Preserving unleaded fuel.......

[Guest]

What (if anything) are the genny users on here using to preserve their unleaded??

 

Cheers.

[the barnacle]

i wouldnt of thought petrol as like Diesel would need an aditive - i have had gennys and engines with petrol yonks old in it and they have been ok? sorry if i have read the question wrong,

[Nickhlx]

I use Archoil AR6200EU, which preserves heating oil, diesel and petrol, as well as cleaning engines - available from Power Enhancer - they will have a bank holiday discount deal on this weekend...

 

Unleaded goes off significantly by the time it is a month old, and diesel / heating oil, now with added bio, is more hygroscopic and prone to diesel bug...

 

Also other of their products are interesting - AR9100 oil treatment enhances engine oil and AR8300 is a good grease for certain applications..

 

Nick

Edited April 28, 2016 by Nickhlx

[cuthound]

I use unleaded in my lawnmower, it is left in the tank over winter and it's never failed to start each season. I suspect that unleaded doesn't go off as much as the marketing people would have you believe.

[Tiggs]

http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp-country/en_au/media/fuel-news/petrol-life-vehicle-tanks.pdf

[Guest]

I use unleaded in my lawnmower, it is left in the tank over winter and it's never failed to start each season. I suspect that unleaded doesn't go off as much as the marketing people would have you believe.

This is why I am asking the question, I have just got a new petrol mower and the manual makes much of unleaded 'going off' after a month or two and potentially causing running probs. not covered by the warranty.

 

Interesting you have had no probs. though...

[WotEver]

This is why I am asking the question, I have just got a new petrol mower and the manual makes much of unleaded 'going off' after a month or two and potentially causing running probs. not covered by the warranty.

 

Interesting you have had no probs. though...

Me neither. I have a chainsaw that recently started 1st time on 3 year old petrol.

 

I was told that Leaded petrol used to drop its octane rating quite quickly if stored but I have my doubts about unleaded 'going off'.

 

Tony

[Jess--]

I suspect we are seeing warnings of petrol going off more now as the bio element of petrol is starting to increase.

 

if I remember correctly it has been slowly creeping up in percentage over the last couple of years and is meant to increase further in coming years.

 

again from memory the bio component is ethanol which will absorb moisture from the atmosphere and could cause problems if it absorbs too much

 

I wonder if we will start seeing problems similar to diesel bug appearing in stored petrol

 

anecdotally I started an old B&S engine a couple of weeks back which had been stood untouched with a full tank for 8 years that I know of (3 pulls and it was running)

conversely My stihl strimmer was completely gummed up after sitting over the winter and required completely stripping the carb to get it running

[the barnacle]

funny i struggled to start a sthil strimmer today yet i have 20 yr old petrol in a car which i start from time to time.

[peterboat]

The bio element can dissolve some carb bits so we have been told. I have had problems in the recent past with poor starting and running after a few months so who knows?

[tree monkey]

funny i struggled to start a sthil strimmer today yet i have 20 yr old petrol in a car which i start from time to time.

They can be buggers if left with fuel in the carb.

Drain the tank, take out spark plugs put fresh fuel in the tank and pull fresh fuel through, keep doing this for a scientifically measured ampunt of time, ie, a bit

Reasemble and try again.

Use top dollar 2 stroke oil, dont skimp on oil

[ditchcrawler]

I use unleaded in my lawnmower, it is left in the tank over winter and it's never failed to start each season. I suspect that unleaded doesn't go off as much as the marketing people would have you believe.

That is just what I was about to post, 5 lt last me about 8 cuts of the lawn. Never had a problem

[Jess--]

They can be buggers if left with fuel in the carb.

Drain the tank, take out spark plugs put fresh fuel in the tank and pull fresh fuel through, keep doing this for a scientifically measured ampunt of time, ie, a bit

Reasemble and try again.

Use top dollar 2 stroke oil, dont skimp on oil

to be fair with 2 stroke stuff I usually empty the tank and then restart the engine and run it totally dry when I am finished with things

[Paul C]

I've heard about this phenomenon of petrol "going off" and it makes sense from a scientific point of view. Petrol is a mix of (amongst other things) C₈ - C₁₃ hydrocarbons, so the lighter ones would evaporate preferentially and leave a less performing, less volatile mix. But I've left a chainsaw with the same fuel in it for many months; and stored a car over winter, with no ill effects on their running. Also I've seen petrol "gum up" in fuel injection systems, but thats after years not months.

 

I know plug in hybrid cars (which might have periods of use where the engine isn't used, or the petrol isn't refilled, for a long time) have a different petrol tank evaporation control system, which basically tries to keep the fuel as-is rather than letting any evaporate.

[Robbo]

Old fuel will "varnish" your carb and lines so if your not running things for months it's better to run them dry before storing.

[ditchcrawler]

They can be buggers if left with fuel in the carb.

Drain the tank, take out spark plugs put fresh fuel in the tank and pull fresh fuel through, keep doing this for a scientifically measured ampunt of time, ie, a bit

Reasemble and try again.

Use top dollar 2 stroke oil, dont skimp on oil

Do you use petrol in your saws, I though you guys favoured some other stuff

 

Like this http://www.aspenfuel.co.uk/clean-facts/alkylate-petrol/uses-for-aspen/for-chainsaws/

Edited April 28, 2016 by ditchcrawler

[tree monkey]

Do you use petrol in your saws, I though you guys favoured some other stuff

Do you mean this stuff?

 

http://www.aspenfuel.co.uk/clean-facts/alkylate-petrol/uses-for-aspen/for-chainsaws/

 

I dont know anyone who uses it, normally just use bog standard unleaded with a quality 50:1 oil

[Guest]

Just to be clear (if it makes any difference) the engine in my mower is four stroke.

 

Doing a bit more research it transpires there is some stuff available called !fuel fit' branded Briggs and Stratton (who make lawn mower and genny engines).

 

It costs not a lot and if I keep my fuel buying quantities low and run it dry when stored for winter I think I will be OK

 

Thanks everybody who responded.

[Dinz]

http://www.fuel-testers.com/expiration_of_ethanol_gas.html

[LEO]

Hi,

 

I normally find unleaded fuel stored in a container over the winter is Ok, but leaving it in the tank of a small engine can cause problems, especially if the carb. has a diaphragm fitted (most recent B&S engines have these), it distorts this.

 

They are available on Ebay, but don't buy the cheap ones as they are useless, go for a genuine B&S one.

M.

[WotEver]

Hi,

 

I normally find unleaded fuel stored in a container over the winter is Ok, but leaving it in the tank of a small engine can cause problems, especially if the carb. has a diaphragm fitted (most recent B&S engines have these), it distorts this.

 

They are available on Ebay, but don't buy the cheap ones as they are useless, go for a genuine B&S one.

M.

'They'?

[LEO]

'They'?

Sorry = replacement diaphragms, don't use the ones you get from the FPC as these only fit female engines.......

[Claude]

What (if anything) are the genny users on here using to preserve their unleaded??

 

Cheers.

 

http://www.gardenmachinerydirect.co.uk/accessories-attachments/BS-992380.html?gclid=CKmmwrCRtswCFdYK0wodsv4EFw

 

I run the generator for 20 mins weekly or fortnightly just to prevent it from seizing as I only use it infrequently. I always switch it off by closing the fuel tap while it's running to drain the carb. Make sure you disconnect anything before doing that as the generator will surge several times before it stops.

Edited April 30, 2016 by Claude

[Guest]

http://www.gardenmachinerydirect.co.uk/accessories-attachments/BS-992380.html?gclid=CKmmwrCRtswCFdYK0wodsv4EFw

 

I run the generator for 20 mins weekly or fortnightly just to prevent it from seizing as I only use it infrequently. I always switch it off by closing the fuel tap while it's running to drain the carb. Make sure you disconnect anything before doing that as the generator will surge several times before it stops.

Thanks Claude, pls. see my earlier post (#18) that is exactly what I've ordered as it happens.

[Shreck]

Being a cynical old ****** I don't use any of these treatments. I always use petrol that has spent the winter in the tank. However, I do drain the carburettor as if there is any dampness in the petrol there it may clog the jets.

 

No doubt petrol does lose a bit of its bang if stored for a long time but it should still work, especially if topped up with some fresh petrol with plenty of bang.

 

In my experience in owning and maintaining a four stroke outboard motor for many years, if the engine will not start and run on old petrol there is something wrong with the engine.

 

If you are really worried, fill up with fresh petrol at the start of the season and feed in your old petrol as the tank goes down. Don't sling it away, it costs too much.

 

This brings me to the old chestnut when people say "engines get addicted to Easy Start". This is total rubbish. Like as not there is something wrong with ignition, compression or carburation if you have to use this product. There is no doubt this product is excellent and I have a can of it in my workshop for diagnostic uses.

 

Shreck.