Non Ethanol Gas

[Highbeam]

I believe that the ethanol is not a problem if your storage is correct to prevent moisture from getting into the fuel. Temperature and humidity controlled storage or even sealed metal cans the dang stuff can last a very long time.

All of my saw, mower, generator, weedeater, tiller, etc. gas is regular ethanol laced pump gas. Never had a carb issue and these engines often sit for a long time between uses. The chainsaws can sit 11 months unused on the shelf and then fire right up to process a load of logs which I'm hoping starts here next week!

Saws that have been treated like this MS290, Dolmar 6421, husky 372xp clone.

Western WA is a pretty wet place too. I should add that I religiously use the regular red sta-bil with all gas and I keep and rotate four 5 gallon plastic jugs so the fuel starts out about a year old before even mixing in the echo red armor for the mix gas can.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I hope someone stops me before I get to that level of insanity!
I get the science, but I could not pour water into one of my fuel cans!
The ethanol does absorb water, but it actually does a good job adding octane, I would think that you would be left with a fuel that is pre ignition/detonation prone without it... Maybe I could just add a bunch of lead after I remove the ethanol...

"
Non-ethanol gas (often referred to as E0 or "pure gas") generally falls into three octane categories: 87 Regular, 89 Mid-grade, and 90 to 94 Premium/Recreational. It is highly sought after for boats, small engines, and classic cars because it prevents ethanol-related corrosion and phase separation. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The most common types of non-ethanol gas available include:

• Standard Pump Octanes (87, 89, 91): Many stations sell traditional ethanol-free fuel in standard 87 (regular) or 91 (premium) grades, typically dispensed from specialized pumps. [1, 2]
• REC-90: A 90-octane blend specifically designed and marketed for marine equipment, boats, and small engines, though it is also usable in some classic cars. [1]
• Racing or Aviation Fuel: High-octane (100+), leaded or unleaded race fuels (such as those made by Sunoco) are completely ethanol-free and primarily built for high-performance motors, though they are much more expensive. [1, 2, 3]
• Engineered / Canned Fuel: Pre-mixed, highly stable, and ethanol-free fuels (like TruFuel or Husqvarna XP) come in sealed, ready-to-use metal cans. They are ideal for 2-cycle and 4-cycle lawn equipment (like weed whackers and leaf blowers) and stay fresh for up to two years after opening. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Because it is a specialty product, non-ethanol gas typically costs $0.50 to $1.00+ more per gallon than standard E10 fuel, and is generally not used in everyday modern vehicles unless specifically recommended by the manufacturer. [1, 2, 3, 4]"

I guess they have certain chemicals they can use to increase octane, but that does not get more corn purchased.

 

[John Mc]

I hope someone stops me before I get to that level of insanity!
I get the science, but I could not pour water into one of my fuel cans!
The ethanol does absorb water, but it actually does a good job adding octane, I would think that you would be left with a fuel that is pre ignition/detonation prone without it... Maybe I could just add a bunch of lead after I remove the ethanol...

E10 gas gets about 2 points of octane from the ethanol. So if you start with 91 Octane (which is the premium fuel available at most stations in my area), you'll have 89 octane once the ethanol is removed. Since 89 minimum octane is what most saw manufacturers recommend, adding enough water to cause phase separation, then draining off the ethanol/water mix does work.

Fortunately, there are several stations in my area which carry non-ethanol premium gas, so I've never had to resort to that. I did try it with 1 quart of E10 gas once just to see if it worked. My saw ran fine on it.

 

[Turbo89]

I prefer to run ethanol free, but it’s hard to get in non-can form, so for the last few years I’ve been running it with the best additive I can get (according to project farm).

I’m also terrible at draining saws after each use… but that’s the best option if u can. For larger gas engines I’m slightly better at using the fuel shutoff to run it dry at the end of the season. The seems to work for the most part, I’m on like year 8 or 9 on the snow blower and have never drained the gas, nor has the carb apart. My portable generator is similar.