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Post by HighCotton on May 25, 2015 8:27:21 GMT -5
I've been mowing our rental with a Craftsman push mower that we had bought for my son when he lived there. When fueling it I noticed the cap said E85. I've been using regular old 87 octane and it seems to run fine. Never heard of E85 for a mower. Is this something new? The mower is only a few years old. I have yet to find or look up the manual.
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Post by nfalls116 on May 25, 2015 8:44:02 GMT -5
Most new models say some thing like "using Gasoline containing more than ten percent ethanol, such as E85 voids warranty" or something to that effect
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Post by esshup on May 25, 2015 11:35:38 GMT -5
I've had to replace/rebuild too many carbs in the past few years to run ANY type of ethanol laced gasoline anymore. I drive 30 miles one way to get non-E gas for all the gas motors that I have. My vehicles run on diesel.
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Post by squirrelhunter on May 25, 2015 11:59:07 GMT -5
According to the gas station manager where I go the higher octanes like 89 and 93 have additives to compensate for the ethanol so I only run 93 in the lawn mower,4 wheeler and trimmers and 89 in the vehicles.
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Post by esshup on May 25, 2015 12:48:57 GMT -5
I ran the highest octane ethanol laced fuel that I could get but that didn't seem to help. Intermittently I'd run SeaFoam and I tried to remember to use Marine Stabil in the fuel cans, but either I wasn't consistent enough or it didn't do any good.
Maybe I'm just old school, but I'm not going to run any more experiments at my expense. I'm going to stick with what is tried and true. I switched to running 100LL in my chainsaws that could be tuned for it too.
I know what alcohol does to motors - I'd help a buddy that had an alcohol injected small block chevy dragster. Every weekend after the races we'd have to go thru a cleaning process to keep the fuel system from corroding internally while it sat over the week between racing on the weekends.
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Post by HighCotton on May 25, 2015 15:44:32 GMT -5
Okay. I either need new glasses...or at least clean them and the mower when the mowing makes it so dusty. I found the manual and it says DO NOT use E85! So I looked a little closer at the cap and realized that even though it was stamped E85 in big letters, under the dust was a tiny little slash running diagonally!
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Post by Woody Williams on May 25, 2015 16:45:23 GMT -5
Okay. I either need new glasses...or at least clean them and the mower when the mowing makes it so dusty. I found the manual and it says DO NOT use E85! So I looked a little closer at the cap and realized that even though it was stamped E85 in big letters, under the dust was a tiny little slash running diagonally! I would not put E85 in anything at any time.. |
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Post by drs on May 26, 2015 4:40:32 GMT -5
I use 89 Octane containing NO ethanol, in my outdoor equipment. I've been told ethanol based fuel will ruin a small engine.
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Post by esshup on May 26, 2015 7:57:37 GMT -5
With the carb in the log splitter, the fuel orifice was slowly getting more and more clogged - I ended up having to run it with the choke "on" all the time.
I took the carb off and the deposits were impossible to remove, even using a very old can of Hog Wash that I had. I talked to a buddy that has a small engine shop in Freedom Indiana, and he said just buy another carb. I found one on e-bay for $25 that was new.
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Post by 36fan on Jun 2, 2015 11:47:54 GMT -5
E-85 contains ~30% less energy than 87 octane gasoline. So unless the price is at least 30% cheaper, you are wasting money to use it, and that is assuming your vehicle is built to run E-85. If it isn't, you be doing more than clogging your fuel system, it also degrades seals and gaskets.
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Post by harryman on Jun 8, 2015 12:31:11 GMT -5
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Post by onebentarrow on Jun 8, 2015 12:44:16 GMT -5
this is great thanks for the post |
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Post by harryman on Jun 8, 2015 15:29:15 GMT -5
this is great thanks for the post Also outboard motors should always use ethanol free gas. Ethanol destroys outboards it eats gaskets and hoses. I repaired alot of outboards for people. Also junked alot that was beyond repait costs more than a nee motor. Plus the fact of getting stuck on a lake without anyone around is bad. Well atleast if fish aren't bitting or your hungry. |
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Post by swilk on Jun 8, 2015 16:48:51 GMT -5
E85 has a purpose....high compression or forced induction. Actually been thinking of building a procharged 540 to run it....I think you can run 15:1 or even higher on it.
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Post by squirrelhunter on Jun 8, 2015 20:36:10 GMT -5
Thanks. I didn't realize they sold pure gas too because they have a E85 sign up.
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