Mild hop-ups

[Stratmoore Farms]

Originally Posted by Merk

Reread post #21. There is a part about what I do every 30 days. One of the problems you are having is old fuel.

Old fuel is the #1 problem I see with small engines that I work on. Todays fuel is design for engines that have more than 2 cylinders and should be used in 30 days.

As I stated in post #21.....Running 90 plus octane will lower any engine performace and leave more carbon deposits.

I've been doing the ethanol-fuel storing process for 10 years with more fuel related problems.

It's you engine......run what you want to

I agree with the old fuel being a problem. I usually don't buy more than I can use up with-in a few weeks so fuel sitting in a can for extended periods usually isn't a problem for me. Between the various mowers, Gator, etc. gas disapears pretty quickly around here.

Where I was messing up was at the end of the season. Not draining the tank or running it dry the last time it was used because I might need it "one more time" in a week or so. Then by Spring the ethanol has gummed up everything. In the old days, if you left gas in there all Winter you may have to drain and start over, but at least you didn't have to pull apart and clean everything. This ethanol gas causes a lot more problems when it sits in the fuel system very long.

Where practical or possible, I have put a shut off valve in the fuel lines of most of my stuff now. Just shut the valve and let the engine burn off the fuel in the line and carb. Much easier and not as much gas wasted. And if I don't need it that "one more time" I can still drain the tank come Spring.

I have also found that if it sits for an extended period, the tank should either be completely empty or completely full. Less chance of condensation that way (empty is better than full, but full is better than half a tank.)

For what it's worth, I wasn't disagreeing or arguing with you, I was trying to be better informed. You post was the first time I had ever heard that it is better to run the lower octane, even if it has ethanol, than to run the higher octane since the higher octane is the only way to get ethanol free gas, at least where I live. I do understand that what you are saying is that it is an octane issue, higher verses lower, and an issue of old verses fresh, not an issue of ethanol or non-ethanol.