Toro doled out some maintenance tips to minimize fuel system issues, emphasizing the importance of knowing fuel facts before fueling up outdoor power equipment.
As alternative energy sources become more popular, such as ethanol-gasoline blends, choosing the right type of fuel plays a crucial role in ensuring proper machine performance. When prepping your lawn mower, snowblower or other outdoor power equipment, Toro recommends fueling up with gasoline no more than 10 percent ethanol (E10).
Using gasoline containing more than E10, such as E15, E20 or E85, may affect performance, damage the engine, and cause problems that may not be covered by the engine manufacturer’s warranty. To that end, Toro suggests individuals read the engine operator’s manual and equipment operator’s manual for information on what fuel can and cannot be used in their machine and to understand applicable warranty coverage and exclusions.
To prevent performance issues, it’s also important to use fresh fuel. Most carburetors and the gas tanks are vented to the atmosphere in some manner. Consequently, nothing prevents fuel from absorbing moisture over time. Using fresh fuel (less than 30 days old) will help prevent water absorption from becoming a problem, as will adding a fuel stabilizer the day you buy the fuel.
Toro’s tips:
- Purchase only the amount of fuel that will be used in 30 days.
- Add fuel stabilizer to the fuel the day you buy it.
- Purchase unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 87 when possible.
- Consider using gasoline without any ethanol.
- Gasoline with up to E10 or 15 percent methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) by volume is acceptable. Ethanol and MTBE are not the same. Gasoline with E15 by volume is not approved for use.
- Never use gasoline that contains more than 10 percent ethanol by volume ethanol. Using unapproved gasoline may cause performance problems and/or engine damage, which may not be covered under warranty.
