Do you use ethanol free gas in your snowblower?

[Rock Chalk]

Same.

I will run ethanol-free gas in my small 2-stroke engines, because I can't close the fuel lines and run dry the carbs, but ethanol gas with additive in larger 4-stroke where I can shut off the fuel line and let the carb run dry. At the end of a season, I'll dump the treated gas in my gas cans into my cars.

The ethanol-free stuff is expensive though, from my local hardware store. ~$20 a gallon.

Wow…..it’s $3.84 a gallon right at the pump here.

 

[mr_fender]

Yeah, the pre-packaged stuff is going to be WAY overpriced. Find it at a gas station near you: https://www.pure-gas.org/

 

[Dave Merrill]

Yeah, the pre-packaged stuff is going to be WAY overpriced. Find it at a gas station near you: https://www.pure-gas.org/

None. Arlington MA. Ace Hardware is it, pre-packaged only.

 

[Rick]

No snow in my environs, but I do run ethanol-free gas in my generators. That’s my power if a storm knocks out the grid, so the few extra bucks here and there is worth knowing I get quick starts and smooth operation.

 

[pima1234]

Yes, it's worth it.

I can tell you that my truck prefers it too (Ram 1500). I go for E0 89 or 90.

 

[iaresee]

Honda snowblowers are like 3 times the price of other good brands, so they're off my radar.

Amortized over 20 years, it all works out.

 

[pauly]

I wouldn’t put ethanol in any machine I intend to keep, and want to be reliable.
Thanks Pauly

I finally had to replace my 30 year old Craftsman track drive snowblower, transmission went, not cost effective to fix. Bought a used one from a local big hardware store that's been one of the shop machines for the past season. 1/4 - 1/3 the price of new, gone over and tuned up by their snowblower whisperer, I'm happy.

That guy highly recommends ethanol free gas for all snowblowers, in spite of the cost. I've never done that.

Do you folks use it?

 

[pima1234]

Wow…..it’s $3.84 a gallon right at the pump here.

$3.99 in PA. I had .20c off, so I filled the truck. I keep some metal 5 gal containers of E0 in the shed.

 

[Rock Chalk]

$3.99 in PA. I had .20c off, so I filled the truck. I keep some metal 5 gal containers of E0 in the shed.

Nice.......I always fill up four 5Gal VP race jugs for mowing, blowing, and weedeating etc. plus I run it in my truck.

 

[Dave Merrill]

Nice.......I always fill up four 5Gal VP race jugs for mowing, blowing, and weedeating etc. plus I run it in my truck.

Those jugs are unexpectedly expensive! Doesn't matter to me though, since E0 isn't available at the pump around here.

Pre pack E0 is $28/gal, ouch, but so be it.

 

[iaresee]

Those jugs are unexpectedly expensive! Doesn't matter to me though, since E0 isn't available at the pump around here.

Pre pack E0 is $28/gal, ouch, but so be it.

Realistically, for where you live, that’ll last a season. Maybe more.

 

[Dave Merrill]

Realistically, for where you live, that’ll last a season. Maybe more.

Yeah but i feel like i should get at least two, for some reason

 

[ruso]

What I do, since ethanol free is readily available around here, is before I put the snowblower away for the season I shut off the fuel line and run the engine until it dies.

This empties the float bowl and keeps the ethanol and water from destroying the carburetor.

This.

 

[Rick]

What I do, since ethanol free is readily available around here, is before I put the snowblower away for the season I shut off the fuel line and run the engine until it dies.

This empties the float bowl and keeps the ethanol and water from destroying the carburetor.

This is a good tact. Even better is to cut the fuel off and let it run dry every time. This keeps the ethanol from sitting in the system, drying out rubber gaskets or just picking up moisture during the season, which it is reputed to do (I’m no chemist!). The newer Honda generators have a notch on the control valve to do this very thing, and it can’t damage what it isn’t touching!

 

[TG3K]

The only ethanol-free stuff available here is all the way across town, so I've not purchased any so far. I don't have a snowblower, and my chainsaw and string trimmer are only used occasionally. (Every few years for the chainsaw and a few times each summer for the trimmer.) I make it a point to run them dry if I know I won't be using that tool for a while. That was the suggestion I got from the shop where I bought them, and after nearly 20 years, they're both running well.

 

[Rock Chalk]

Those jugs are unexpectedly expensive!

Yeah I got mine on sale a while back....there's other brands of jugs that might be cheaper like Jegs or Summit....they don't givem away though

 

[rcm78]

Unfortunately, ethanol free gas is scarce in NJ. If it was available I’d use it in everything.

 

[Dave Merrill]

Yeah I got mine on sale a while back....there's other brands of jugs that might be cheaper like Jegs or Summit....they don't givem away though View attachment 152267

I can only buy it in cans, so i don't need to buy cans!

 

[Freds55]

I have to say using ethanol, free gas is the best thing you could ever do. It is worth the extra money to use. I use it in all of my lawn equipment.

Several years ago I switched my boat to only ethanol free fuel yes it is more expensive but I was replacing 4 fuel filters in my boat every year because they would be half full of water. Now I replace after two seasons and I might get a dime of water. Cost effective for sure.
Ethanol eats up the diaphragm in the carburetor and causes rust in the fuel tanks and does nothing but cause problems in small engines.

 

[scottp]

By me the nearest station is about 20 minutes away. I fill up a 5 gallon can when I go.
It is the ONLY fuel I use in all my small engine equipment. Ethanol free 93 octane.
Only about .90 cents more per gallon.
When I run it in my car, I get more MPG than standard ethanol 87 octane.

If you do use ethanol and just use the fuel shut off, remember the fuel line, tank and gas cap will all still be affected by it.