Small Engine Tip

[85_Ranger4x4]

True, also I'm not an expert I was just passing info along, but small engines still have carbs and non-pressurized fuel delivery (unlike modern cars) so fuel sitting in the carb and tank is usually going to sit a lot longer and gum up and cause more problems. Even my lawnmower is just going to get run once a week at most in the summer, the snowblower usually less (except for last winter ) so you're not going to go through the gas as fast. The more I think about it, the more using Sta-Bil all the time makes sense.

Most small engines have a diaphram in the carb that runs off of the crankcase pulse (the piston going up makes a vacuum in the crankcase, going down pressurizes the crankcase) to pull fuel in the carb. Otherwise since most things don't get run level (chainsaws, string trimmers, hedgeclippers...) they would starve for fuel if running at a angle. Also most fuel tanks are mounted at the bottom of the unit for balance, so gravity feed wouldn't work anyway. It isn't a high pressure system, but it is pressurized.

Best thing for a snowblower it to only have gas in it for the couple months out of the year it is used. And conveniantly, the air is usually very dry during the winter months so unless you forget to put the cap back on before charging out to blast your sidewalk clear there isn't much of a chance of taking on water.

 

[Shran]

I run ethanol through all my equipment with no problems. I do have a few rules though... like if it's going to sit more than a month or so, it gets the fuel drained out and the tank sits open to air dry for a few days. It used to be that old fuel just forms varnish that's fairly easy to clean up... old ethanol is very corrosive and will eat plastic fuel lines, aluminum float bowls, and any steel parts in the carb. It turns a carb kit job into a carb replacement.