Using E10 in lawn mower and ride on mower?

[GASWAGON]

I just went and filled up my mower fuel container at the same time as filling my car.

Filled both with E10.

Now i'm wondering if its safe to use in both the push lawn mower (briggs and stratton) and the ride on mower (also briggs and stratton)?

Both of these mowers are only 2 years old.

Will E10 be strong enough to cause any damge to fuel lines etc???

[Itsme]

E10 will be OK, read the article from supplied link.

http://www.briggsandstratton.com//us...ecommendations

Cheers

[GASWAGON]

Originally Posted by trublu

E10 will be OK, read the article from supplied link.

http://www.briggsandstratton.com//us...ecommendations

Cheers

Thats excellent....Info straight from the manufacturer....E10 is perfectly o.k to use.....Thanks TruBlu!

[noflac52]

No chance at all that e10 will damage your mowers.

[Giant Cranium]

was shown at ryde city mowers what the rubber seals and other gaskets look like after being left in e10. told me unless i want to see them more often to use better fuel. now i use 98 and the mower goes great

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Giant Cranium

was shown at ryde city mowers what the rubber seals and other gaskets look like after being left in e10. told me unless i want to see them more often to use better fuel. now i use 98 and the mower goes great

My mower gets 98 as well but only because thats all that goes in our cars

[carwant.com.au]

I was also told at a mower repair place not to use E10 as it dries out the fuel lines. Not sure if it's true or not, but the mechanic said they are a lot cheaper fuel lines then cars and will dry out then crack...

[foxtrot3]

Hi. I cant see that E10 would be a problem in a mower that is being used on a day to day basis but I would be wary of using it in any motor that may be left sitting for more than a couple of weeks as moisture in the air may turn the ethanol to jelly. Cheers MD

[mcnews]

Originally Posted by Giant Cranium

was shown at ryde city mowers what the rubber seals and other gaskets look like after being left in e10. told me unless i want to see them more often to use better fuel. now i use 98 and the mower goes great

98 is bad in any engine of the stationary or mower type generally. Burns too hot. Honda four-stroke stationary engines can be totally rooted after just a tank or two of 98. Also, you might be interested to know that low compression engines will make better power and torque on 91 than 98. Even the Ninja 300cc Kawasaki machines raced in a beginners streetbike class at the Australasian Superbike Championship found this out, those running 98 got hosed down the straight, those running 91 were fastest... Obviously everyone now running 91... In all my mowers, chainsaws, brushcutters etc. I run 91 only, and personally would not put any ethanol mix in them as I see no reason to run anything but 91. As most workshop mechanics will recommend.

[carwant.com.au]

Now I'm confused... maybe I will just go half way and use 95, as I only use the mower once a fortnight at best and longer during winter

[mcnews]

Make it 91, do your engine a favour and save a couple of bucks too.

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by mcnews

98 is bad in any engine of the stationary or mower type generally. Burns too hot. Honda four-stroke stationary engines can be totally rooted after just a tank or two of 98. Also, you might be interested to know that low compression engines will make better power and torque on 91 than 98. Even the Ninja 300cc Kawasaki machines raced in a beginners streetbike class at the Australasian Superbike Championship found this out, those running 98 got hosed down the straight, those running 91 were fastest... Obviously everyone now running 91... In all my mowers, chainsaws, brushcutters etc. I run 91 only, and personally would not put any ethanol mix in them as I see no reason to run anything but 91. As most workshop mechanics will recommend.

This is why I'm a carpenter. Motors annoy me. Might start trying to find 91 without ethanol.

[new2ford]

I've been using 95 in the Briggs and Stratton because I have one fuel container for all the power tools and they recommend not using ethanol in 2 strokes (slasher, hand mower etc) and none of the local servos have 91 without ethanol. I guess, like a lot of people, I don't have much choice. Apart from that, the handbook for the tractor says ethanol is OK and to use "regular" fuel 87 RON upwards.

[Revolver]

Originally Posted by mcnews

98 is bad in any engine of the stationary or mower type generally. Burns too hot. Honda four-stroke stationary engines can be totally rooted after just a tank or two of 98. Also, you might be interested to know that low compression engines will make better power and torque on 91 than 98. Even the Ninja 300cc Kawasaki machines raced in a beginners streetbike class at the Australasian Superbike Championship found this out, those running 98 got hosed down the straight, those running 91 were fastest... Obviously everyone now running 91... In all my mowers, chainsaws, brushcutters etc. I run 91 only, and personally would not put any ethanol mix in them as I see no reason to run anything but 91. As most workshop mechanics will recommend.

That's what I found too. Mines 250 inline 4 screamer (18.5k redline). I put a tank of 98 in it after 6 months Of owning it. I found it sluggish and and unresponsive. Ran though that tank to near on dead empty, refilled with 91, and she was baaaaaaack. Damn well did what it was meant to. Needless to say I've only run 91 since.

[LTDHO]

Pretty sure the servo's selling the E10 recommend you don't use it in mowers, jetski's, etc.

[The Yeti]

been using E10 in my ride on since I got it new in 2011

It says in the Book E10 is OK it says on the fuel cap E10 is OK

[ebv8]

my dad used e10 in my boat and killed the inbuilt fuel gauge window, melted it and went yellow, but you would want to have a water separator fitted if you plan on leaving any fuel in the tank for more than a few weeks, over winter drain the tanks so it doesn't settle
i will only use 98 in my push and ride on mowers but they will also run fine on 12 month old 98 fuel which is a bonus

[billkara]

Hey all,

I actually work for Briggs and Stratton Australia as a Mechanical Engineer.

E10 is fine in Briggs engines. 98 is not recommended. Use either 91 or 95 for these engines.

My preference is 91 non E10 stuff.

[GASWAGON]

Originally Posted by billkara

Hey all,

I actually work for Briggs and Stratton Australia as a Mechanical Engineer.

E10 is fine in Briggs engines. 98 is not recommended. Use either 91 or 95 for these engines.

My preference is 91 non E10 stuff.

Now THATS the sort of answer I was looking for!!!!!

McNews comments about the low compression/stationary engines are also very true.

[BradEL]

I run the weed blower at work on paint thinners and it goes fine

[foxtrot3]

Originally Posted by mcnews

98 is bad in any engine of the stationary or mower type generally. Burns too hot. Honda four-stroke stationary engines can be totally rooted after just a tank or two of 98. Also, you might be interested to know that low compression engines will make better power and torque on 91 than 98. Even the Ninja 300cc Kawasaki machines raced in a beginners streetbike class at the Australasian Superbike Championship found this out, those running 98 got hosed down the straight, those running 91 were fastest... Obviously everyone now running 91... In all my mowers, chainsaws, brushcutters etc. I run 91 only, and personally would not put any ethanol mix in them as I see no reason to run anything but 91. As most workshop mechanics will recommend.

Hi. Higher octane fuels burn slower and cooler to help combat detonation, in small low comp engines the fuel is still burning when the exhaust port (2 stroke) or valve (4 stroke) opens, This does all sorts of damage to engines of any type. If you could advance the timing and bump the compression enough you can burn all the fuel before the exhaust opens but then you get a peaky motor with a very hot exhaust that still does damage. As said above a low octane low or no ethanol fuel is best. Cheers MD

[snowcone]

E10 will make the plastic fuel lines go hard and crack on older models.
I have replaced them on both my whipper snipper and chain saw due to E10

[mik]

i prefer to run standard 91 in in mower, most summers once the hot weather hits i park the mower up when the grass dies off , often dont use it again for sometimes up to 3 months ( no rest this year .... an unually wimpy melbourne summer :( ) , i still think e10 is more of a water attraction fuel ,
so that is my reason for using unleaded.
i might add i diligently always leave the the fuel tank full to the top when i finish mowing and even after 3 months of no use........ a few tugs of the starter and away she goes because almost no fuel has condensed in the bottom of the tank and no corrosion with it..

[GASWAGON]

Sounds like its worth adding some fuel stabiliser to the fuel container/jerry can before filling any mower or small engine.

I reckon its worth doing if the mower is going to sit for a few months idle?

[Peter B - CV8]

My mower is just coming on 35 years of age (Rover with a Briggs & Stratton 4 stoke engine). I've run it on Super/98 since day one & it's never required any mechanical repairs & runs/starts perfectly. I have a 900M2 corner block - so it has to cut a reasonable amount of grass, especially in spring/summer when the couch just goes off & needs a weekly cut.

[billkara]

I always advise, especially with two stroke micro engines, to once finished, drain the tank, then start the engine and let it idle till it runs out of fuel. That means the fuel line and carby is drained of any fuel. E10 tends to "go off" or attract water easier than other fuels.
Had a few guys come to me saying that their trimmers/blowers etc dont start or dont run very well. My first response every time is to try fresh fuel. Nearly every time that fixes it.

The Briggs fuel stabiliser works very well with keeping the fuel fresh for long periods of time. My tips;

- Always use fresh fuel or fuel stabiliser.
- Empty tank back into jerry can and run machine till it runs out of fuel (mainly for micro engine two strokes).
- Use 91 or 95.
- Check the condition of your fuel line/filter every 6-12months

I have also heard of (through the motorcycle scene) that the additives in 98 eat away at certain types of fuel line (neoprene) :|

[burnz]

older mower I wouldn't use E10.. alloy carbs, brass jets to much work cleaning the barnacle's off..

95/98 only; as I have trouble getting strait 91.