Proudly serving the industry for which it was named for more than 50 years, Outdoor Power Equipment provides dealers who sell and service outdoor power equipment with valuable information to succeed in a competitive market.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/185928
FEATURE STORY By Randy Scully Gasoline guidelines G asoline plays an important role in everyday life, powering everything from automobiles to outdoor power equipment. However, all gasoline is not the same. With fuel containing higher levels of ethanol entering the marketplace, ensuring that you, your employees and even your customers know a few facts about fuel can help keep the engines in your customers' power equipment running strong. What's the difference between an automobile engine and engines used in small power equipment? Automobiles have comprehensive fuel and engine management systems controlled by electronics and numerous sensors.You may not feel or hear anything going on when the car is running, but there are many measurements and automatic adjustments being made to account for things like humidity, altitude, temperature and the chemical make-up of the gasoline that is in the tank. On the other hand, small outdoor power equipment is designed to be compact and lightweight, and doesn't always have the space available for the sensors and controls found in automobile engines. This can make small engines more sensitive to fuel composition and quality. Gasoline storage life Gasoline can begin to decompose and break down into other compounds in as little as one month when stored. This is not usually an issue for automobiles since people drive their cars and refill their tanks on a frequent basis. Outdoor power equipment is often used far less frequently, sometimes as little as a few times a year, and then can be stored away for weeks, months or even years until it 18 is needed again. And additional fuel is normally stored in containers that may only be refilled once or twice a year. This means there is a greater chance of the fuel breaking down and forming gum and varnish-like compounds that can easily restrict or block the tiny fuel passageways used in small engines. Any gasoline remaining in storage cans or left in power equipment tanks for more than 2-3 months can lead to expensive damage to the equipment's fuel system and engine. What you need to know about ethanol Much of the gasoline sold throughout the United States contains ethanol. The ethanol-gasoline blends have characteristics that need to be considered when fueling outdoor power equipment. • Until recently and except for flex fuel vehicles (FFV), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limited the maximum percentage of ethanol for use in all engines to 10 percent. Flex fuel vehicles, being the exception, are specifically designed to operate on as much as 85-percent ethanol (E85). • Starting in January 2011, the EPA raised the allowable amount of ethanol for 2001-and-newer on-road vehicles and light-duty trucks to 15 percent. However, the maximum ethanol content allowed by law for use in outdoor power equipment remains at 10 percent (E10), and most outdoor power equipment engine manufacturers recommend using no more than a 10-percent ethanol-gasoline blend. Corrosion inside a carburetor. (Photo provided by Stihl Inc.) OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com