quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:You mean $24/gallon. There are 4 quarts in a gallon.

The post showed a quart container, but indicated a price of $6 per half gallon. Now that I look at the link, you're right. $24/gallon. I'd drive a bit to fill a five gallon can of non-ethanol gas for the season of mowing at that price.

Have you guys ever put ethanol free gas in your newer vehicles? I tried a full tank in my Tundra and saw 4mpg better average econony. The extra cost and inconvenience of finding it doesn't justify the continted use for me though.

quote:

Originally posted by lopezp: I tried a full tank in my Tundra and saw 4mpg better average econony.

Unless you are already getting 40+ mpg, such a large difference seems unlikely. Even if the ethanol had zero energy content (it certainly doesn't) increasing the "good" fuel by 10% isn't going to increase the mileage that much.

my grand prix got 4 mpg better as well,

Theres always 100LL from the local airport

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
I don't use a lot of it, but I was happy to see pre-mixed 50:1, ethanol-free gas for two-stroke engines start to be available in cans in stores a while back.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/TRUFUEL-32-fl-oz-Pre-Blended-2-Cycle-Fuel/3456454



Currently about $6 for a half-gallon, so pricey. But sealed, and no need to buy oil to mix in, or go search out ethanol-free sources.

Stihl sells a similar product at their dealers, pre-mix, stabilizer and no ethanol . Not bad for blowers, trimmers, etc . Could get pricey in anything bigger .

You can remove ethanol from fuel with water. Have to let it sit and seperate then drain the water ethanol mix out. If you do that remember to add an octane booster afterward.

Look for a farm co-op, most of them sell ethanol free fuel.

quote:

Originally posted by 226Reasons:
You can remove ethanol from fuel with water. Have to let it sit and seperate then drain the water ethanol mix out.

So, you're going to take slightly "bad" gas, make it into REALLY bad gas, then filter it in hopes of getting it back to pretty good gas. Seems like a lot more trouble than adding some StarTron.

4 years ago I had no idea about the ethanol, there were no notices on the lawnmower, nor my weedwacker. Needmess to say it killed both. My new mower has a label on the gas tank. I bought a recharable battery powered weed wacker I bought. Its a pain in the ass.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:

quote:

Originally posted by 226Reasons:
You can remove ethanol from fuel with water. Have to let it sit and seperate then drain the water ethanol mix out.

So, you're going to take slightly "bad" gas, make it into REALLY bad gas, then filter it in hopes of getting it back to pretty good gas. Seems like a lot more trouble than adding some StarTron.

Startron and stabil are not infallible. Ethanol is terrible. I worked in a marina as a service advisor and saw the effects firsthand. If I had no other option I'd build a filter tank and drain the water from the bottom then add the octane booster. Fortunately, I can buy ethanol free fuel in TN, and it is all I use in my yard equipment.

We have one place that sells ethanol free gas. It ranges .50-$1.00 more a gallon than regular but it is also 93 octane if I remember.
It is all I use in my small engines. The station is not close to the house so I fill up my gas cans at beginning of season and it lasts the summer.
I have filled up my old Explorer up a couple times and I got about 3mpg better.

 
I use the Stihl premix in my two stroke trimmer and pole chain saw. For what little I have to do, two cans lasts me a year. For my 4 stroke mower (Honda), I buy premium (which has ethanol here), add Stabil, and make sure to drain it for the off season. So far (10 years on the mower) so good.
 
But I hate small engines, too. Whenever possible, I try battery or electric. For a pressure washer, I bought a Mit-T-M 240 volt washer. It uses my welder outlet just fine, and delivers 2500psi and 3.2gpm. I hate maintaining small gasoline engines.
 
 

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:You mean $24/gallon. There are 4 quarts in a gallon.

The post showed a quart container, but indicated a price of $6 per half gallon. Now that I look at the link, you're right. $24/gallon. I'd drive a bit to fill a five gallon can of non-ethanol gas for the season of mowing at that price.

TruFuel is $24/gallon. Its also an excellent product, and an excellent buy. How the hell can I come up with that conclusion? Easy. The average home owner in America will only use 1 or 2 cans per year in their trimmer and leaf blower. That's only $6 to $12 per year, for a premium ethanol free fuel product that doesn't go bad for years. It's good for 5 years unopened or 2 years once opened. It's also not likely to ever gum up a carburetor, requiring a $75-$100 repair.

If you were to mix up a gallon of 50:1 fuel yourself:
$2.69 - gallon of 89 octane
$2.25 - 2.6 ounces of 2 cycle oil
$1.00 - splash of fuel stabilizer (Stabil or Startron)
-----------
$5.94 - cost of one gallon of 50:1 fuel mixed yourself

Great. If you are like most Americans, you use less than a 1/2 gallon of premix fuel a year. You just saved $6. On a fuel that goes stale in 90 days, and goes bad in 6 months. You are using terribly stale/bad premix fuel for at least 6 months of the year. To save $6 per year.

Of course, if you are using a gallon or more of premix fuel a year, then the cost would be prohibitive. But for low use consumers, the product makes perfect sense. And is a good buy for them.

Also, Echo fuel, Stihl fuel, TruFuel, etc are all made by the same people. Only real difference being which brand of oil is mixed into the fuel. Home Depot even has a store brand version that is cheaper at $5 per can, also made by the same people. I've used all of them and can tell no difference (they all use the latest, proper JASO FD rated oil). I've been buying the store brand Home Depot cans lately since they are the cheapest.

Home Depot premix fuel $5 per can
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Pow...-Fuel-6985/206455565

I go to the regional airport and buy 5 gallon of 101 octane low lead aviation fuel. Under $5 a gallon. Mix 80:1 with Amsoil Sabre synthetic 2 stroke oil and never worry about my equipment from year to year. I use my zero turn mowers enough that I buy 87 octane and add a couple oz Startron to a 5 gal can.

When I've had fuel problems I've found nothing better than Startron. Seafoam is good, too.

I've researched this quite a bit. I do get 2mpg or better with pure gas over Ethanol. A lot of really bad stories. Ethanol is traditionally added right before point of sale, due to the separation. Many times the "May contain up to 10% Ethanol" has been found to contain 0-20% Ethanol. Not good.

According to the EPA/DOE, it is ILLEGAL to use 15% or greater in stationary power equipment. Generators, pumps etc.

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/ethanol.shtml



Oddly, as I thought most fishing vessels used diesel, there was a class action lawsuit filed by Maine since the crappy gas was ruining so many fishing boats.

I don't remember all the specifics, but basically, it's not helpful, it causes it's own pollution concerns and seems to only benefit the legislators and farmers.

The WaWa stations here have a lane with ethanol free gas, around $2.85 a gallery n, see a lot of the lawn crews and boat people use it, I run it in my motorcycle

quote:

Originally posted by wcb6092:

^^^^ THIS ^^^^ I have three five gallon cans that I use for All my mowers, trimmers, generator, and both ATV's. Never had an issue with any of my motors.

Just left my local Stihl dealer to pick up a fuel line and filter for my yearly service of my chainsaw.
The repairman was stacked deep with stuff to fix. Main culprit homeowner use and they just leave the ethanol gas sitting all winter.