fuel type

[colonel1958]

What are you running for fuel in stock super 88 engine. I hear so many different opinions.

 

[old]

What are you running for fuel in stock super 88 engine. I hear so many different opinions.

The cheapest gas you can get has more additives to it then any gas you could buy when it was new. I use the cheapest gas I can find in all my gas tractors

 

[38 Sears Roebuck]

I only use 90 octane ethanol free.

 

[Blackhole49]

I only use 90 octane ethanol free.

I agree with Sears. The only thing I put ethanol fuel in is something (car or truck) that gets run on a regular basis year round. Everything else (tractors, boats, snowmobiles, motor cycle. generators, chain saws, weed whips, etc.) get Rec. Fuel. My bass boat has 3 carbs. One complete service on them alone will pay the added costs of my Rec. fuel for 10 years.

 

[DanielW]

I've done a complete flip-flop on this, and I'm now with Old (at least for all my old gasser tractors). I used to go to great lengths to get ethanol-free fuel, because I noticed new/ethanol fuel would sometimes damage old gaskets, pump diaphragms, etc. But I'm noticing those same failures happen just as frequently with ethanol-free gas. I suspect because of all the other additives that are in all fuel regardless. And really, its not like it causes frequent nor catastrophic failures. The worst is when a mechanical fuel pump diaphragm goes and allows gas to dump into the case. But if you check your oil somewhat regularly, you'll notice the level start to rise a smidge long before it causes any damage. If in doubt, it only takes a few minutes to rebuild one with ethanol-friendly components, and you can do that preemptively.

So now I just use regular gas, and once every two years I might have to rebuild a carb or mechanical fuel pump. Not a big deal, and any rebuild kits you buy these days are ethanol-friendly and will outlive you. I add a little two-stroke oil to the gas for a little added lubricity. Haven't noticed any change in how equipment runs. For the few boat engines we have, I just add a little methyl hydrate to the fuel every now and again to absorb and allow any water that the ethanol attracts to run through. Which is something that should be done with marine engines anyway, regardless of the ethanol.

I also have no moral problem to ethanol, and I'm content to support the ethanol industry. Ethanol plants are a huge consumer of corn in North America. If we didn't have ethanol production, the price of corn (and other commodity crops) would tank even more than they already have, and we'd be in a pretty dire agricultural crisis.

Edit: I noticed you posted this question again, but mention you're pulling with it. Different kettle of fish. Premium would allow you to up your compression, tweak your timing, etc. But even then, it's about the octane rating, not about the ethanol.

 

[john in la]

The problem with ethanol fuel has nothing to do with additives or the breakdown of old rubber parts in the fuel system.
The real problem with ethanol fuel used in equipment that is not used on a regular basis is phase separation. The ethanol absorbs water out the air causing it to separate out of the gasoline and turning into a snot looking gel.

 

[moresmoke]

My complaint with ethanol fuel is the inconsistent mixes we get in this area. Near impossible to keep a carb tuned so it runs right. Thankfully we have a supplier of reasonably priced 87 straight. That said, my collection of stuff is slowly evolving to be diesel.

 

[Blackhole49]

I've done a complete flip-flop on this, and I'm now with Old (at least for all my old gasser tractors). I used to go to great lengths to get ethanol-free fuel, because I noticed new/ethanol fuel would sometimes damage old gaskets, pump diaphragms, etc. But I'm noticing those same failures happen just as frequently with ethanol-free gas. I suspect because of all the other additives that are in all fuel regardless. And really, its not like it causes frequent nor catastrophic failures. The worst is when a mechanical fuel pump diaphragm goes and allows gas to dump into the case. But if you check your oil somewhat regularly, you'll notice the level start to rise a smidge long before it causes any damage. If in doubt, it only takes a few minutes to rebuild one with ethanol-friendly components, and you can do that preemptively.

So now I just use regular gas, and once every two years I might have to rebuild a carb or mechanical fuel pump. Not a big deal, and any rebuild kits you buy these days are ethanol-friendly and will outlive you. I add a little two-stroke oil to the gas for a little added lubricity. Haven't noticed any change in how equipment runs. For the few boat engines we have, I just add a little methyl hydrate to the fuel every now and again to absorb and allow any water that the ethanol attracts to run through. Which is something that should be done with marine engines anyway, regardless of the ethanol.

I also have no moral problem to ethanol, and I'm content to support the ethanol industry. Ethanol plants are a huge consumer of corn in North America. If we didn't have ethanol production, the price of corn (and other commodity crops) would tank even more than they already have, and we'd be in a pretty dire agricultural crisis.

Edit: I noticed you posted this question again, but mention you're pulling with it. Different kettle of fish. Premium would allow you to up your compression, tweak your timing, etc. But even then, it's about the octane rating, not about the ethanol.

If I were experiencing that problem I would reconsider. So far, that is not the case.