A book could be compiled regarding operators claiming ethanol fuels being bad.
It can be, depending on one’s particular circumstance.
It’s helpful to understand a bit about ethanol. Ethanol is a form of alcohol, & all alcohols make very good solvents. This is a good thing, it keeps everything clean. How do you think cars go 300,000km without ever gumming up a fuel injector?
Alcohols also are extremely good at absorbing/mixing with water. You all know this as you’ve probably mixed concentrated alcohols with distilled water for your cars cooling system.
Ethanol will grab any water in your tank, (which there always is due to condensation), & move it through, again, a good thing.
So, why all the angst?
The same things that are beneficial, CAN, in the right circumstances, be detrimental.
If you have old machines, the fuel lines, seals, pumps, carb floats, often won’t handle the solvent power of ethanol. They swell or deteriorate, & clog up filters & carburetors. In 2-strokes, they can ruin crankcase seals, resulting in a dead engine.
Ethanols affinity for water means if you have a lot of water in your fuel, it will absorb until it can hold no more, then it phase separates, & will not burn.
This is generally only an issue when you rarely use the motor, it sits over winter, absorbs too much water, & won’t start. Ethanol fuels also have a shorter shelf life, reed vapour pressures decrease, & it won’t ignite.
These are the main reasons it gets such a bad rap, especially in seasonal equipment like chainsaws, kickers, & other power equipment that is left for months at a time.
Coles Notes Version: if your manual says you can use fuel containing 10% ethanol, AND you use the motor regularly, so fuel is not left sitting for extended periods, you’re fine. (Caveat- your fuel tanks & lines must also be ethanol compliant).
If you have older legacy equipment, with components that are not ethanol proof, stick with premium fuels, most do not contain alcohols.
if you store equipment in unheated sheds, or outdoors, where rapid temperature changes are experienced, (which results I condensation), store them with completely empty tanks, or completely full.
I have numerous 2-strokes, Seadoo, kickers, chainsaws, weed whack ers, lawn tractor. I burn regular 10% all summer, (except for the small engines, which might sit for a couple months between use).
I run the carbs dry on my kickers after each days use. (Just pull the fuel line)
Larger motors, Volvo stern drive, I winter store with premium fuel, with stabilizer.
I’ve never had an issue from using ethanol fuels
