ConsumerReports, weighs in on ethanol in small enhines

[Gerritt]

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/07/the-cheapest-gas-can-be-trouble-for-outdoor-gear/index.htm

 

G

[ecmilley]

i love ethanol keeps me busy

[smitty55]

Tks for sharing. That's certainly not news to me. It's common knowledge in the small engine industry. Not so mainstream I guess. Funny how it took so long for CR to publish this, but at least they did.

 

I own 3 outboards. A '71 1.5hp, a '72 6hp and a '80 20hp. So I've always had to stay clear of ethanol fuel. I've always used high test in them and I use premium in all my small engines. Plus I never buy more than I need.

The best advice I can offer anyone is to use Sea Foam in all your small engine fuel. I swear by that stuff after using it for the last 7+ years. It really can be a tune up in a can, and is a great maintenance additive to keep your machine running clean. Great for all engines actually.

 

Cheers

[Walleye72]

Yep, most members on the board will be familiar with the info in that Consumer Reports post.

 

What gets me down is the number of people not familiar with small engines, (I'm no pro but I read a lot about it) who look at me like I have 3 heads when I suggest not leaving half a tank of fuel in their mower and putting it to bed for the winter.

 

"It'll be fine, it always starts".

 

"Okay, good luck."

 

Nasty Look.

 

Why did I bother? I never learn.

[lew]

I just purchased a new TORO "personal pace" mower and was told by the dealer to use nothing but Premium gas in it, same thing with my Stihl leaf blower and grass trimmer.

 

Seems like Premium gas is now recommended for most new small engines by the manufacturers.

 

As stated, it'll cost more for the fuel but hopefully save big repair bills down the road.

[OhioFisherman]

http://pure-gas.org/

 

 

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

 

 

http://www.bellperformance.com/blog/bid/110140/Does-premium-gas-have-ethanol-in-it

Edited August 1, 2015 by OhioFisherman

[wildeye rainbow]

Darn ethanol!

 

A few years ago on our canoe trip, our 2hp yamahas kept fouling up. We'd take the plugs off and clean them and then it would foul again. Dang ethanol!! The lodge owner gave us an additive (I called in magic elixir) that we used and the motors worked fine as long as we used the additive.

 

Since then, we are only using premium gas along with some additive - no problems!

 

WR

[Steve]

there's a member on here, can't remember their name, who clearly works for the ethanol industry....

 

every time there is a thread about that evil crap, they are in here defending it....

 

ethanol is horrible stuff!!!!

[fishindevil]

corn gas is garbage !!!!!!! ........dam ethanol......garbage garbage,,,,, oh wait let me tell you how i really feel about the state of todays gas.....yup garbage

[jtracc]

The issue here is why are we still paying top dollar for crap gas! South of the boarder pays almost half of what we are paying in most states. Who is sick of this government giving it to us in the @ss?? I know I am. Gotta love ontaribble!

[BillM]

The issue here is why are we still paying top dollar for crap gas! South of the boarder pays almost half of what we are paying in most states. Who is sick of this government giving it to us in the @ss?? I know I am. Gotta love ontaribble!

 

First off there's the exchange rate.. Second, the US isn't paying half of much for gas as we are, not to sure where you're getting those numbers from.

[AKRISONER]

started running shell v power with seafoam in my 89 suzuki 15, the thing hasnt run so smoothly since i started driving it 8 years ago.

[Beavertail]

started running shell v power with seafoam in my 89 suzuki 15, the thing hasnt run so smoothly since i started driving it 8 years ago.

I run the same combo in my outboard and lawn equipment. Funny though, the other day while filling up my vehicle at a specific Esso gas station I noticed a prompt scrolling across the screen on the pump stating their gas was ethanol free. Who knew? That is the only Esso where I've seen that, makes me wonder how legit it is.

[jtracc]

First off there's the exchange rate.. Second, the US isn't paying half of much for gas as we are, not to sure where you're getting those numbers from.

My brother lives in Florida they paying about 60 cents for reg gas when you convert gallons to litres and its predicting to go down to low 50 cent per litre by end of month. I was in Tennessee few months back, gas there was high $.50. And thank you for reminding me about the exchange rate I had no idea our dollar was

76 cents to the U.S.

Hey who remembers paying $1.30 a litre when our dollars was close, par or better then the U.S. Dollar???

 

Hey bill keep making excuses and we will keep getting boned.

 

My brother just texted me reg gas is $2.30 a gallon is south Florida. Do the math bill. That's where I'm getting my info from.

Edited August 14, 2015 by jtracc

[BillM]

My brother lives in Florida they paying about 60 cents for reg gas when you convert gallons to litres and its predicting to go down to low 50 cent per litre by end of month. I was in Tennessee few months back, gas there was high $.50. And thank you for reminding me about the exchange rate I had no idea our dollar was

76 cents to the U.S.

Hey who remembers paying $1.30 a litre when our dollars was close, par or better then the U.S. Dollar???

 

Hey bill keep making excuses and we will keep getting boned.

 

I'm not making excuses, I'm just doing the math. Average on GasBuddy for Florida is 2.30-2.48 per US gallon.

 

$2.30 / 3.78 litres per US gallon = $0.60US. As of today according to x-rates, that's $0.78CAD

 

Where are you seeing gas for almost $1.60 a litre up here?

Edited August 14, 2015 by BillM

[G.mech]

I run the same combo in my outboard and lawn equipment. Funny though, the other day while filling up my vehicle at a specific Esso gas station I noticed a prompt scrolling across the screen on the pump stating their gas was ethanol free. Who knew? That is the only Esso where I've seen that, makes me wonder how legit it is.

 

I recently did some research and was told by our local fuel distributor that all Esso gasoline produced at the Nanticoke refinery was ethanol free including the regular. I wasn't so sure whether to believe them or not and did some more digging & it is true. If you can find out the source of the fuel from your local gas station it will be ethanol free if it came from this refinery. This refinery supplies many stations including many independents.

[jtracc]

I'm not making excuses, I'm just doing the math. Average on GasBuddy for Florida is 2.30-2.48 per US gallon.

 

$2.30 / 3.78 litres per US gallon = $0.60US. As of today according to x-rates, that's $0.78CAD

 

Where are you seeing gas for almost $1.60 a litre up here?

 

The exchange rate didn't matter when our dollar was par with the U.S. Dollar so shy should it matter now? I'm just saying. Don't know about you guys but I didn't notice any big savings when we had a higher dollar, gas, food tackle? I'm no economist but...

[AKRISONER]

I run the same combo in my outboard and lawn equipment. Funny though, the other day while filling up my vehicle at a specific Esso gas station I noticed a prompt scrolling across the screen on the pump stating their gas was ethanol free. Who knew? That is the only Esso where I've seen that, makes me wonder how legit it is.

 

 

Now i just need to invest in a new fuel tank for it as the old 89 metal one seems to be corroding and fouling my engine constantly.

[Beavertail]

 

I recently did some research and was told by our local fuel distributor that all Esso gasoline produced at the Nanticoke refinery was ethanol free including the regular. I wasn't so sure whether to believe them or not and did some more digging & it is true. If you can find out the source of the fuel from your local gas station it will be ethanol free if it came from this refinery. This refinery supplies many stations including many independents.

Hey that's good to know, thanks. I have to go out of my way to hit the Shell station, more options are always a good thing.

[KraTToR]

Yep, most members on the board will be familiar with the info in that Consumer Reports post.

 

What gets me down is the number of people not familiar with small engines, (I'm no pro but I read a lot about it) who look at me like I have 3 heads when I suggest not leaving half a tank of fuel in their mower and putting it to bed for the winter.

 

"It'll be fine, it always starts".

 

"Okay, good luck."

 

Nasty Look.

 

Why did I bother? I never learn.

My neighbor to a tee...

 

I honestly believe its just laziness... But then again when I moved into our new house I bought a brand new Honda mower and gave this neighbor my old one which was about 10 yrs old at the time. Well its 12 yrs later and he's still using it and I doubt he's ever winterized it, changed the oil, plug or air filter.....

 

My wife still brings up the fact that I didn't need the honda after all...lol

[John Bacon]

The exchange rate didn't matter when our dollar was par with the U.S. Dollar so shy should it matter now? I'm just saying. Don't know about you guys but I didn't notice any big savings when we had a higher dollar, gas, food tackle? I'm no economist but...

 

Do you read the news? Oil has dropped from over a $100 a barrel to under $50 a barrel. When we were paying $130 /litre oil was over $100 barrel and the U.S. prices were higher than too. It doesn't make much sense to compare the prices we were paying a year ago when oil was over a $100 / barrel to what the U.S. is paying now when oil is less than $50 barrel.

 

Canada has more taxes on gas than the U.S. so our prices will be higher even when the dollar is at par. But the prices will be closer when our dollar is at par.

 

Our dollar has dropped quite significantly as the price of oil has dropped; that is one reason why gas prices as the pump have not dropped as quickly as the price of oil as fallen. The U.S. prices at the pump will have dropped more significantly because their dollar value is not offsetting the savings in the price of oil.

Edited August 14, 2015 by JohnBacon

[BillM]

The exchange rate didn't matter when our dollar was par with the U.S. Dollar so shy should it matter now? I'm just saying. Don't know about you guys but I didn't notice any big savings when we had a higher dollar, gas, food tackle? I'm no economist but...

 

I liked the savings as well! I agree that it's total Bull. Not even worth shopping down there anymore.

[jtracc]

I'm just saying dollar high or dollar low us as Canadians and even more ontarians seem to get the shaft. John, implying I don't read the news is Bull. We all know that we get hosed. You said it yourself oil has dropped 50% has our dollar dropped 50% yes we pay high taxes but we always had high taxes. If our dollar was closer to par with the U.S. Dollar and the cost of oil was still down 50% I don't think we would see much of a savings.

[DRIFTER_016]

Out West the price of gas has risen quite a bit as of late.

They are saying it is due to the dollar being down (oil sands crude is refined in the US) and the fact one of the big Western oil sands refineries has had an unexpected shutdown for repairs.

And to make things worse the crude wholesalers have not lowered their prices so the refineries are still paying high prices for crude.

Also most of the wholesalers also have refineries so they are using the extra profit from the sale of crude to offset the lower crude prices.

 

It's a load of crap as far as I'm concerned.

 

Good article on why we are getting screwed!!

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/08/13/gas-prices-western-canada-select-oil-price_n_7983244.html

[G.mech]

The other thing about ethanol is that by mandating its use (in both Canada and the US) it drove up the price of corn (and subsequently other grain crops) resulting in higher costs for food, animal feed etc. Now thanks to the ethanol in our fuel, we can't even afford a nice steak or a burger after we're done fixing all our gas powered toys which we can't afford fuel for in the first place due to the taxes....