Will alcohol in gasoline screw up my 2-cycle mower?

[Peabody]

I have an old 2-cycle Lawn-boy that uses a gas/oil mixture. And I wondered if the new gas/alcohol blends will cause problems for my mower. Has anyone seen any information on this point?

[Joseph Meehan]

I would not use E85, but the regular stuff from the pump is fine.

[willshak]

The gasoline sold in my area has 10% ethanol added. I have been using it for 4 cycle and 2 cycle engine for years. Mowers, chain saw, leaf blower, weed whacker, power washer, and generator. The only problem I have noticed is that when the engines are running, I seem to want to have a drink. :-)

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Max Ethanol in E85 is 10%. Only problem may be, it's hard on some rubber. It has higher Octane value. O rings, gaskets, etc.

[Eigenvector]

No, E85 means 85% ethanol

[krw]

No, 15%, and it's methanol (not ethanol) that's hard on gaskets and such. Ethanol is no big deal, other than it sucks gas mileage down the drain. Consider it "gasoline helper". No substance; but a tasty filler. Stay away, if you can.

[Steve Barker LT]

It's ETHANOL, and IT'S 85%. Why do you think they call it E85??????? It's not called M15!!

My explorer dropped 23% in MPG with E85 and the price was 19% cheaper. So, no it's not economical, but then again, I was conserving gasoline.

[Eigenvector]

A follow up to the original post

[krw]

You're right. I thought it was 85% gasoline. That's nutz!

I didn't say it was methanol. I said that methanol was what rotted gaskets, and such.

I'm surprised it wasn't worse than that. Ethanol has only about

60% of the heat content of gasoline.

[PipeDown]

It's a concept that is just starting to catch on this year. Once farmers start making ethanol instead of collecting gov't subsidies for letting fields go unused, the price should drop until it is economical, the rising price of gasoline might bring that turning point to us even sooner.

If you can even get it.

I haven't seen an E85 pump in california yet. I bet we can't get it anyway, all that crap about special formulations that make our gas more expensive. Still over $3.05 this week round here. According to the website, only 4 exist in CA and all are on Federal property.

[CJT]

So they'll collect (probably even larger) gov't subsidies for the ethanol, instead.

[Calvin Henry-Cotnam]

Something that I read in the manual of a new lawn mower that my parents just bought: do not let gas/alcohol blends sit in its tank for extended periods. I believe that meant more than 30 days.

According to the manual, alcohol in the blend tends to pull moisture from the air, and in so doing forms corrosive compounds. It recommends that before putting the lawn mower away, you should actually run it until its tank is empty.

Other than that, up to 10% ethanol in the mix will work just as well as pure gasoline.

[maradcliff]

CORRECT !!!!

Max alcohol in regular blended gas is 10% E85 means 85% alcohol. (I dont know what the "E" stands for).

[trainfan1]

"Ethanol".

Rob