Gasoline is the most misunderstood product in the lawn & garden industry.
That isn’t exactly accurate. Gasoline is easy to understand. It is the fuel that makes small engines runs.
What is not understood is that ethanol is added to gasoline blends throughout the United States. Ethanol is blamed for many of the problems with mowers not starting or running poorly. Learn why.
In Indiana, there are very few stations that still claim ethanol free fuel (http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=IN). Currently, Indiana does not require pumps to be labeled when ethanol is added (http://www.in.gov/oed/files/Fact_Sheet_-_E85.pdf). So, there is no way to know what you are buying at the pump.
Ultimately, the issue of ethanol has become highly politicized and there is no perfect solution to purchasing gasoline.
Here’s our advice:
- Never buy more than 30 days of fuel
- Use a no-spill fuel container
- Add a fuel stabilizer when you purchase fuel
- If your mower is hard to start or running poorly, dispose of your old gasoline and purchase fresh fuel
- If you experience persistent issues, try a new gas station
- Proper maintenance of your mower is essential to performance. Explore our simple and affordable tune-up kits.
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