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So this last weekend my Petrol engined Lawnmower started to cut-out.
It happened after 2-5 minutes of running and would restart immediately but ONLY if you gave the carburettor priming Bulb a couple of pumps.
Clearly a fuel problem so I removed the carburettor and took the fuel bowl apart.
The Float and Needle Valve all seemed fine BUT there was a Yellow/White jelly-like substance sitting in the fuel bowl. Some was blocking the main jet as well. Hence the problems with it running and cutting out.
I cleaned it out and the Lawnmower restarted and ran for 30+ minutes without any issue.
While I was mowing the lawn I was musing on where the Yellow/White jelly-like stuff had come from.
It finally dawned on me. It's a Chinese made engine from 2005'ish so the fuel pipe is probably not compatible with modern E10 petrol!
I had some off-cuts of E10 compatible fuel pipe lying about because I'd recently replaced the fuel pipes on my Kit Car for this very reason.
Swapped the fuel pipe on the Lawnmower - now we wait :o)
E10 and the ethanol absorbs water, and can damage stuff not designed for it. Possibly run it on E5 super. My 22 year old car, whilst compatible, doesn't like E10 as its sat about alot and the fuel deteriorates. I try and fuel with super.
this problem has existed since before E10.
old fuel gels up.
There was loads of publicity about it when petrol changed
I just use super unleaded - less faff
Throw some comma petrol magic in there. Same issue with my KTM 950 and my lawnmower. If you leave modern petrol in a jam jar for a couple of weeks you can actually see it separate out into a gloopy gel layer and some light ends. I run my lawnmower on vpower which sort of helps as it has a lower ethanol content.
It's more likely the fuel has gone off, it only has a shelf life of a few months.
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All super is marked e5 but essonne synergy supreme is guaranteed e free for much of the UK, details are on their website. I use esso and still add a fuel stabiliser for the mower and chainsaw as they aren't used as regularly.
Not any more it's not, Esso announced that they're stopping ethanol-free supplies. There will still be some out there but it's no longer going to be separated from the regular ethanol stuff. Been a lot of talk about it on classic car pages and on Pistonheads.
Really? Damn. V- power it is then.
You're right though, the website now says,
'We currently supply an ethanol-free Synergy Supreme+ 99 unleaded in some parts of the UK. From September 2023 our Synergy Supreme+ 99 will transition to contain up to a maximum of 5% ethanol at all Esso pumps irrespective of which part of the country they are located.'
Jelling happens when the plasticisers leach out into the fuel, the ethanol itself will not do that just in the presence of the hydrocarbons. All market fuel is likely to contain ethanol now (noone will guarantee) as they have to balance their obligations to the RTFO without passing on too much cost. Get some Alkylate fuel in your lawn mowers, you'll notice the difference , especially over winter.
Yes Aspen costs £36/5L though.
Shouldn't be that much, but get your point. How Much do you use in a year though, weigh up a working lawn mower, nicer to be around Vs an extra 25 quid a year..
Fuel gelling in small engines has been an issue since the demise of 4 star. The small quantities, moisture, and vibration combine to cause the fuel to go bad within weeks, and in worst cases, result in a gel.
You can get fuel stabilisers, or use Aspen fuel which will prevent the issues, but the cheaper option is to ensure you don't leave fuel in the mower for more than a couple weeks (generally not an issue during summer), and let it run dry before storing it.
Yep, my 50 year old Ford Cortina would be the same if I used E10, but always run it on Super Unleaded. Even before the change, standard unleaded would result in the engine running poorly due to evaporation issues.
You're right Sui, it shouldn't cost that much but it does.
I will swap to it if I have trouble but for now it's v power, startron stabiliser and run stuff empty if at all possible.
Or just don't fill the tank.
My issue this year is that I put £400 of fuel in the boat at the beginning of the "summer" and, thanks to the lovely weather there's still £350 in the tank that will have to sit there until next spring 😠
I'll add stabiliser and may even top the tank off - not sure.
It does have two water separators between the tank and the engine though which help.
That must be more problematic than for a small engined appliance like a mower or saw. Chainsaws I will fill and use a tank full, then put away. Mower I don't tend to empty every time but instead do a you say, just top up a little each time.