SMALL ENGINES DO NOT LIKE ”ETHANOL”

We are seeing more and more gas-powered units coming to our shop with water in the fuel.  This may be due to the 10 percent ethanol that has been added to all the fuel in Idaho.  Ethanol condenses in the fuel tanks/fuel can, adding water to the fuel supply.  We suggest that equipment owners CHANGE THE WAY THEY ARE HANDLING THEIR FUEL SUPPLIES.

• Keep high quality (i.e. Briggs and Stratton brand) fuel stabilizer in your fuel supplies.
• When you FINISH your project, TOP OFF the fuel in your tank for storage.  Never leave a small amount of fuel in your fuel tank.  This is inviting condensation.
• For 2-cycle units, only mix what you are going to use for your current project.
• Discard gas that is more than one (1) month old.  We are anticipating that fuel with ethanol will spoil in about four weeks.
• Do not add new gas to old gas in the can.
• NEVER use gas from last year.
• DO NOT use METAL gas cans due to rust problems.

And, of course,

• DO NOT put DIESEL in your small engines.

Avoid leaving equipment in the rain or under sprinklers.