I really hate gas with ethanol.

[m_fumich]

I bought an old (1983) front tined tiller with a 5 HP Briggs & Stratton engine back in 2017 for a small job. I didn’t have a use for it after that and I neglected to drain the gas from the carburetor. The water that accumulated in the gas tank due to the ethanol in the gas rusted the tank and corroded the aluminum carburetor. I worked in a garage 30 years ago and we did a LOT of motorcycle work. I’ve seen carbs that sat for a decade or more with no corrosion. But there was no ethanol in the gas back then.

I could try rebuilding the carburetor but that will cost more than $50 and might not work. A new carburetor would cost $115. A 6.5 HP Predator engine from Harbor Freight would only be $120. I’m replacing the engine. I won’t be scrapping the Briggs engine. I can’t bring myself to scrap a working engine just because it needs a carburetor.

Now I’ll be looking for gas stations that sell ethanol free gas, if there are any.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DeadNutz]

Smart move to go with ethanol free or clear gas as it is called here. I have been using it for over 3 years and have had no carb problems on any of my small engines. It is also the only gas I have put in the 2002 Tacoma V6 and my mileage increased enough to offset the higher cost. I can get 87 octane at the Maverik station in town or 91 octane at Golden Gate Petroleum at the south end of the valley. The 87 runs about .40/gal higher than the ethanol crap and the 91 .50-.60/gal higher.

[Matt_T]

Now I’ll be looking for gas stations that sell ethanol free gas, if there are any.

https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=TN

You can probably get a new carb for that engine on amazon or ebay for around $20 too. Obviously not OEM at that price point but they usually work fine.

[m_fumich]

You can probably get a new carb for that engine on amazon or ebay for around $20 too. Obviously not OEM at that price point but they usually work fine.

I would have sworn I checked them both but obviously I didn’t. However,

$78.56 is the best price I found on eBay.
$99 is the best price I can find on Amazon.

I might get the eBay carb. It’s a $40 savings over a new engine and fixed is fixed.

I’d be ecstatic if someone found a better price. The carb part number is 299437 if you want to try. It has the slide choke and not the butterfly choke.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ScoutDriver]

Ethanol fuel doesn't cause water contamination nor will it draw moisture from the atmosphere, at least not enough to cause issue. If alcohol in fuel caused such moisture issues, HEET wouldn't be sold as a solution to issues of water in fuel systems.

People have operated small engines for years on E10 without issue. This makes me have a lot of trouble believing the people that say a tank of ethanol will damage an engine. More than likely the ethanol cleared out some old deposits and they are what clogged the fuel system. 

I have run engines new and old on E30.  Never had issues .

Scott

[m_fumich]

Ethanol fuel doesn't cause water contamination nor will it draw moisture from the atmosphere, at least not enough to cause issue. If alcohol in fuel caused such moisture issues, HEET wouldn't be sold as a solution to issues of water in fuel systems.

People have operated small engines for years on E10 without issue. This makes me have a lot of trouble believing the people that say a tank of ethanol will damage an engine. More than likely the ethanol cleared out some old deposits and they are what clogged the fuel system. 

I have run engines new and old on E30.  Never had issues .

Scott

I can’t prove ethanol pulls moisture from the air but since it’s hydroscopic, it makes sense that it would. Especially with high humidity we have. But as for ethanol in gas causing corrosion, I’m absolutely certain it does. The guy on Project Farm demonstrates it in this video.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DeadNutz]

Any water present will be absorbed by alcohol and enter a state called phase separation. It will not float but sink to the bottom of the container.

https://franklinfueling.com/media/397357/ffs-0238-phase-separation-whitepaper-07-12-web.pdf

For aircraft which have been approved to use auto gas they cannot use any fuel with any amount of ethanol due to phase separation. Boat engine warranties are void for the use of any gas higher than E10.

[m_fumich]

Any water present will be absorbed by alcohol and enter a state called phase separation. It will not float but sink to the bottom of the container.

Phase Separation is demonstrated in another video by Project Farm.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[walrus]

Phase separation only happens when a certain amount of water causes the alcohol to drop out of the gas. I forget the % but anything below that % won't cause separation. Alcohol and gas do not mix so its easily to get the alcohol to drop out of the gas. I've dealt with many phase separated storage tanks. Thousands of gallons of junk, cars stopped in the driveway as they don't like milky alcohol. 

[john k]

Long before ethanol was added to gasoline I was cleaning jelly like glop from small engine carbs that had sat a year or three.    There are additives put in todays gas, chemicals with names I cant pronounce.  At the Chrysler shop the factory rep  warned  us to get the the gasoline washed off ourselves immediately after any spillage, and  never wash parts in gasoline.  I see the ethanol blamed for many fuel system problems because it is the only additive we can put a name to, maybe.

[Matt_T]

I see the ethanol blamed for many fuel system problems because it is the only additive we can put a name to, maybe.

Pretty sure the ethanol free gas, which is readily available around here, will have the same other additives as E-10. And it doesn't cause the corrosion problems E-10 does.