Petcocks for OPE engines?

[Ausfahrt]

Ethanol enhanced fuels are wreaking havoc on OPE carbs and fuel systems. I think that OPE engines should have a fuel petcock or cutoff so that the engine can be run until starved of fuel. I am looking into adding them to my current engines.

A petcock will not cure all the ills associated with ethanol fuels but I think it would help.

 

[OilNerd]

I'm still burning up my stash of stabilized E0 that I bought just before my area went corn-hugger.

I put a fuel valve on my snow thrower and my high wheel trimmer. Seems to work well, sometimes takes a bit to burn out the fuel from the lines. I bought the valves, clamps, and fuel line as a kit off of eBay.

 

[tmorris1]

I think you are over-reacting. We have had ethanol up here for 20 years and I have never had to rebuild any of my carbs. Even if you run them out of fuel there will still be fuel in the carb.

 

[boraticus]

I don't understand the ethanol concerns issue either. I own numerous machines and some I've had for decades. Nothing gets any special treatment. Pump gas, often left for months at a time during winter. I do regular, reasonable oil changes on the four strokes. Clean air filters. Use manufacturer recommended oil to fuel ratio on the two strokes. That's about it.

Everything I own runs great and the only fuel related problems I've encountered is water/dirt in the gas when I bought it.

An in line fuel filter would be more beneficial than a petcock but I do like to have a valve to control the fuel.

 

[JTK]

Amen to what tmorris and borat are saying. Like we keep saying over and over, there is NO CONCERN over E10 fuel, provided you use it up in a reasonable time frame, once it's loaded into a piece of equipment's (open to atmosphere) fuel tank. Even with that, it's good for several months provided it's kept in clean dry storage. E10 stored in sealed gas storage containers is good for many months if not longer. I've used 30+ year old equipment with original fuel systems without a single issue on E10 and have so for over 20yrs now. 90% of our stations have carried nothing but E10 for atleast that long. I'd like 100% gas just like everyone else, but I definitely don't fear E10.

Joel

 

[greenaccord02]

I haven't seen anything too bad happening with carbs due to ethanol. It seems fuel lines and primer bulbs age more quickly in the presence of ethanol, but really they ought to be replaced anyway with new UV resistant kind. I thought at first that there might be faster degradation of diaphragms in carbs that use them, but it doesn't seem to be the case. Diaphragms have always been a common point of failure. And other than fuel lines, diaphragms, and floats (which aren't failing any faster than they used to) what is there? Just a block of metal. And a little bit of corn juice isn't doing anything to the metal.

There's a lot of talk about this stuff wreaking havoc with carbs. What I'd like to see is an analysis given for the carb "failure". It's not like the carburetor is a little flux capacitor or anything. It's a simple device that should be simple to describe. People act like it's powered by magic.

 

[Ausfahrt]

Apparently I am worrying needlessly.

I'll switch to decaf.

 

[Jeepster_nut]

Even easier, buy some Marine formula Sta-Bil for your gas. It's the blue variant of Sta-Bil, not the red. It is formulated to deal with the effects of Ethanol. I've been running it for a few years now in my 5 gallon gas can that I use for everything OPE.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
I haven't seen anything too bad happening with carbs due to ethanol. It seems fuel lines and primer bulbs age more quickly in the presence of ethanol..


I've seen and repaired degradation from it, but it was simply from leaving the piece of OPE sitting for a long time with a tank of fuel (a year or more). From what I've experienced, the fuel turns to a greenish goo and will plug up carbs, fuel lines and primer bulbs. I've never experienced actual destruction of components, only that gelled goo gumming up the works.

Joel

 

[Ausfahrt]

Originally Posted By: Jeepster_nut
Even easier, buy some Marine formula Sta-Bil for your gas. It's the blue variant of Sta-Bil, not the red. It is formulated to deal with the effects of Ethanol. I've been running it for a few years now in my 5 gallon gas can that I use for everything OPE.


I have been meaning to try that blue Stabil when I use up my standard red supply. Thanks for the replies, fellas.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: bigdreama
Originally Posted By: Jeepster_nut
Even easier, buy some Marine formula Sta-Bil for your gas. It's the blue variant of Sta-Bil, not the red. It is formulated to deal with the effects of Ethanol. I've been running it for a few years now in my 5 gallon gas can that I use for everything OPE.


I have been meaning to try that blue Stabil when I use up my standard red supply. Thanks for the replies, fellas.


I never had problems before or after starting to use Stabil with E 10 gas during off season storage. It serves my purpose of making me "feel good", but who really has evidence whether its effective, one way or another.

I spoke with a seemingly knowledgeable guy at Gold Eagle and he said both red or blue will work fine with E-10 gas, just that the blue is more bang for the buck. The "2 times/4 times more corrosion preventer/cleaner" of the blue must be weighed with the fact you use it at 1/2 the red rate....do the math. And, the red bottle now says "Improved..contains more corrosion preventer".

He also stated Stabil does not prevent phase separation and it was their opinion that no product could (vs. other's claims).

Again, I use it for peace of mind.....a placebo maybe.

I still wonder....does running your equipment "dry" still leave fuel in the carb that can varnish/gum up...especially 2 cycle. Anyone know?

 

[boraticus]

"I still wonder....does running your equipment "dry" still leave fuel in the carb that can varnish/gum up...especially 2 cycle. Anyone know?"

I've run engines until they stop from being out of fuel, pulled the carbs and there's always been around half an oz. or so left in the bottom of the fuel bowl. To really drain the fuel bowl, the plug on the bottom has to be pulled to allow it to completely drain.

If the device has a diaphragm carb, there is no float bowl and there will be minimal fuel within the carb itself.

 

[Mamala Bay]

Originally Posted By: bigdreama
Ethanol enhanced fuels are wreaking havoc on OPE carbs and fuel systems. I think that OPE engines should have a fuel petcock or cutoff so that the engine can be run until starved of fuel. I am looking into adding them to my current engines.

A petcock will not cure all the ills associated with ethanol fuels but I think it would help.


Best bet is install a fuel filter before it hits the carb. This will prevent small particles and moisture or worst case water into the carb bowl. Water or small particles in the carb bowl can cause havoc with misfiring and flooding. Also fuel from the tank to the carb is just a fuel line but from the carb on things get more complicated.