Back on point ... just to add my voice to this argument -- I've had first hand experience (as has Mike Roache, Mike B and anyone else who was in that awful convoy to Winchester years ago) as to just how destructive that Ethanol crap is -- Nothing like watching (from the driver's seat ...) a freshly painted firetruck catch fire in the engine compartment because the fuel system disintegrated on a road trip. Only Mike Roache's quick, professional reaction saved that truck.
My two modern drivers ('14 E-350 and the '19 VW) are the only things I put that crap in. Everything else (that burns gasoline
) gets real gas. I prefer the 89 octane non-ethanol for the little 2-stroke engines (chainsaws, weedeater, etc) but I haven't discovered yet where that can be obtained in NE Alabama. I recently fired up my little saw (Stihl 250). It hadn't run in more than two years and the gas in it was probably a year old then. Started on 4th pull and ran fine. My other two Stihls (a 440 Magnum and the MS360) are both more than 20 years old now, I've owned them since new and have run nothing but non-ethanol fuel (89 Octane until we moved here) and the Stihl-branded 2-cycle oil. They both run like they are still brand new.If I was not going to use the gas for 5 years, I might add stabil to it. But I don't store fuel that long.
My generator (actually, a Hobart portable welder) is 26 years old. Stays with a full tank of non-ethanol in it at all times (with the fuel valve closed). Kohler engine. To run it, I just open the fuel valve, count to twenty and it'll start first pull. Same with the Robin (Subaru)-engined pressure washer and log splitter. Those who have problems with little engines starting on real gas either have maintenance issues or you have a crappy engine (Briggs or Tecumseh). Go German (Kohler) or Japanese (Kawasaki, Subaru, Honda, Yamaha, etc), and only run REAL gas, if you want good, long reliable life out of a little engine. On bigger engines like our automotive engines, unless the vehicle was designed and built to handle ethanol contaminated fuel ... you are not doing your engine any favors by running that crap.
Bottom line -- if you hate your engine and want it to die, run the ethanol fuel in it. I think it is pure crap and the environazi's are using it to destroy all internal combustion engines.
Around here, I have to go off the mountain to get real gas. And its more expensive. I'm told I have to go to Huntsville to find 89 Octane, but I haven't checked the marinas around here yet. But maybe the more we consumers reject that crap and demand better fuel, it may become more readily available (even out here on the distant end of the supply chain ...)
I wonder if I could mix 87 octane with 100 octane low lead from the airport? Either that or I may just start buying the pre-mixed Stihl fuel at the Co-op. Yes, you pay more for anything that's Stihl branded but my stihl equipment speaks for itself (3 chainsaws, pole saw, weed eater, brushcutter, blower) -- all *look* 20 years old, but they all run like new and start easily. Its more cost effective to pay more for the gas, oil and parts than to replace this stuff after 10 years. I bet when they have an estate auction to get rid of all my stuff in 20 years, it will all still be running great... if I don't neglect it ...
