VP Racing Pre-mix fuel

In all seriousness, how long do you store stuff? Do you keep any one machine for years, or do you run them enough to replace them every few years?

For me the issues only start after some months have passed or on stuff I've had for a number of years. I will readily admit there are months that pass and the saws stay on the shelf. Much to do. And then there is the insurance factor - I can live with replacing a well-worn string trimmer, but I do not want to kill my new MS461.

David

 

I use real fuel but in past have used e10 by mistake. But the only stabilizer for years was what was in the oil. Now I am using am soil and no stabilizer.

I let some saws sit almost a year between starts. And I dont have an issue. Usually. Some saws/carbs seem to be more prone to issues and mess up more?

 

tractors and mower run every few days in the summer, then the mowers, blowers and trimmers sit for 6 months till next season. tractors maybe a month at the most. saws get used once every couple months for brush clean up, generator runs a couple times a year

 

I work on any where from 25 to 30 pieces of 2 cycle equipment a week. The first thing I do is to dump the fuel in a pan and I am always surprised at how much water that can get in the fuel while just sitting in the gas tank. 75% of my repairs are carburetors.

 

I agree 100% for some reason certain carbs are more prone to going bad. Some of those are the Zama that are used on the string trimmers. Those carbs are so cheap that it is not even worth rebuilding them. I just replace them with a new one.

 

87 octane gaso-hol hasn't gummed up a carb or junked any of my fuel lines yet.

 

I had a tree fall during a storm a couple years ago.
No problem, I grabbed the saw and went to work. When I got to the big end my saw slowed and shut off a couple of times. I dumped the fuel out and looked real close at it. Couldn't see anything. Refilled the gas tank and went back to work. Slowed and stalled a couple more times. Off to the dealer for a check-up. He said I got lucky. No damage, but the fuel had separated.

 

So you straight gassed it?

 

No, it was dark green, dealer looked at the fuel first.
Fuel went bad in a few months over winter.
( I wasn't burning wood then, gas wasn't getting used up just weed eating)

 

This is a good eye opener for us all. To remind us we really should dump any fuel that is 3-6 months old into an older truck or the lawnmower and just mix new.

Saw is not worth it. Mower won't care either. I am burning up old boat gas in my mower as I was out of gas here. I will dump the rest into my old brown truck out of the boat. Its old premix.

 

I love the VP mix. Just ordered 15 more gallons on ebay for $71/5 gallon. Free shipping. My big saw takes a quart to fill. But it may sit for two months without use. Been using it for two years now. I was having lots of water problems in the summer months with pump fuel. Weed eater may sit for 7 months and starts up fine with VP.

 

I'm reconsidering the VP today. Stopped in at one E0 pump - turns out they are a fleet fuel setup and there's no way for me to become a member. Stopped in at another last night - it turns out it's a mom&pop place and they close every day at 6pm - and I go through there weekly at 7:30pm.

 

You can't alter your schedule or leave a few hours early every few months to make it to mom and pop?

 

They just started selling ethanol free across the river from me. They aren't allowed to sell it in my county so this is the best I am going to get. Luckily my neighbor drives through there daily so he filled a 5 gallon jug for me.

 

A lot of the stewart's are starting to sell it. If you go on the website there is a list. I think he bought it somewhere south of the mid hudson bridge on 9W.

 

Orange county!!!!! CHOPPERS!!!

 

You might not be able to get it in Orange. I emailed stewarts and they said they cannot sell it in dutchess but are trying to put it in locations close to dutchess. I bet Orange is the same.