What gas in lawn mower?

Fuel for your lawn mower or outdoor power equipment must meet these requirements: Clean, fresh, unleaded. A minimum of 87 octane/87 AKI (91 RON); If operating at high altitude, see below. Gasoline with up to 10% ethanol (gasohol) or up to 15% MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether), is acceptable.

You just need a standard red gas can and visit anywhere that is selling fresh gasoline to fill it up. There is no need to look for special gas for lawn mowers or use any type of unique fuel mixture.

The only lawn mowers that will need a different type of gas are ones with two-stroke engines. These tend to be very small or very old. Your chainsaw, gas weedwhacker, or backpack blower are more likely to have a two-stroke engine. These engines require a pre-mixed blend of mixing gas and oil that is not sold at gas station pumps. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended two-cycle fuel mix.

During the summer months, weekly use of your lawn mower will keep its fuel system clean. However, as it sits over the winter, the gasoline will degrade and can damage the fuel lines and gum up the combustion chambers.

To avoid damage to your lawn mower’s engine, run it down to empty before storing it for the winter. If there is too much gas left at the end of the season to use up in an hour, adding a fuel stabilizer will slow the fuel degradation and protect the mower. For best results, use an ethanol-free gas for the last fill-up of the season. Then add a fuel stabilizer.

Gasoline sold at the corner station contains up to 15% ethanol and is ethanol-blended fuels. Ethanol is a chemical derived from grain and is added to gasoline as an eco-friendly option to petroleum products. However, when left to sit, ethanol does react with metal and plastics used inside your lawnmower engine.

Ethanol-free fuels do not include the grain-based additive and better protect your lawnmower during times of limited use. You will only find these products at your small engine service center or hardware store. It is not sold at the pumps.

Any lawnmower gas stored for more than 30 days will start to break down. Ethanol-blended gas has a shorter lifespan than ethanol-free fuel. Fuel stabilizers like Stabil and Seafoam serve as antioxidants. They absorb water particles in the gas and stop the chemical degradation that can result in varnish build-up in your lines and tank.

Add the recommended amount of stabilizer to your gas tank and run the lawn mower’s engine for a few minutes before storing it for the winter. When you pull the cord in the Spring, you will encounter less engine sputtering and stalling. Without a fuel stabilizer, use fresh unleaded gasoline for peak performance.

A great option for an alternate fuel is TruFuel, an ethanol-free gasoline that’s sold at big box stores. It’s the best fuel type with zero ethanol content. However, it does come with a hefty price tag, up to ten times more expensive than standard gas. It will not clog up your fuel lines and is less likely to degrade over winter storage. Use a quart of this premium fuel as the last tank of gas in all of your yard equipment as part of your winterizing steps. Used with a fuel stabilizer, you will need fewer trips to the small engine repair shop in the spring.