Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by y_p_w
I've seen phase separation in my dad's lawnmower. He was asking me to help when he couldn't get it to start. It was stored for over a year using normal gas bought at gas station, which meant it probably contained ethanol. The fuel part was milky and the fuel and water separated like oil and water.
Did you have to flush/dump it all out or did you use something with isopropanol?? I've heard that works/helps. I just started using Heet in the red bottle a couple times in the winter up here in the NW. Can't say I've really ever had a issue with water but I figured it couldn't hurt, no? (I'm not particularly fond of the idea of isopropanol in my fuel a couple of tanks in the winter but can it be any worse than the ethanol?)
Also, I think running E0 in the winter would be the safest bet. I suppose I could, as suggested, just keep in 5~10gl just to have something in the tank and fill up with the "regular" E10/15 if I'm out for a long run... but would there be a problem putting in ethanol blend on top of what E0 might already be in the tank???
And how much of a concern would rust be in the tank if I'm keeping the fuel level that low. When I was younger I was always told to keep the tank topped off to prevent rust. Are today's tanks better equipped to deal with rust???
Not sure what he did with it.
I mean, there's specific small engine gasoline, but it's extremely expensive. I don't know if I'd even think of using any unless equipment is going in storage. Just use up the fuel in the tank and partially fill. And even then if water gets into the fuel then E10 would help to blend it.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/TruFuel-4-Cycle-Ethanol-Free-Fuel-6527238/203571144
I don't believe that people like gardeners with leaf blowers really worry about their equipment that they use every week. As long as the fuel is used it should never get to the point where there's phase separation.