E10 petrol for mowers and such

MisterBoy · 26 Jun 2021

I've seen the UK is moving to E10 petrol which should work on all modern cars, but what about lawnmowers and chainsaws and strimmers, etc?

Are they likely to be ok to to suffer? I already use special non-alkylate fuel over the winter months but it's very pricey for year round

Burnerman · 26 Jun 2021

Fuel issues have been with us for a while now, and ethanol is largely to blame (according to my local Stihl dealer).
Although gaskets aren't affected (O rings aside) things like pump diaphragms and fuel tubing are. Quality gear like Stihl and Husqvarna are on top of this but after market parts will have to pull their socks up a bit.
Your Aspen fuel will cope with all of this - at a price - and the benefits here is the fact that it lasts for years.....unlike high ethanol fuel which certainly won't.
The performance of the machine is unlikely to be affected.
I understand that E5 fuel will still be on sale but how readily available it will be is unknown.
John

Swwils · 26 Jun 2021

I would think people are going to have water fuel issues with e10 if they store it for occasional mower use.

J_N30 · 2 Jul 2021

Looks like my lawnmower will be running on super unleaded as that will still be E5.

MisterBoy · 2 Jul 2021

J_N30 said:
Looks like my lawnmower will be running on super unleaded as that will still be E5.

I thought one of the mainstream retailers had non-ethanol fuel but I recall it being Esso and they now say:

Esso super unleaded petrol (Synergy Supreme+ Unleaded 97 and Synergy Supreme+ 99 ) is ethanol free (Except in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland). We would therefore advise anyone who has concerns about the presence of ethanol in petrol to use Synergy Supreme+ – providing they do not fill up in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland.

BP Ultimate+ Unleaded is supposedly ethanol-free outside the south-west but I can't find that on their own website.

Keithmac · 2 Jul 2021

When E5 came out I had a glut of motorcycles requiring carb adjustments.

With E10 it will be same again.

If you have a rubber tipped fuel float needle the E5 and E10 will react with it causing it to swell.

I've lost count on the number we've replaced with Viton tipped needles.

Anything with closed loop lambda control will put up with E10 but mechanical systems will suffer to one extent or another.

I ran E85 on one if my cars for a while, until they axed it, was basically cheap pump race fuel but required significant fuel system changes. Was amazing what boosts and timing you could get away with. 20% Methanol mix does similar.

Keithmac · 2 Jul 2021

As has been said modern fuel doesn't like sitting around, for infrequent use you're best off draining carb and tank down.

MisterBoy · 2 Jul 2021

For things I use infrequently or use little fuel, I've switched to Stihl/Aspen fuel in 5L jugs - it's super expensive per litre but I might only use 1 or 2 in a year and I can just leave it in over winter without mucking about.
I use a fair bit mowing as we have a tractor mower, so for that I use to regular petrol (but probably super unleaded now) once we're in cutting season then try and time it to switch to Stihl/Aspen as winter comes in so it can sit over-winter without needing extra care.

Not keen on putting E10 in my mowers, they get a hard enough life as it is!

Keithmac · 3 Jul 2021

Not a bad idea that!.

Mower wizard · 27 Jul 2022

I service mowers and the best way to use e10 is to store it for 2 months max, lid on cold and dark storage area.
The carburetor bowl can be drained this is the lowest part of the fuel system and water will eventually collect here, usually a 10mm bolt just losten and look for water, release about an egg cup worth.
I think the money spent on aspen fuel and superunleaded is more expensive then just getting your carburetor cleaned every 3 years or so, it will block with soil and dirt anyway, I have more useful mower advice here https://www.nichollsmachinerepair.com/

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E10 petrol for mowers and such

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