List: Gas Stations Without Ethanol Added

[noahr]

Thought a list of major station the don't use ethanol additives in there fuel might be useful to everyone....including me, because I have no idea which ones do or don't

Seem like only some "advertise" with a sticker on the pump. Which ones do you know for sure have no ethanol????

[McB]

I look for the sticker on the pump.

[Riparian]

Some states REQUIRE a sticker on the pump. I'm pretty sure mine (VA) is one of those states. I've been looking for the same list, though... The SHELL stations around me don't have the 10% stickers, so I assume they don't have the 10%. Bike runs somewhat better on that fuel, too.

[VFR_firefly]

My bike gets about 5-10% less gas mileage from 10% ethanol. Might as well be adding water to the gas at that rate.

But it runs fine at least. The same can't be said for my chainsaws. Put in any alcohol fuel and they just will not run. Sometimes it can be a real hassle procuring fuel for them. Same goes for just about any small 2-stroke engine. Not good for older 2-stroke dirt bikes either in the long haul, but at least they will RUN on it.

[Tall Man]

Originally Posted by VFR_firefly

My bike gets about 5-10% less gas mileage from 10% ethanol. Might as well be adding water to the gas at that rate.

But it runs fine at least. The same can't be said for my chainsaws. Put in any alcohol fuel and they just will not run. Sometimes it can be a real hassle procuring fuel for them. Same goes for just about any small 2-stroke engine. Not good for older 2-stroke dirt bikes either in the long haul, but at least they will RUN on it.

Try this for your chainsaws:
http://www.50fuel.com/
Sold at Lowe's. Ethanol is specifically excluded from the 40:1 and 50:1 formulations. 50 Fuel is bit pricey compared to mixing your own brew, but there is the matter of convenience, packaging, and the absence of the accursed corn.

TM

[dwoodward]

I would give up on ever expecting to find anything that's not 10% ethanol out of a common pump, as the Feds and more states rush to pass legislation that makes them look green (while causing food prices to skyrocket and acres of rainforest remaining to plummet).

Don't get me started on the Agave crops being ripped out to have corn planted...

[viverrid]

I'm not any fan of ethanol in my gasoline. I think it's poliitcs over substance. Those agribusinesses have a powerful lobby and many many millions of $$$ have been made from the government regulations that mandate ethanol be used in fuels.

HOWEVER, I gotta say that it is pretty much ubniversal here and not something that I even pay attention to, let alone seek out a way around it. Our cars run on it, our motorcycles run on it (including my 2-stroke Enduro), our power equipment runs on it (including my chainsaws). Unless you are running some ancient, more than 20 year old equipment, as far as I am concerned, this "won't run" stuff is bulldinky.

The 10% doesn't make much difference. Yes, alcohol has a lesser energy content per gallon, but only ten percent of the fuel has less (not zero) energy. I don't like it, but it's not a big deal. Plus not much way around it anyway. All the players sell back and forth to each other, how can any one station assure anyone they don't every have E10?

[VFR_firefly]

Originally Posted by Tall Man

Try this for your chainsaws:
http://www.50fuel.com/
Sold at Lowe's. Ethanol is specifically excluded from the 40:1 and 50:1 formulations. 50 Fuel is bit pricey compared to mixing your own brew, but there is the matter of convenience, packaging, and the absence of the accursed corn.

TM

That is pretty cool. I'll have to keep that in mind.

My uncle ruined my dad's big Stihl with 10% alcohol fuel. Just add money and it was good as new. That fuel cost about $300/cup...

Those that believe that alcohol won't hurt small 2-strokes are just fooling themselves. When you start paying the bills to fix 'em then you will believe.

[Garbln]

In MN all gas is 10% unless the station has purchased a permit to sell non oxygenated gas for classic cars/bikes or off road use. In that case the 100% gas pump is clearly labeled. In this state I wish I had a list of those stations that had the "real" gas.

[viverrid]

Originally Posted by VFR_firefly

Those that believe that alcohol won't hurt small 2-strokes are just fooling themselves.

Dunno, that's what everyone around here is running theirs on. Can't buy anything else. Our two chainsaws, the weedwhacker, the 2-stroke hedge clipper, they all run fine/ There are landscapers and loggers right on my street, and they are filling their gas jugs at the pump, not out of a can from Lowe's, and not with $8 a gallon "race gas" either. It'a not even a question around here, that's is what the gas stations sell.

I do hear the boat guys gripe, not the outboard guys who use the portable metal gas cans, but the guys with older inboards with built in tanks. They say the older fiberglass tanks can't take the alcohol. This would be a different issue than saying the engine itself would be ruined by the fuel.

What was it about the chainsaw that was supposedly damaged by the E10 fuel? It might be plausible if a very old saw had some gasket or o-ring in the carb or fuel system that couldn't take the alcohol. But I would find it VERY hard to beleive that the manufacturers would be making any modern saw that couldn't run on E10 since in many areas that is all that is sold at gas stations, which is where most people fill up their gas jugs.

[StuckXJ]

I work at the local power equipment shop setting up new equipment and we tell everyone to add sta-bil to everything. Almost 9 out of 10 of the equipment that comes in needs some sort of carb work because of the ethanol in the gas. It deteriorates the fuel line and it collects in the carbs. It also attracts water causing the gas to go bad in about 1-2 weeks so if you have a can of gas kicking around you are better off filling up every time you run the equipment instead of keeping the can full. Sorry for the rant just an FYI
-Steve

[StuckXJ]

Originally Posted by viverrid

What was it about the chainsaw that was supposedly damaged by the E10 fuel? It might be plausible if a very old saw had some gasket or o-ring in the carb or fuel system that couldn't take the alcohol. But I would find it VERY hard to beleive that the manufacturers would be making any modern saw that couldn't run on E10 since in many areas that is all that is sold at gas stations, which is where most people fill up their gas jugs.

Its the fuel lines and diaphrams that are takign the beating. Next to "I lent it to my neighbor" its the most common reason for equipment to come into the shop. We used to have the official release from Husqvarna on our site but I can't find it anymore. I imagine in the next couple of years it wont be a problem but right now it is big time.

[VFR_firefly]

Suit yourself. If it is your equipment. I won't run alcohol fuel in my small engines. Not only does the gas go bad (sometimes before you even BUY it), the alcohol attacks rubber and aluminum parts, and the jets in a tiny 2-stroke engine are very tiny and easily damaged, corroded which will make a much bigger difference in a tiny cc engine than in a car or even small 200cc dirt bike.

The biggest issue I have with alcohol blends in a 2-stroke engine is that 2-stroke oil does not like to mix with alcohol, or stay in suspension in a gas/alcohol blend very well.

Take the oil out of 2-stroke gas and you get almost instant, immediate engine damage. When the alcohol fuel separates in the fuel chamber of your $700 chainsaw and you suck in pure alcohol, you'll be wishing you avoided it.

Life is full of little lessons though. Learn them from other's mistakes, or learn them from your own expensive ones. It's a free world...

TANSTAAFL

[viverrid]

Originally Posted by VFR_firefly

Suit yourself. If it is your equipment.

Been doing it for years. Not much way around it. All the gas stations around here are E10 ever since they stopped using MBTE as an oxygenator quite a while ago. The local power equipment dealer (they ride dualsports too) does indeed sell a lot of Sta-bil, but I have not ever heard of them telling people not to use E10.

But if you feel safer that way, by all means. The only place I know of to get non-ethanol fuel around here, is to buy race gas from the motorcycle dealer.

[Inane Cathode]

Colorado has had e10 for as long as i can remember, it doesnt hurt anything and hasnt hurt anything i've ever put it in, or anything anyone i know has put it in.
I'd write this panic over ethanol off the same way i would the abs panic. People not fully understanding what a mechanism is, and fearing it as a result.