Ethanol Free Gas for Lawn Mower

As debates rage over fossil fuel alternatives, ethanol-blended gas continues to take space in outdoor machine use such as chainsaws and lawn mowers. However, ethanol-based fuels pose a risk to your machines. From overheating to complete malfunctioning, thereโ€™s no better time to look at the benefits of ethanol-free gas for your lawn mower.   

Ethanol-based fuels have plenty of downsides. 

  • They go bad fast
  • They deteriorate lawn mower parts
  • They offer less output per unit of measurement.

These downsides are solid ground to make a switch to ethanol-free gas for your lawn mower. 

We explore the benefits and differences between ethanol-based fuels and ethanol-free alternatives and why making the switch is important.ย 

What is ethanol free gas?

Ethanol-free gas is the gasoline that doesnโ€™t have ethanol added to it. As a fossil fuel, it has slowly lost favor amongst policy makers. They are pushing for a switch to its alternative, ethanol-blended gas, for its reduced toxic emissions.ย 

However, more recent research proves that large-scale production of ethanol-based gasoline from corn and soybean also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. This has brought ethanol-free gas back to favor amongst many.

Also, ethanol-free gas also enhances the operational life of small engines used in small power tools like lawn mowers.  Longer machine lifespan has increased the commercial and environmental appeal of ethanol-free gas.

Can I use ethanol gas in my lawn mower?

Itโ€™s safe to use ethanol gas that contains no more than 10% ethanol in small engines such as the four-stroke engines normally used in lawn mowers. Still, there are other upsides to using ethanol gas. 

  • Ethanol gas has less toxic omissions.

 Ethanol-free fuel emits more toxic compounds into the environment compared to ethanol-blended gasoline.

  • Using Ethanol gas lowers dependence on foreign oil.ย 

Ethanol-blended fuel contains 10% ethanol. Your lawn mower uses less fuel, especially if you look at long-term usage. It reduces the countryโ€™s dependence on foreign fuel if a significant percentage of American engine owners use ethanol-infused gas. 

  • Ethanol-blended gas costs less than ethanol-free gas.

Ethanol-mixed gasoline costs 10-15 cents less per gallon compared to ethanol-free gas. Additionally, ethanol-blended gas is easier to find as most gas stations prefer to stock ethanol-blended gas over non-ethanol gasoline.

  • ย ย Ethanol-blended gas is great for high-compression engines

Engine developers have favored a high-compression design that requires mixed fuels such as ethanol-blended gasoline. Ethanol gas has a higher octane rating than pure gasoline, thus can withstand high compression ratios without stressing the engine like pure gasoline would during pre-ignition.

Note: Avoid using ethanol gas containing more than 10% ethanol in small engines such as lawn mower engines. The high ethanol content in fuel increases the likelihood of such small engines overheating. Itโ€™s also responsible for the corrosion of parts.

Importance of Using Ethanol Free Gas

Ethanol-free gas in lawn mowers offers more mileage, enhances the lifespan of the engine, has a longer shelf life than ethanol-based gasoline, and reduces dependence on crops for ethanol production. 

Even better, non-ethanol gasoline is better for small engines like those used in mowers compared to ethanol-based fuels as they reduce the likelihood of overheating. Below are more advantages of ethanol-free gas. 

Ethanol-free gas is energy efficient

ย Non-ethanol gas offers better fuel efficiency as it has a higher energy content than ethanol gas. Energy-rich ethanol-free gas generates more power when combusted, allowing you to cover more lawn mileage on a single full tank than you would with ethanol-mixed gasoline.

Using ethanol-free fuel for your gas-powered lawn-mower reduces your energy usage by up to 3%. Still, the lower cost per gallon of ethanol-mixed gasoline gives it an edge over ethanol-free gas.ย 

Ethanol-free gas increases the engineโ€™s lifespan

Ethanol-mixed fuels were initially not part of the design considerations in older small engine models. Those smaller engines featured rubber and plastic parts that would break down upon long-term exposure to ethanol-blended gas, but stay functional when pure gasoline was used.ย 

Ethanol-blended gasoline produced water as a by-product. The ethanol and water combination is terrible for lubrication and will wreck the lawn mowerโ€™s internal parts. 

Has a Longer Shelf Life 

The ethanol content in ethanol-blended gas is vulnerable to evaporation and decay by oxidation. Therefore, Ethanol-blended doesnโ€™t last beyond three months. Comparatively, ethanol-free gas has a six-month shelf life under proper storage conditions.ย 

Better Engine Performance

Pure gasoline only soaks up 300 ppm of water while ethanol-based gas with 10% ethanol absorbs 5000 ppm before the formation of free water. Hence, ethanol-free gas absorbs up to 50 times less water than E10 ethanol-blended gasoline. Ethanol-free gas is, therefore, less likely to cause engine damage or negatively affect the engine performance.ย 

Note: Replace the gasoline before using the lawn mower if ethanol-blended gasoline has been in your mowerโ€™s fuel tank for more than three weeks.ย 

Reduces dependence on Ethanol Crops 

Ethanol is derived from crops like corn. The increasing popularity of ethanol-mixed fuels has led to a price hike of these crops. The pressure on the corn industry will reduce If more people use pure gasoline and thereโ€™ll be less independence on crop production for fuel.

Warranty Coverage

Some lawn mower companies like Husqvarna warn their small engines canโ€™t handle fuel with high ethanol content such as E15 gasoline. Their warranty doesnโ€™t extend to engine damage caused by such fuels. You risk voiding your warranty by using ethanol-blended gas,ย 

Side effects of ethanol in small engines

The side effects of ethanol in small engines include corrosion and breakdown of parts, reduced mileage, and eventually total engine failure.

  • Ethanol corrodes small engine partsย 

Ethanol attracts water to form a corrosive mix that damages parts of the fuel system during phase separation. Ethanol gas also raises vapor pressure, potentially leading to carburetor vapor lock.

  • Ethanol dissolves plastic and rubber

Ethanol will slowly break any rubber and plastic components inside the fuel system. It makes them brittle and potentially leads to startup problems later.

  • Ethanol shortens fuel lifespanย 

Ethanol-blended gasoline decays faster due to the high oxygen content in the fuel. As the fuel decomposes, it forms a sludge buildup on the carburetor. Eventually, you experience startup failures when you power up the machine.ย 

Note: An unpleasant, sour smell is a sign of ethanol-mix gas gone bad. Prevent ethanol-based fuel from going bad using an ethanol fuel stabilizer.

  • Ethanol-laced gas gives you less mileage

Ethanol-infused gas gives you less mileage since the ethanol reduces the level of free energy. As a result, energy efficiency is negatively affected.

What does E0 and E10 gas mean?

E0 refers to ethanol-free gas, while E10 refers to fuel that has been blended with 10% ethanol, with the remaining 90% being gasoline. Another common label is E15, which denotes fuel that contains 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline. 

Note: Youโ€™re better off using E0 and E10 fuels for the small engines used in lawn mowers. Avoid using E15 gas as itโ€™ll likely trigger overheating of the engine.

E10 fuels are government-approved for use on small engines. However, we donโ€™t recommend it. Avoid storing your lawn mower with E10 gas in the tank. Youโ€™ll be risking serious damage to your engine as the E10 will break down rubber fuel lines and gum up the carburetor.

Most of the gas sold in the USA is ethanol-blended gas (E10 and E15), as the government continues to support reduced dependence on foreign energy. However, you can still find E0 gas for your mower at a handful of gas stations and fuel supply stores. Online research can help you find ethanol-free gas suppliers in your area.

References

i.ย U.S. Energy Information Administration: How much ethanol is in gasoline, and how does it affect fuel economy?

ii.ย U.S Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center: Ethanol Vehicle Emissions

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