As a retired mechanic I have seen many changes in fuel over the years but the "latest" change has to be the worst. Ethanol is a viable fuel as long as the engine it is used in is designed for it but when it is introduced into gasoline it will encounter materials that are not designed for it's presence. In two stroke engines in particular the plastics are not always compatible with it's properties and the results can be devastating. My Poulan chainsaw got to the point where I had to use waterpump pliers to remove and replace the gas tank cover as it had swollen that much. Fuel lines will rot with just a few months when exposed to ethanol.
I did find a "fix" in the guise of ethanol free gasoline. To be exact I am feeding it 110 octane racing fuel. After less than a month of use I can now remove and replace the cap by hand and the saw runs super. No, high octane fuel does not run hotter but actually cooler. It is not cheap though, $8.49 a gallon but a gallon will last a long time for a homeowner saw and the advantages out weigh the price.

 

I've been using regular ethanol gasoline in all my 2 cycle engines for years and have had no ill effects. However, I do treat my two cycle gas containers with Stabill gas treatment.

 

How old is the piece of machinery you're keeping running? I'm running 20 year old equipment with modern auto fuel without difficulty.

If racing fuel is difficult to find a more commonly available and slightly cheaper source of alcohol free fuel is Avgas. It's available at almost every airport in North America. Just ask for "100 low lead" (100LL).

 

I'm a retired mechanic that pumped millions of gallons of methanol through Buna-N rubber hoses, diaphragms and plastic bodied paper gasoline filters without a problem. You may say, well that was methanol. What's the difference. Not much,so look it up since you probably won't believe me anyway.

 

Count me in as one who has seen the negative effects of ethanol on a regular basis.

 

Alcohol also has less btu's for the same volume as gasoline so you get less work out of a gallon of gas that contains alcohol. This lowers the mileage you get in your car and don't get me started on our tax dollars subsidizing alcohol's inclusion in gasoline.

 

thumbuster, you have Marathon gas stations up there? Around here they carry non-ethanol "Rec" fuel @ about $0.50/gal above regular.

 

Yes, we do have Marathon stations here but I am having such good results with the Cam-2 fuel that I hate to try anything else, even though I am paying more for it. I know, I'm old and set in my ways, lol. I also finally found a carb adjusting tool for my saw and reset the mixture screws.

 

I think you find a lot of different experiences with the ethanol fuel because of the source and what plant matter was used to make the ethanol. I've used it in everything here in Iowa and I would say the only difference I have noticed is it's cheaper than straight gasoline and smells a little different.

I use it in two strokes on my Weedeater and chainsaws. I haven't used a fuel stabilizer and I leave the stuff in the saws in the off season. They always start back up the following season with no problems. But this seems to be the exception to a lot of bad experiences people have using ethanol.

I believe when it came out a lot of car manufacturers were leery of it and there was talk of warranty conflicts. Those seemed to go by the wayside, though. Still in small engines/small engine repair problems show up pretty frequently

 

I see it dissolve sealer on the welch plugs, swell the rubber gaskets on gas caps, swell the caps so they don't fit anymore, turn rubber lines to gum and the yellow tygon type lines crumble to pieces in what seems like much shorter time than they used to. The rubber tank grommets don't like the ethanol and swell and turn to gum, the older diaphragms not made of ethanol proof rubber don't last, they wrinkle up like a raisin. The ethanol in the fuel also absorbs water from the air. This causes corrosion and creates some kind of jelly in carburetors when it reacts with the metals in the carb. On top of that, you get less work per gallon when ethanol is in it, so you must burn more fuel, which negates the cost and emission savings. Emission savings are false anyway. Can you tell I don't like the stuff, lol!

 

From what I run across you're not the only one, Cheese. There's a lot of it in Iowa and some say they won't use it if they can get something without it. The biodiesel was a little bit of a nightmare in its debut in a cold winter. There was a "cow" in every tank and the congealed fat plugged filters. Some schools had their entire fleets down.

I'm not sure about the differences that may figure into the equation. I was under the impression that EPA governed the emissions generated by the burning of gas and diesel and that worked back to the the point of what was in it, making it all the same.

In terms of what you get out of it we normally get the same mpg out of our vehicles as the EPA estimates or a little better. I'd admit, though, if I mowed three acres on a little more or less gas I wouldn't know it.

There may be more to it. I just haven't seen the damage I hear about. Maybe I should get out more.

 

I have worked on small engines for over 50 years and this is my personal opinion:
I agree that the source of gasoline may be the problem for some. I have equipment that is as old. Echo string trimmer and blower are over 20 years old and have never been repaired. I have always used premium fuel, like 93 octane, and immediately treat with Sta-Bil, even with pre mixed for two cycle.
One problem with ethanol is that it absorbs moisture and that is why I keep all small engines full of fuel, when not in use.
Many carburetor problems, especially chainsaws, string trimmers and such, will have a buildup of what looks like brown powder under welch plugs that has to be removed after removing plug. This powder is not sawdust.
People have to aware that with small engines you will have tiny holes in the carburetors that will trap even the smallest particle and that means CLEAN FUEL, FUEL CONTAINERS. and FUEL TANKS must be maintained!

 

I have not had any problems running Ethanol pump gas in my Husqvarna 2-stroke engines, but I started having problems with it in my truck, as well as my Kohler and Generac 4-stroke engines. Of course my solution to that is propane conversion.