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Home » Blogs » LAWN MOWERS GAS | What should you use?

LAWN MOWERS GAS | What should you use?

October 19, 2022 by Jack David

GASOLINE FOR LAWN MOWERS

You’ve undoubtedly dealt with gasoline quite a bit if you mow your own lawn. But did you know that one of the main causes of mower malfunctions is incorrect gas usage and storage? The good news is that getting the fuel and fuel supplies your gas-powered mower needs doesn’t have to be challenging.

  • What is the best small engine or lawn mower gas?
  • Why Does Gas Go Bad?
  • Mixing Oil & Fuel for Small Engines Fuel Recipe
    • Regular Unleaded Gasoline
    • Mid-Range Unleaded Gasoline
    • Premium Unleaded Gasoline
    • Non-Oxygenated Gasoline
  • Recommendations:
    • Regular Unleaded Gasoline
    • Non-Oxygenated Gasoline:
  • Not recommended:
  • 2 Stroke or 4 Stroke Mower: How they affect to choice of the right fuel
  • FUEL STABILIZER LAWN MOWER
  • How much gas does a push mower use per hour?
    • Variables:
    • Timing:
    • Efficiency:
    • Alternatives:
  • Small Engine Fuel Storage Tips
  • FAQ's

What is the best small engine or lawn mower gas?

87 octane/87 AKI (91 RON) but the criteria must be met by the fuel you use for your lawnmower or other outdoor power equipment:

  • Fresh, tidy, and clean
  • 87 octane/87 AKI (91 RON) at the very least; if running at a high altitude, see below.
  • It is acceptable to use gasoline that contains up to 10% ethanol (gasohol) or up to 15% MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether). Currently, some gas stations offer gasoline with up to 15% ethanol. It is not advised or permitted to use this E15 product in small engines.
  • You can also use a fuel product that comes in a can, such as Briggs & Stratton Advanced Formula Ethanol-Free Fuel. This fuel extends the life of the fuel by combining ethanol-
CHECK PRIOR TO PUMPING!

Use only permitted fuels; do not modify your Briggs & Stratton engine to run on unapproved fuels (such E85 ethanol gasoline). Small engines may be harmed by these practices, which will also void your Briggs & Stratton guarantee.

Not all gasoline is created equal. Change gasoline suppliers or equipment brands if your lawn mower or other equipment has starting or performance issues.

Why Does Gas Go Bad?

It might surprise you to learn that gasoline only lasts for about 30 days. The fuel’s volatile components then begin to evaporate. Regardless of whether the gas is in the gas can or the mower, this happens.

The gasoline leaves behind brown, gooey residues when it evaporates. These will eventually harden into a varnish that can clog carburetors and fuel lines. Following a fuel system compromise, you should see the following warning signals of poor engine performance:

  • Lack of power
  • engine roar
  • trouble starting

Mixing Oil & Fuel for Small Engines Fuel Recipe

  • Avoid mixing oil and gasoline in 4-stroke spark-ignited engines or modifying them to run on different fuels. The engine warranty will be nullified, and the engine components will be harmed.
  • 2 Stroke Cycle Spark Ignited Engines: Always mix a high-quality, 2-cycle oil at a 50:1 gas-to-oil ratio, such as Briggs & Stratton lawn mower oil.
  • You are unsure of the type of engine you have. Consult your local service dealer or the Briggs & Stratton owner’s manual.

Do lawnmowers use regular gasoline or something different?

Yes, in most cases, lawnmowers use ordinary gas. But not all ordinary gas has the same octane level. Regular gas typically has an octane rating of 87, which is suitable for all lawnmowers. In any case, I’ll go into further detail below on the properties of each fuel type that can be used in a lawn mower engine. There are several options available if you want to know what fuel lawnmowers utilize.

Regular Unleaded Gasoline

Regular unleaded gas is the fuel that is utilized the most. Once more, it typically has an 87-octane rating and is offered at all petrol stations. This is typically the least expensive and lowest octane gasoline you can purchase. Additionally, you should use this gasoline—which has the lowest octane rating—in a lawn mower or any other compact engine.

The amount of compression that gasoline can withstand before combusting is measured in octane. Fuels with a higher-octane rating can handle more compression than fuels with a lower octane rating. This measurement is significant because gasoline engines require repeated compression of both air and fuel.

Mid-Range Unleaded Gasoline

As mid-range or “plus” fuels, gasoline with octane ratings between 88 and 90 is frequently offered for sale. This type of gas can tolerate a little bit more compression and is a little bit more expensive with a little higher octane. You should choose a mid-range or premium gasoline option if the gas station you frequent sells regular gas with an octane rating under 87.

Premium Unleaded Gasoline

Unleaded gasoline that is high octane or premium grade is typically rated at 91. Although it’s a little less typical, some gas providers could offer 92 or 93-octane fuel as their most expensive option. Due to its high-octane level, premium unleaded petrol is recommended by some automakers, although other people vehemently disagree as to whether it is worthwhile to spend more money on it for lawnmowers.

To be quite honest, I don’t think purchasing premium petrol for lawnmowers is always required. However, if you’d prefer, you can use high-octane unleaded gas in tiny engines.

Non-Oxygenated Gasoline

Let’s first discuss oxygenated gas before discussing non-oxygenated gasoline. Fuel is often oxygenated. This indicates that oxygenates, a type of fuel additive, is added to fuel to improve fuel combustion and octane ratings. In turn, this lowers exhaust emissions. Ethanol is the most widely used oxygenate gasoline additive. Because of this, ethanol is present in almost all oxygenated gasoline. On the other side, ethanol-free gasoline is defined as gasoline that has not been oxygenated.

Recommendations:

Are you still wondering what kind of fuel to use in your lawn mower? Use either ordinary unleaded or unoxygenated gasoline, in my opinion. You might be wondering why I advise using either of these two fuels when they are rather different from one another. Let me now explain when it is best to employ each of them.

Regular Unleaded Gasoline

: I never use anything other than standard unleaded gasoline for my push mower. I’ve discovered that despite having a lower octane, it performs equally well as mid-range and premium fuels. I prefer to save a little money, and I just don’t believe lawn mower engines need the higher compression rating of more expensive fuels.

Non-Oxygenated Gasoline:

The first stage is being able to locate non-oxygenated gasoline. Non-oxygenated gasoline is a fantastic fuel choice for all kinds of mowers, even though it can be hard to get in some places. My riding lawn mower only runs on non-oxygenated fuel. Particularly when working with an expensive machine, you really don’t want moisture to get into your fuel system. Because it doesn’t include any ethanol, non-oxygenated gas can help the engine in your lawn mower last longer.

Not recommended:

Even though a wide variety of fuels can be used in lawnmowers, some do not work well with engines. The following two fuels should be avoided:

  • High Ethanol Content Gasoline Blends: Almost all gasoline in the United States (and most other nations) includes up to 10% ethanol, however, many people are unaware of this. Regular, mid-range, and premium unleaded gasoline all fall under this category. Any fuel with an ethanol content of more than 10% falls under a distinct classification, such as E15 with 15% ethanol or E85 with 85% ethanol. It is not a good idea to utilize these fuels in your lawn mower, even though they have their purposes. Because fuels with a high ethanol percentage can cause corrosion, small engines and high ethanol fuels don’t mix well.
  • Diesel: Although it may be obvious, diesel fuel should never be used in a gasoline engine (The same is true for diesel engines and gasoline). If you put diesel in your lawnmower, you’re going to get into a lot of trouble, and your small engine mechanic might never forgive you. When you’re at the gas station, make sure to double-verify the fuel you’re pumping.

2 Stroke or 4 Stroke Mower: How they affect to choice of the right fuel

When it comes to fuel for 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines, there is really just one significant difference: 2-stroke engines burn a fuel and oil mixture while 4-stroke engines use simply gas and store engine oil in a separate reservoir. Every time you fill the gas tank on a two-stroke lawn mower, you must add a certain amount of premium 2 stroke engine oil. It’s crucial to use the proper gas-to-oil ratio when operating a two-stroke engine. Mowers with two and four-stroke engines require the same kind of gas aside from this distinction.

FUEL STABILIZER LAWN MOWER

Utilizing a gasoline stabilizer is among the simplest ways to preserve the engine of your lawn mower or snow blower for future seasons. The degradation of your fuel must be stopped, whether you store your lawnmower or snowblower at the end of the season or wait a while between uses. To maintain your engine running smoothly, continue reading.

 Fuel-Stabilizer


Fuel-Stabilizer
  • Choosing the Right Fuel Type: Are you unsure of the type of gas to use in your Briggs & Stratton engine? Use the same gasoline you put in your automobile, which should have an octane level of at least 87, and keep it stable throughout the season. Simply doing this will guarantee that your lawnmower, snowblower, chainsaw, and string trimmer always start and function effectively. Although ethanol and flex-fuel are excellent, environmentally beneficial options for your vehicle, they shouldn’t be used in your Briggs & Stratton engine. Grade E15 fuel in particular draws moisture that separates from the ethanol. This results in the formation of a layer of water and alcohol at the bottom of your gasoline tank, which can seriously harm your engine and void your warranty.
  • Storing Your Outdoor Power Equipment: Store your snowblower or lawn mower with the treated fuel tank full to prevent corrosion. In as little as 30 days, gas starts to degrade, which can cause clogs in the fuel system of your engine and prevent your equipment from starting the next season. Fuel stabilizers prevent gum and varnish build-up in your engine’s fuel system, which removes the need to drain fuel before storing it and guarantees quick, simply starts the following season. By keeping the tank full, moisture buildup that leads to carburetor-clogging rust will be reduced. The fuel stabilizer from Briggs & Stratton, also known as a fuel preserver, prolongs the freshness of fuel for up to three years. Run the engine after adding the stabilizer in accordance with the directions on the box.

How much gas does a push mower use per hour?

Knowing how far you can go on a single tank of petrol before having to replenish your riding lawn mower is a smart idea as gas prices rise. Knowing the distance and time it takes to cut your lawn will help you plan your annual lawn maintenance expenses and decide how frequently you should mow. You may want to let your grass grow a little longer in the future after you have a good view of the situation.

Variables:

When attempting to determine how many acres you can cut with one tank of gas, a variety of factors are at play. Due of the numerous factors that have a significant impact on miles per gallon usage, fuel consumption for lawn mowers is assessed in hours per gallon. The weight you put on your riding mower has the most impact on mileage. The amount of strain imposed on the engine is known as a load. You’ll need more gas as the load increases. For instance, mowing grass up a steep hill puts a lot of strain on your mower. On the other hand, going downhill lessens weight and gas consumption. The engine’s size and rpm, or revolutions per minute, also play a role in fuel consumption.

Timing:

Every time you operate your riding lawn mower, the distance you cover may change. For instance, when working at maximum load, a Snapper riding lawn mower powered by a Briggs & Stratton SPX2146 engine consumes around 1.07 gallons of fuel per hour. When hauling the mower or climbing a steep hill, you’ll burn that kind of gas. With a medium load, which includes most of your lawn-mowing operations, you’ll burn closer to 0.59 gallons per hour. You might use as little as 0.41 gallons per hour if the engine is running lightly or you’re heading downhill. According to Snapper, its riding lawn mowers have a 3.5-gallon petrol tank and spin at 3,400 to 3,600 rpm. On one tank, with a medium load, you’ll end up riding between 2.06 and 2.13 hours, a good middle-ground average for most homeowners riding lawn mowers

Efficiency:

You can take action to obtain more miles per gallon out of your riding lawnmower. A hot enough spark ignites the gasoline more quickly, conserving gas, hence spark plugs should be changed frequently. Increase fuel efficiency by keeping the mower’s underside clean and wiping off the blades to prevent friction and additional gas use. To improve fuel economy, replace your air and oil filters, and lubricate the blade drivers to ensure smooth operation that uses less fuel to maintain.

Alternatives:

You may store your equipment safely without draining your little engine of expensive gasoline thanks to fuel treatment. Simple methods for proper storage are as follows:

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, when you use gasoline, riding your lawn mower for an hour produces the same amount of air pollution as driving your automobile 45 miles. Approximately 580 million gallons of gas are consumed by lawn mowers annually in the United States. The government is pushing for increased ethanol use to minimize hazardous emissions to reduce air pollution. The Missouri Corn Growers Association claims that ethanol reduces your gas mileage by between 10% and 20%. However, the lower costs should make up for the shortfall. Most lawnmowers are set up to consume ethanol efficiently.

Small Engine Fuel Storage Tips

If you keep your lawnmower or other power equipment for longer than 30 days, the gas will go bad. Acid and gum deposits that accumulate in the fuel system or carburetor when fuel is old can harm engines. The engine warranty will be canceled if bad fuel causes damage to the carburetor or engine. Use Briggs & Stratton fuel stabilizer, which is specifically made for tiny engines, to keep lawn mower gas fresh.
You may store your equipment safely without draining your little engine of expensive gasoline thanks to fuel treatment. Simple methods for proper storage are as follows:

  • Step 1:

    Add the fuel treatment as directed.

  • Step 2:

    Start the engine and let it run for two minutes to let the stabilizer get through the fuel system.

  • Step 3:

    For up to 24 months, keep your lawnmower or other equipment in a clean, dry location.

Gasoline in a tiny engine that has not been given a fuel stabilizer treatment needs to be drained into a designated container. Run the engine until there is no more petrol left.

To keep the fuel fresh, it is advised to put a fuel stabilizer in the storage container. Additionally, buying fuel in quantities that can be utilized within 30 days is advised. This will guarantee seasonal fuel volatility and freshness.

FAQ’s

1-    How do you purchase lawn mower fuel?

There are two locations where you can fuel your lawn mower. You can find these at a gas station or a garden supply shop. Given that the fuel for your mower is typically the same as the fuel for your car, it is simple to bring a container and fill it the next time you are at the gas station.

1-    Can ethanol fuel damage lawnmowers?

Using ethanol-blended fuel (E10) in your lawnmower and other small engine-driven equipment is completely safe

1-    Does fuel stabilization apply to lawnmowers?

Utilizing a gasoline stabilizer is among the simplest ways to preserve the engine of your lawn mower or snow blower for future seasons. Stopping your fuel’s deterioration is essential whether you store your lawnmower or snowblower at the end of the season or wait a while between usage.

1-    A four-stroke lawn mower uses what kind of fuel?

Regular unleaded gasoline
Mowers with four-stroke engines only use unleaded gasoline. Mowers with two strokes use a combination of regular unleaded fuel and a specialized oil. You must combine them in the proper proportion. Mowers with 2 and 4-stroke engines cost about the same to purchase.

Filed Under: Lawn Mower

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