Missilelock Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Is anyone else having serious problems with the ethanol gasoline in their 2 stroke engines? I blew up 3 chainsaws in 4 days last week, and am just beside myself. I haven't blown up a saw in 2 years. The gas only tested at 10% ethanol, and was mixed correctly with 93 octane gas. I am now running 87 octane ethanol free gas (highest available octane here). Also drained the gas from my boat today to be replaced tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 I quit using any ethanol fuels in all my small engines a few years ago. Our coop sells regular non ethanol gas for about a dime more per gallon than the ethanol crap. And yes I have had problems; pitting in carbs, problems with floats sticking, but fortunately not blown anything up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 an additive is available to keep that from happening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Run Trufuel or SEF if ethanol free gas in not available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Yes! Ethanol causes problems in the two stroke engines, especially the smaller ones with smaller carbs. Gunk builds up in the jets, causing them to lean out which means BOOM. If you run fuel with ethanol in it we recommend Startron additive here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 an additive is available to keep that from happening Yeah great isn't it, the fuel does not cost enough as it is. The green folks wanted us to burn food in our motors and the result we now have to add additives that probably have not been ecologically tested yet. Real smart thinking on their part, driven both food and fuel prices up and causing all sorts of mechanical problems for the owners. No surprise that the obama admin invested billions of taxpayer dollars in more green energy co's that have folded. I had a man at the kubota dealership last year trying to sell me additives for diesel fuel, told me they are now seeing troubles from this crap with diesel engines. I passed, wonderful thing is I just recently started having troubles with the injectors in my 1998 m4700. Guess I need to find a place that sells non ethanol diesel. Anyone have suggestions for a diesel additive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archerjg Posted July 7, 2013 Report Share Posted July 7, 2013 We've been using Startron in our 2 and 4 stroke motors. If you can find it try Opti-2 for all your two stroke motors it mixes for all combinations and we have run it for years with no problems in everything from echo weed eaters to Stihl, JD, and echo chainsaws as well as other various equipment that is two stroke. For diesels the new low sulphur off road diesels are horrible for the older injection pumps as it doesn't provide enough lubricity for them. We've had good luck using power service diesel additive to our off road farm fuel tank and so far it seems to be adding enough lubrication to make up for what was lost when they changed the off road diesel to lower sulphur. Hope that helps wtnhunt. Archerjg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missilelock Posted July 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2013 I paid $3.27 for 87 octane gas today for the trunk, and $449 for 90 octane non ethanol gas for the 2 strokes this evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted July 7, 2013 Report Share Posted July 7, 2013 power service for Diesel ..I agree Wil, this "green" energy crap policy is not good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 talked to different shops in the area and with their recommendations I use higher octane gas pumped during the summer and mixed to 45:1 opposed to 50:1. I use Husqvarna premix oil which has stabilizer already in it. seems to be working because I haven't had any issues. I also don't leave gas in my equipment for a prolonged period of time like during the colder winter months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 For diesels the new low sulphur off road diesels are horrible for the older injection pumps as it doesn't provide enough lubricity for them. We've had good luck using power service diesel additive to our off road farm fuel tank and so far it seems to be adding enough lubrication to make up for what was lost when they changed the off road diesel to lower sulphur. Hope that helps wtnhunt. Archerjg Thanks. Since I started having problems I have been running an additive from wal mart I am pretty sure it is power service for diesel. Seems like my tractor is fine until I let it idle or until I get on slopes. Maybe a few more tanks and it will eventually clean out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted July 9, 2013 Report Share Posted July 9, 2013 I work in commercial combustion (Petrochemical). I climb on those heaters that make gas, diesel, lubricants several times a year.... let me tell you, the guys in the refineries do NOT like ethanol either. Two things: I drive a lot and use 100% gas. Ethanol is cheaper at the pump but in a standard car/ truck you will getter better MPG from pure gas voiding any savings from ethanol. Second, one refinery I visit pretty regular on Lake Charles in LA has ethanol guns to help generate heat in the process heater. Keep in mind the heaters internal temperature is often around 1600f and up to 1800f. H2 reformers (Hydrogen) typically have internal temperatures of say 2000f - 2100f. It takes a LOT of fuel to get a heater to that temp. Cabin heaters can have tons of burners (say 24 burners at 8mm BTU/HR = 192,000,000 BTU/HR or enough to heat 4,267 standard homes). Because of this they use off gasses sometimes or oil guns, ethanol guns, etc to help or even just get rid of the waste gas. Ethanol is much like Diesel in that it isn’t as combustible as say ethylene based fuels (natural gas). Ergo, Ethanol has to be ran through an atomizer to break the fuel into such small particles that they combust quicker and cleaner (by inducing air into the mixture). The one particular refinery has Ethanol guns in one of their heaters. In that particular heater the ethanol guns have turned into ethanol squirt guns. Instead of the ethanol looking like a fine burning mist, it has clogged the atomizers and is now squirting the fuel in a stream inside the heater (with a combustion temp of 1600 - 1700f). It is junk... I avoid it at all cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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