA FOAM to all of my gas. Love the stuff!!!!!!! The only bad thing is that it cost $45.00 a gallon when it's on sale.

I run 89 in the summer and 93 when it drops below freezing. My cubs seem to like it all of them from k161 to the kt17 would run better on 93 when freezing

In addition to Mike Mc Kown comments you need to go to a 30 day gas rule. Any gas (2 and 4 cycle gas) that is over 30 days old is added to my truck and replace with fresh gas. Add a fuel stabilizer before you fill your container(s). 2 good ones are Sta-Bil and the one Briggs and Stratton sells. I have never had any good luck with sea foam......tried it several times and engine is low on power or dies. Replace gas with sea foam in it and small engines runs like it did before sea foam gas.

Along with the 30 day rule I used a container that is sealable and put the container on a piece of wood because the cement floor is usually colder than the temp in my shop.

The Kohler service manual says to run engines on 87 octane fuel. It is ok to run up to 10% alcohol in fuel system. Running higher octane in an engine designed to run lower octane will cause carbon deposits. I actually notice poorer performace on 92-92 octane fuel at plow day(s).

I have been running gas with 10% ethanol for 9 to 10 years with no problems. One of my Kohlers has .01 off the top of the block and .04 off the head on 87 octane with 10% with no spark knocks.