Another "gas" question
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 14,137
Likes: 2,984
From: Iowa
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
You may not believe me but I have a old gas story.
Back in 2001 I had my left arm crushed at work. I could no longer push my push mower. With just one arm good, I had to get a new self-propelled mower to use. So I just tossed the old mower in shed as a back-up. Fast forward to 2017. My daughter and her boyfriend rented a house and needed a lawnmower. I said they could have my old one. I pulled it out of the shed. I checked the oil, looked new. Checked the air filter, looked new. Checked the spark plug, looked new. Went to put fresh gas in it and to my astonishment, it had gas in it. Crap. But, for the heck of it, I primed it and pulled the rope. No start. Repeated but with more priming. The mower started! With 16 year old gas, it started! I mowed my backyard with it to use the gas up, put fresh gas in it and gave it away.
I might have put Sta-bil in it back in 2001 but even if I did, no way should that gas been good 16 years later, but it was.
Back in 2001 I had my left arm crushed at work. I could no longer push my push mower. With just one arm good, I had to get a new self-propelled mower to use. So I just tossed the old mower in shed as a back-up. Fast forward to 2017. My daughter and her boyfriend rented a house and needed a lawnmower. I said they could have my old one. I pulled it out of the shed. I checked the oil, looked new. Checked the air filter, looked new. Checked the spark plug, looked new. Went to put fresh gas in it and to my astonishment, it had gas in it. Crap. But, for the heck of it, I primed it and pulled the rope. No start. Repeated but with more priming. The mower started! With 16 year old gas, it started! I mowed my backyard with it to use the gas up, put fresh gas in it and gave it away.
I might have put Sta-bil in it back in 2001 but even if I did, no way should that gas been good 16 years later, but it was.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Here's my story. Many years ago I worked for a small engine repair shop. The number one problem we encountered was bad gas from long periods of storage. Gas with ethanol was really bad. It turned into solids that clogged the carbs. It was easy money. Drain the tank and bowl, clean out the orifices and put it back together. Good as new. Of course not everyone will have a problem, but the fact is, gas does start to degrade after a couple of months. Adding Stabil can't hurt and just might save some grief in the long run. Cheap insurance.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 169
Likes: 22
From: Shelton WA
You may not believe me but I have a old gas story.
Back in 2001 I had my left arm crushed at work. I could no longer push my push mower. With just one arm good, I had to get a new self-propelled mower to use. So I just tossed the old mower in shed as a back-up. Fast forward to 2017. My daughter and her boyfriend rented a house and needed a lawnmower. I said they could have my old one. I pulled it out of the shed. I checked the oil, looked new. Checked the air filter, looked new. Checked the spark plug, looked new. Went to put fresh gas in it and to my astonishment, it had gas in it. Crap. But, for the heck of it, I primed it and pulled the rope. No start. Repeated but with more priming. The mower started! With 16 year old gas, it started! I mowed my backyard with it to use the gas up, put fresh gas in it and gave it away.
I might have put Sta-bil in it back in 2001 but even if I did, no way should that gas been good 16 years later, but it was.
Back in 2001 I had my left arm crushed at work. I could no longer push my push mower. With just one arm good, I had to get a new self-propelled mower to use. So I just tossed the old mower in shed as a back-up. Fast forward to 2017. My daughter and her boyfriend rented a house and needed a lawnmower. I said they could have my old one. I pulled it out of the shed. I checked the oil, looked new. Checked the air filter, looked new. Checked the spark plug, looked new. Went to put fresh gas in it and to my astonishment, it had gas in it. Crap. But, for the heck of it, I primed it and pulled the rope. No start. Repeated but with more priming. The mower started! With 16 year old gas, it started! I mowed my backyard with it to use the gas up, put fresh gas in it and gave it away.
I might have put Sta-bil in it back in 2001 but even if I did, no way should that gas been good 16 years later, but it was.
A good friend of mine works for SAFE Boats (they make military rambo boats that go all over the world to all different governments). He told me they never ever use gas with ethanol, only ethanol free stuff. Crap, sorry-didn't mean to hijack the thread! good discussion tho for sure as it seems most of us have gas powered stuff that is going to be sleeping for a while. (no comments from those of you guys in CA, AZ and Florida now saying it was 75 today! Ive got snow on the ground 
)
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 14,137
Likes: 2,984
From: Iowa
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Hmmmm....2001. can't remember when they started putting ethanol in the gas, but maybe that was before? If that stuff had ethanol in it, i'd say you were fortunate!! A good friend of mine works for SAFE Boats (they make military rambo boats that go all over the world to all different governments). He told me they never ever use gas with ethanol, only ethanol free stuff. Crap, sorry-didn't mean to hijack the thread! good discussion tho for sure as it seems most of us have gas powered stuff that is going to be sleeping for a while. (no comments from those of you guys in CA, AZ and Florida now saying it was 75 today! Ive got snow on the ground )
A good friend of mine works for SAFE Boats (they make military rambo boats that go all over the world to all different governments). He told me they never ever use gas with ethanol, only ethanol free stuff. Crap, sorry-didn't mean to hijack the thread! good discussion tho for sure as it seems most of us have gas powered stuff that is going to be sleeping for a while. (no comments from those of you guys in CA, AZ and Florida now saying it was 75 today! Ive got snow on the ground )I live in Iowa and ethanol is huge here. Personally I don't like it as gas mileage suffers. Now they are pushing E-15.
It won't be long before E-10 is gone around here. Iowa heavily subsidizes ethanol. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
I always have and still do use non-ethanol 91 octane gas for my mower and snowblower. Lucky for me there is a station within 10 minutes of me that still sells it.
I live in Iowa and ethanol is huge here. Personally I don't like it as gas mileage suffers. Now they are pushing E-15. It won't be long before E-10 is gone around here. Iowa heavily subsidizes ethanol.
I live in Iowa and ethanol is huge here. Personally I don't like it as gas mileage suffers. Now they are pushing E-15.
It won't be long before E-10 is gone around here. Iowa heavily subsidizes ethanol. There are three stations in town that still sell pure gas.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,776
Likes: 500
From: West Seneca NY
Hmmmm....2001. can't remember when they started putting ethanol in the gas, but maybe that was before? If that stuff had ethanol in it, i'd say you were fortunate!! A good friend of mine works for SAFE Boats (they make military rambo boats that go all over the world to all different governments). He told me they never ever use gas with ethanol, only ethanol free stuff. Crap, sorry-didn't mean to hijack the thread! good discussion tho for sure as it seems most of us have gas powered stuff that is going to be sleeping for a while. (no comments from those of you guys in CA, AZ and Florida now saying it was 75 today! Ive got snow on the ground )
A good friend of mine works for SAFE Boats (they make military rambo boats that go all over the world to all different governments). He told me they never ever use gas with ethanol, only ethanol free stuff. Crap, sorry-didn't mean to hijack the thread! good discussion tho for sure as it seems most of us have gas powered stuff that is going to be sleeping for a while. (no comments from those of you guys in CA, AZ and Florida now saying it was 75 today! Ive got snow on the ground )Last edited by 6speedsteve; Dec 28, 2017 at 01:36 PM.