03/03/2021
I get asked a lot about fuel and best practices for preventing fuel problems in outdoor power equipment. This is a more complex issue than it would seem. There are 3 components to this issue, product, how you use the product and how you use the equipment. Some would say the fuel quality and octane are also a component, but in my opinion it is not as impactful as the ones I stated.
GET THE RIGHT PRODUCT
There are multiple brands of ethanol fuel treatments. The attached article talks a little about what to look for. Basically you want a product for small engines that treats for ethanol in the fuel and stabilizes for storage. The problem for outdoor power equipment is that it tends to sit around a lot. A simple, but not exhaustive list is Stabil 360, StarTron, Ethanol Shield, K100 etc. Do not get automotive gas treatment. You specifically want something that treats for ethanol problems in small engines.
USE IT PROPERLY
Most manufactures recommend keeping no more than a 30day supply of fuel on hand. This way you are getting fresh fuel regularly. If fuel sits around for longer periods, dispose of it and get fresh fuel. TREAT THE FUEL WHEN YOU GET IT AT THE PUMP. If possible, it is best to get non-ethanol fuel for your outdoor power equipment. This is very difficult to find and still should have a fuel stabilizer additive. If you treat the fuel when you get it then it will be ready to use and not have already degraded. NO FUEL TREATMENT CAN MAKE BAD GAS GOOD!
USE IT OFTEN
Outdoor power equipment that sits for long periods of time is most susceptible to problems. If the fuel usage is not significant, you may want to consider synthetic non-ethanol fuel, typically sold in quart, gallon or 5 gallon containers and sold at home centers, lawn & garden department merchandisers and outdoor power equipment dealers. Keep in mind that the cost of this product tends to be 6x, or more, the cost of pump gas. Summer is the most difficult time due to the heat and humidity. The heat deteriorates the fuel quicker and the ethanol draws moisture from the humidity. The moisture (water) is very corrosive to the carburetor parts when sitting as well as can affect the performance of the engine. Certainly, periodically running the equipment for a period of time (at least 5-10min) will held stave off some of these problems. The longer a piece of equipment sits, the more problematic the fuel can become. This is especially true for generators. Most manufacturers recommend running the generator once every 3 months for a minimum of 15 minutes.
Bottom line, use a quality small engine fuel treatment when you purchase your fuel. (Make sure the fuel in your machine is already treated.) Don’t get too much fuel at one time. Run your machine periodically. If storing your piece of outdoor power equipment, consider using a synthetic, or “canned”, non-ethanol fuel. (Don’t be afraid to drain or siphon old fuel out and replace with new fuel. Make sure your run the engine for several minutes when doing so.)
In the end, giving some extra attention to the fuel will pay off in having the piece of outdoor power equipment perform properly when you need it!
Some links to fuel treatments:
Stabil 360
https://www.goldeagle.com/brands/sta-bil
StarTron
http://www.starbrite.com/startron
Ethanol Shield
http://b3cfuel.com/product/ethanol-shield
Briggs & Stratton article on fuel treatments
https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/support/maintenance-how-to/browse/fuel-additives-that-work.html
Do you know what you really need when it comes to small engine fuel stabilizers? Find out here.
