Ethanol vrs Straight Gasoline

Ethanol has been used as a gas substitute for years. The alternative fuel produced from corn has been added to gasoline at pumps across the country, but in recent years many have begun to question its effects on small engines.

Gasoline containing up to 15% ethanol (E15) has been approved by the EPA for use in cars produced since 2001, but not in small engines like lawn mowers and leaf blowers. They found that the fuel caused small engines to run at higher temperatures than straight gasoline, which caused a number of problems including component failure.

While E15 is prohibited for use in small engines, its diluted counterpart E10 is not. Gasoline with 10% ethanol content can be found just about anywhere. The FDA has given it the go ahead with respect to use in small engines but many in the industry are not quite convinced. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, the trade organization for the industry, has indicated small engine repair shops everywhere are reporting the same problems caused by E15 in engines that only use E10. I have seen these issues first hand at my shop, Crowell’s Flying Wrench Mobile Small Engine Repairs.

Proponents of higher ethanol content refute these claims, pointing to a go-cart race park that runs its entire fleet on fuel containing a whopping 85% ethanol. An operation like that puts an incredible amount of stress on their engines; if a higher ethanol content can be linked to increased wear and tear, they should be able to reproduce these negative effects. Al Novstrup, owner of Thunder Road Family Fun Park, has been running his fleet of 135 go-carts on E85 gasoline for over 7 years and has yet to see any of the problems described in the FDA report.

Whichever side of the fence you land on, it is still best to heed the FDA guidelines and not use E15 gasoline in your small engine equipment. Particularly cautious individuals can buy specialty gas at home and garden stores and small engine dealers everywhere. You will certainly pay a higher price for this type of fuel but for many, the piece of mind is worth the extra money. If you prefer not to go this route, you can minimize the risk of damage by trying to run through the gas in your mower as quickly as possible during the summer months. This gives less time for the ethanol to draw water into the fuel system.

By: Kyson Crowell