4-cycle fuel for lawn mower question

[Alexjnewman7]

I’ve been putting TruFuel 92 octane ethanol-free fuel in my Honda push mower for going on 3 years. It’s ~$17/gal at Home Depot. I found 94 octane VP small engine ethanol free fuel at a local small engine store for ~$15.50/gal. My point here is, I’m mowing more frequently as the season ramps up, and I’m wondering if the cost associated with fuel is worth it. Is TruFuel/VP that much better for my lawn mower than regular gas or even gas station ethanol free fuel? Thanks for the input.

 

[oggb]

Just get the ethanol free stuff from the gas station. I only put ethanol free gas in stuff that gets stored for long periods without running, like mowers that don't get used over the winter/etc. Besides that it's all 10% ethanol pump gas.

 

[TmanP]

I'd try to find E-0 pump gas, which should be under a dollar more than regular per gallon. Many states offer E-free pump gas in some shape or form. In MN it's very common (maybe half of stations, more in lake areas) as 91 E-0. Nebraska and Iowa frequently have it as 87 and/or 91. See the link below:

https://www.pure-gas.org/

If you can't find any in your area, you might consider separating the ethanol from the highest octane premium you can find via the addition of water (since ethanol is soluble in water but gas isn't - you add water and the ethanol/water will separate, and using high-octane accounts for the drop in octane from the lost ethanol). There are lots of videos on Youtube on how to do this. I've never tried it, but I would if we didn't have several stations selling E-0 premium in town (I'd try this before paying $15 a gallon for bottled E-0 gas).

 

[Warstud]

IMO. You only need TruFuel or Ethanol free gas toward the end of the mowing season when the gas will sit and not be used during the winter months.

 

[TmanP]

IMO. You only need TruFuel or Ethanol free gas toward the end of the mowing season when the gas will sit and not be used during the winter months.

Agreed - if I couldn't buy E-0 easily/affordably and didn't want to mess around with separating out the ethanol, I'd probably run E-10 for the mowing/snowblowing season, then run it nearly dry and then a partial tank of TruFuel or similar. Our E-0 91 is currently 70 cents more than regular, so I'm comfortable spending an extra $5-10 a year on E-0 gas (we use around 10 gallons a year between the mower and snowblower, plus another gallon or so of mixed gas for the trimmer and leaf blower), but there's no way I'd buy 10 gallons of TruFuel per year - that'd cost an extra $150 or so per year vs. regular. I'd do the above.

 

[JavierH19]

i wouldn't buy that stuff. its just non ethanol gas with a higher octane rating (small engines with low compression cant utilize high octane but the extra octane serves to increase the life of the gas as a means to reduce octane degradation in the long run) along with fuel stabilizer. the 2 stroke version is those two plus oil.

I'd just try to get a non ethanol gas by using the fuel website pure gas i believe and if not id just buy that high octane ethanol gas and immediately put fuel stabilizer in it beginning in the spring and use as i go and once i no longer need the gas id just dump it into the gas tank and run it, wont hurt a thing. I like to put a smidge of 2 stroke oil even in my 4 strokes, about an once per gal. A touch of upper cyl lube never hurt an engine.

Edit: stabil 360 is the preferred treatment for ethanol in small engines which I believe is good for a year and is what I use. Red one is for 2 years of storage but not as good in ethanol.

 

[MParr]

I only buy the 2 Stroke canned fuel for my edger, weed eater and chain saw. I don’t use very much so, it just makes things easier. I buy non-ethanol pump gas for my mower.
www.pure-gas.org

 

[Warlord]

If you’re not using a whole lot it might be worth it to just stick to what you’re using. It’s easy and you won’t have to think about adding stabilizers or finding ethanol free pump gas and wondering if it really is ethanol free or not.

 

[BigCahuna]

Well, I can't find anything but 10% ethanol gas here in Jersey. And I have to say I've never had a problem with gas going bad. I have a 5 gallon can that gets a dose of mmo and carb cleaner before it gets filled up. That can of gas, lasts almost a year for me. I run that gas in 2 push mowers, 1 snow blower, 1 generator, and I fill a 2 gallon can for my weed wacker, and blower about twice a year with it. Everything starts easy in the spring for me. So on a good year (price wise) it can cost $10-$12 to fill my 5 gallon can. I don't think that is too much to spend for a years worth of fuel for ope. If you need less gas then what I use for a years worth of ope fuel, battery powered or electric ope might make more sense to own.,,,

 

[loneryder]

IMO. You only need TruFuel or Ethanol free gas toward the end of the mowing season when the gas will sit and not be used during the winter months.

That’s what I do.

 

[ecotourist]

I use regular 87 octane E10 fuel in my Honda mower engine. Have done for years without a problem.

But I recycle my fuel regularly. I buy in quantities that last about 3 months and if I don't use it all up (for example come fall) I pour the remaining fuel into the Honda Accord and buy new. I do like to keep a full can of fuel over the winter in case of a power outage where I need to run the generator.

Our non mowing season is only a couple of months. Most years I get in a mow by the end of January.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I've been putting 87 octane (even with 10% ethanol) in my Craftman push mower for over 30 years, and it still runs great. I'd never pay $17 a gallon for fuel for a push mower.

 

[JavierH19]

I've been putting 87 octane (even with 10% ethanol) in my Craftman push mower for over 30 years, and it still runs great. I'd never pay $17 a gallon for fuel for a push mower.

You've owned the same push mower for 30 years. That's impressive.

 

[ZeeOSix]

You've owned the same push mower for 30 years. That's impressive.

Yep, and it's only had yearly oil changes (SAE 30), and one new air filter (but cleaned along the way) and one new spark plug in it's life. Just put fuel stabalizer in the gas for winter storage, and it always fires up with no issues in the spring.

 

[Skippy722]

We’ve ran all our mowers on E10 exclusively. Never had issues with phase separation or the fuel gumming up. They generally get 89E10 since I’ll just fill my truck up at the same time I fill my 6 gallon gas can. If it’s going to sit for awhile, I’ll add some stabil to it for peace of mind.

I do use the expensive VP pre-mix in my new Husqvarna weed whacker…. It does smell good and I’m honestly too lazy to mix oil.

 

[PWMDMD]

I have a 20-year-old Honda mower that has turned into a science experiment - I have a ride-on but use this to do some tight areas in the yard - it averages maybe 3 min of runtime per week now but for 10+ years was heavily used. I have never changed the oil, the air filter, the spark plug, and have gone years without starting it with regular 87 octane E10 fuel in the tank with no stabilizer. It's also left outside year-round and spends 4-5 months covered in snow. Every **** year I come out and the **** thing starts by the second or third pull and runs like a champ. These aren't picky engines IMO. For comparison, I have a 12-year-old MTD snowblower with a Chinese knock-off engine and the first year I owned it I forget to put stabilizer in the tank or run it dry and the next season it would not start - it is a picky engine - but I can't complain since it's had 12 very hard seasons and has since been trouble-free.

 

[Ride_Red]

I run E10 87 octane gas in everything. I fill a 5 gallon gas can at the pump, add 1 oz of TCW-3 marine 2-cycle oil and a regular dose of Marine Stabil to the can and shake it up. This mix is used in the mower, generator, and use it up at the end of the season by dumping it in my car. Never had an ethanol related fuel problem. Mower always starts up and runs great in the spring. No need for carburetor cleaners.

I do buy 40:1 True Fuel for my leaf blower. One can lasts me a few years. The cost for the True Fuel is minor for my usage.

 

[Dennywires]

much cheaper to treat pump gas.. i never once had an issue. there is several products i'd use. red bottle stp, chevron w/ techron, stabil and the enzyme stuff.

 

[Lubener]

I’ve been putting TruFuel 92 octane ethanol-free fuel in my Honda push mower for going on 3 years. It’s ~$17/gal at Home Depot. I found 94 octane VP small engine ethanol free fuel at a local small engine store for ~$15.50/gal. My point here is, I’m mowing more frequently as the season ramps up, and I’m wondering if the cost associated with fuel is worth it. Is TruFuel/VP that much better for my lawn mower than regular gas or even gas station ethanol free fuel? Thanks for the input.

You can buy several new carbs with the extra money spent on that fuel and I doubt you would have a carb problem for many years using oxigenated fuel w/ Stabil..

 

[mattwithcats]

For Ethanol free fuel, try boat marinas, small airports, or racetracks...

I have been getting 85 octane no lead, no ethanol gas for my OPE.
I think this is from the Colonial Pipeline, before they add the Ethanol to raise the octane to 87....

Minimum purchase is 100 gallons, but the summer camp for kids I help out at has a 300 gallon tank...