Most homeowners own different small engine equipment to help them maintain their house. From blowing off leaves in the front yard, to cutting the grass in the backyard. Small engine maintenance involves knowing the best fuel type for the equipment you own.
Know the best fuel for your lawn mower and small engines
In buying fuel for the equipment, remember to read the manual completely and take note of the recommendations it says. However, here are some tips to help you find the best fuel for your equipment.
Lawn mower
Every homeowners uses a lawn mower to maintain their yards, both front and back. Using it regularly consumes a big amount of fuel, which results in refuelling it more often. Due to the urgency of the task, some homeowners pick a different fuel than the one recommended. This may cause a malfunction in the lawn mower.
Most lawn mowers found in hardware stores use four-stroke engines. This kind of engine needs fresh unleaded gasoline. Make sure to get gasoline with an octane rating of 87 or more. Owners may use gasoline with ethanol. However, gasoline with an ethanol content of 10% is not usually recommended.
Chainsaw
People use chainsaws to cut trees and chop lumber. However, most fuels possess an octane rating of 87; chainsaws need more gasoline to work properly without any problems. The recommended gasoline for chainsaws needs an octane rating of at least 89 or more. Most classify chainsaws as high performance engines. A number of chainsaws produce more power than a lot of race car engines. This means that chainsaws work better with gasolines that possess higher octane ratings.
Some chainsaws with two-stroke engines need an oil/gas mixture. Some two-stroke engines work best with these ratios:
- 40:1 gas-to-oil ratio (2.6 fluid ounces of two cycle oil for a gallon of gas)
- 50:1 gas-to-oil ratio
Weedeaters, Brushcutters, String Trimmers
Homeowners use these tools to maintain the length of their grass. Keep it at minimum length to avoid getting pests or hinder the growth of the plants in the yard. These tools use unleaded gasoline that has an octane rating of at least 87. Avoid using gasoline that contains an octane rating lower than 87 or even diesel. Always use fresh gasoline for these.
Just like most chainsaws, these tools mostly use two-stroke engines that require an oil/gas mixture. Most of these equipments need a 40:1 gas-to-oil ratio, which means 2.6 fluid ounces of two cycle oil for a gallon of gas.
With technology continuously improving, manufacturers such as Honda began creating 4-stroke trimmers that do not need an oil/gas mixture.
Generators
During power outages, it’s very advantageous for homeowners to use their generators. It allows them to continue working or studying. Most generators use regular unleaded gas that has an octane rating of at least 87.
Remember to turn off the generator and let it cool for at least 2-3 minutes before filling up the tank. Do not refuel the generator while it’s turned on!
Snow blowers
Any homeowner during winter struggles with snow. Snowblowers help clear out roads and walking paths.
These tools use gasoline with an octane rating of 87. They do not need gasoline with higher octane ratings. Remember to stay away from fuel with ethanol contents of more than 10%. These tools can function with standard fuels with 10% ethanol.
Remember these to avoid corrosion in the engine.
Owning small engine equipment helps with different tasks at home and at work. Remember to buy the recommended fuel to avoid corrosion in the engine. Greg’s Small Engine helps you pick the right fuel for your equipment and maintain it.
