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Using Tru Fuel

22K views 66 replies 26 participants last post by  ST1100A 
#1 ·
I had my six year old Ariens Platinum 24 blower tuned up this past summer. It was in pretty good shape. The tech who serviced it drained the gas and added some tru fuel and told me to not add any more reg gas until I was ready to use it for the first snow. I kind of like what I have been reading about the 4 cycle tru fuel and was wondering if there is any reason, besides cost, of using it exclusively. Ignoring cost does anyone do this and not use regular gas? Are there any cons of doing it. I can get a case of 6 32 oz cans at Home Depot for $40. I am not sure of the snow blowers gas tank capacity. I think it is less then a 1/2 gallon.
 
#2 ·
What is that, like 14.00 a gallon with tax? I have no need, nor a desire for that.

There is quite a few posts on gas, and seems that most use regular gas with additives in it.

Some drain and run the system dry for off season.

Me personally, I just park my equipment in off season with its treated reg. gas, and might fire it up if I think of it. I have never had a fuel system problem in all my equipment doing it this way. I have on the other hand repaired many units with gunked up carburetors from people using the ethanol gas with no additives and letting them sit for very long periods.

My generator gets fired up periodically, and it is about time to drain that tank, and put in fresh reg. with my additives.
 
#3 ·
I don't see a reason to spend the extra money. Personally, I just stabilize any gas I buy for lawn / snow equipment immediately when I buy it, whether it has ethanol or not. At the end of the season for each piece of equipment, I fire it up, close the fuel shutoff, wait a few seconds and then stall it out with a spray of fogging oil into the carb. Then top off the fuel tank. That draws down the amount of fuel in the float bowl a bit, coats everything in fogging oil and minimizes the airspace in the fuel tank for condensation to occur.

I've never had anything not run just fine on the 6+ month old fuel at the start of the next season. Occasionally some equipment will need a short shot of carb cleaner into the intake before it'll start the first time depending on how well coated the spark plug, etc. is with fogging oil. But once it fires, it just burns off with a little smoke and then everything is good to go.
 
#5 ·
do you have access to ethanol free gas around you? that is usually the best and cheapest way go if it is available. it is still recommended that you drain it and run it dry at the end of the season but at least it will still usually keeps your carb protected. i would assume tru fuel likely has the same issue as the ethanol free. looses it flammability with age which makes it a bit harder to start an engine but at least it won't clog up a carb if left unchecked.
 
#6 ·
I used to stabilize all my fuel with Lucas Ethanol Fuel Conditioner (https://lucasoil.com/products/fuel-treatments/safeguard-ethanol-fuel-conditioner-with-stabilizers) but I stopped about a year ago. I'm now able to get 89-octane ethanol free fuel at one of my local Wawa so that is what I use exclusively now. It's only .25 more per gallon, super reasonable.

$2.99 = 89 ethanol
$3.24 = 89 non-ethanol

And yes, I've tested both fuels for ethanol using a "Briggs & Stratton 795161 Gasohol Tester." Ethanol free does indeed appear to be ethanol free.
 
#31 ·
I used to stabilize all my fuel with Lucas Ethanol Fuel Conditioner (https://lucasoil.com/products/fuel-treatments/safeguard-ethanol-fuel-conditioner-with-stabilizers) but I stopped about a year ago. I'm now able to get 89-octane ethanol free fuel at one of my local Wawa so that is what I use exclusively now. It's only .25 more per gallon, super reasonable.

$2.99 = 89 ethanol
$3.24 = 89 non-ethanol

And yes, I've tested both fuels for ethanol using a "Briggs & Stratton 795161 Gasohol Tester." Ethanol free does indeed appear to be ethanol free.

I'd still use sta-bil and have been since before ethanol became a thing.



For what it’s worth, I used stabilized fuel year round and ran dry up until 2012ish. Blower stopped running. Mower always ran from 1998 but would get harder to start.
2012 I paid for a carb rebuild (blower) and was told to run dry vis shutoff, and use stabilized fuel. (As I always did. )

I bought premium fuel and used seafoam. I even got fresh fuel if not used in 30,days. I’d shutoff fuel and run dry. Blower Still gave it up last year. Turns out my “premium “ fuel still had ethonal.

So last spring (thanks to all the help in here) I rebuilt both mower and blower carbs. Mower started on the first pull like it did in 98!
Blower ran like a boss! Blower got trufuel exclusively since the rebuild and sat for 7 months, no fuel shutoff. Started up easily.

Mower also got trufuel exclusively and has/will sit all winter. I’ll let you know in the spring. I’m confident it will start on one pull.

Personally everything I own gets trufuel , and trufuel only. Sure it’s more expensive but I use my mower once a week. I went through 1-1/2 cans of trufuel. My blower was used once, and may not get used again. The extra cost is well worth knowing my stuff will start. Plus I no longer worry about fuel rotation (didn’t help anyway) and mixing oil, etc.



One thing to watch for is if the pump you're using has one hose or a separate hose for each grade.. The ones that share a hose.. well you're getting some of whatever the last person used first before you get what you selected as the hose and equipment up to where the switching valve is filled with someone else's selection.



If I have to, I will put a few gallons into my vehicle before filling up a can and then shut it off and restart the pump and use regular and fill up my vehicle. That way I get all the premium I paid for and hopefully only got premium in the gas can. I do miss the days when stations had separate hoses for every grade no matter what.
 
#8 ·
On a side note, project farm on YouTube did a test with different gas types and Lucas stabilizer
that is how i learned the gas seems to loose some of its flammability with age whether it is ethanol free or not but ethanol free gas seems to do a bit better than the rest not loosing whatever evaporates or separates with the ethanol.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I just picked up 10 gallons of VP 4 cycle non-ethanol 94 octane fuel for my generator. Even with the special deal I got, it is still outrageously expensive. There are places downeast that pump it for prices similar to what Nafterclifen mentioned, but I haven't found one close enough yet. Given that we lost power for two days during the last storm, I wanted to get some in the tank so as not to worry about water absorption.
 
#10 ·
Most people don't know that "Tru-Fuel" is just non ethanol pump gasoline with fuel stabilizers added to it, nothing more, and the price they charge for it is outrageous.
You figure at $10-$15 a gallon, its a lot cheaper to find a gas station that sells non ethanol and add your own stabilizer to it for a lot less money if you figure what it cost per gallon including the cost of a bottle of stabilizer, and mix it yourself, you are saving a lot of money.
If you use up your fuel fast enough and are always buying new fuel, you are better off just buying regular pump gas with or without ethanol and adding stabilizer to it just in case the machine might sit for a long time without being run.
It doesn't last any longer than regular pump gas with stabilizer added to it when its sitting in your snowblowers fuel tank. It only lasts longer when it remains in the sealed container that it comes in when you buy it and not opening the can to let air into it.
When it gets old, it can still leave varnish and deposits in the carburetor if it sits in it for a long time, the same as regular gas with stabilizers in it. Both of those will last longer than non stabilized fuel because the stabilizer helps to keep the atoms in the molecules of the gasoline from breaking apart and splitting away from certain other atoms that make up the molecules of the gasoline. When they split up and separate and combine with other atoms, they form molecules of sludge/varnish and what is left does not want to burn properly.
 
#11 ·
If you use up your fuel fast enough and are always buying new fuel, you are better off just buying regular pump gas with or without ethanol and adding stabilizer to it just in case the machine might sit for a long time without being run.
It doesn't last any longer than regular pump gas with stabilizer added to it when its sitting in your snowblowers fuel tank. It only lasts longer when it remains in the sealed container that it comes in when you buy it and not opening the can to let air into it.
When it gets old, it can still leave varnish and deposits in the carburetor if it sits in it for a long time, the same as regular gas with stabilizers in it. Both of those will last longer than non stabilized fuel because the stabilizer helps to keep the atoms in the molecules of the gasoline from breaking apart and splitting away from certain other atoms that make up the molecules of the gasoline. When they split up and separate and combine with other atoms, they form molecules of sludge/varnish and what is left does not want to burn properly.
have you watched project farm's video about fuels and stabilizer? it really doesn't seem like the stabilizer did much and that you are better off running ethanol free if it is readily available. ethanol free even seems to last better than e10 with stabilizer. it also prevents rubber parts from hardening which may not be an issue with snowblowers but pretty big deal in stuff like chainsaws, trimmers and blowers.
 
#13 ·
I appreciate all the people who have chimed in to respond to my inquiry. I was not familiar with this product and was curious about it. As I mentioned in my post I knew it was costly but was wondering if it benefits outweighed that drawback. I estimated I could get 3 tank fulls on a case of six assuming the the Ariens tank was roughly a 1/2 gallon. In most seasons that is enough for me so $40 for a year was not a scary number. Anyway I will stick with gas. Thank you all.
 
#15 ·
" Why is ethanol in our gas?

Fuel ethanol is used to enhance the octane rating of gasoline. To put that simply, higher octane gas resists detonation, so it burns rather than exploding. But raising the octane level of gasoline is expensive; that’s why premium fuel costs more than regular. Adding ethanol reduces the tendency of low-grade gasoline to detonate, enabling our national fleet to run on crappier gas.

There’s also a political angle. Ethanol is generally made from corn, crop waste, wood chips, or sugarcane. Much of the biomass used to make ethanol is grown in politically important states. Iowa, for example, can trace $5 billion in the state’s economy and 47,000 jobs directly to corn-based ethanol. Until this year, virtually every presidential candidate to win the Iowa caucuses since 1980 had pledged to support the continued mandate for ethanol in our fuel.

It’s no surprise that ethanol in U.S. gasoline is mandated by Congress. It started with the 1990 Clean Air Act and then in 2005, Congress passed the Renewable Fuel Standard that created minimum levels for the use of renewable fuels. In 2007, Congress raised the renewable fuel standard targets to 36 billion gallons by 2022. By 2014, 13 billion gallons of ethanol were being mixed into the U.S. gasoline supply every year.

Fuel ethanol has also become a major U.S. export, peaking at 30 million barrels per year in 2011 and holding steady at about 20 million barrels per year since 2014. Most exported ethanol goes to Brazil, Canada, China, India, and South Korea. "
Bottom line, its all about the votes and the money …. :)
 
#17 ·
Lifespan of fuel is massively impacted by how well vented the storage environment is. The better sealed the tank or container is, the better the fuel will last (less volatile compounds escaping, less moisture getting in). This applies to stabilized or not as well as ethanol or not. Personally, I've burned stabilized E10 up to about 9 months old in lawn equipment and a year old in boats with no issues.
 
#25 ·
Personally, I've burned stabilized E10 up to about 9 months old in lawn equipment and a year old in boats with no issues.
I just had to run my house from a generator for two days.The generator is stored with a full tank of gas(E10) with Sta-Bil added,engine run until it quits and then fuel bowl drained.


The gas in generator was over a year old and it ran perfectly through the whole tank of gas.
 
#19 ·
pure-gas.org is the definitive list of ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada.
my biggest issue with that website is it is user updated which is not always accurate. it is not like all pumps are clearly marked and it feels like it is slowly getting harder to find stuff that is clearly marked. i know even the station i usually buy from has new pumps and don't have any stickers on them yet about the ethanol content but hoping they will eventually.
 
#21 ·
are you running a business or something because that is about the only way i see someone using enough gas to just buying regular gas. it is only about $0.80CAD/gallon more for ethanol free 91 octane. don't even think i use 10 gallons/year between grass cutting and snowblowing. $8/year seems more than worth it to me to keep my equipment running like new. if you were dealing with enough walbro carbs you would also know it was only about 2 years ago that walbro came out with spiral diaphragm kit which is about the only option i know of that is suppose to solve the ethanol fuel issue. don't know if zama has plans on copying them or not. the cheap diagrams are still cheap.
 
#22 ·
Funny you should mention Tru Fuel...I have not mentioned or thought of it in a year....or should I say a Snowblower off season.....I just got my new Hand held leaf blower today and it requires 89 octane per Manual. So I looked up true Fuel(2 Cycle) and VP.....The VP you can get a 40:1/50:1 mix in one can.....How can they claim that????

I could see buying a couple of quarts of true fuel for the leaf blower(smaller tank) I use a couple times a year Spring/Fall mostly and a few times in the middle.....but a snowblower come on season might but$$$$ (bigger tank and Frequency used).

I think maybe either Additive to E-10 or try to find a local airport that might sell ethanol free gas at a fair price might be the best option.

I saw on Amazon today which I have never seen before called Stabil Fast Fix???? Anyone use or try it??
Any success??? Suppose to help clean out gummed up small engines....????

Has anyone done a survey on which additive they are using????
Like set up a poll????
 
#23 ·
If money is not an issue for it or you use it so little, there is certainly no harm in using Tru Fuel exclusively. As others have noted there is no advantage during the season either. The issue does arise at the end of season and the storage conditions for the equipment and for the fuel.

Most are just fine with either draining the carburetor and the tank, or storing it with stabilized fuel in it. That works if you're sure you're going to use it within the year.

I'm an outlier, I drain everything dry for the off season, which around here can be "seasons" as in plural. Getting enough snow to use the snow blower is not a given so it may well sit for two or three years and never get run. Even stabilized fuel will go bad in that time. Other years we get buried and it's a dice roll as to what any given year will be.
 
#24 ·
Yes a commercial business plus a lot of my own property to maintain.
I guess if you don't use much fuel a year, like 10 gallons or less, then some of the Tru-Fuel types of gas would be o.k. to use, but for the amount we use, it is not worth it for the extra cost.
Walbro and Zama have been experimenting and changing materials that parts like rubber diaphragms and plastic check valves, plus fuel lines, tanks and viton seats are made with to see how they hold up and work, and different metals used in the fuel systems over the past few years, like carburetor bodies and related components.
We live in the state with the highest gasoline taxes in the nation, yet we have the worst roads, and wonder who's pocket all of that tax money is going in, because its not going to fix the roads where its supposed to go, so we have some of the highest gas prices in the nation.
They did have some polls as to what different treatments people use and their experiences with them, but I haven't seen them in a while. It would be a good subject to see again.
We have so many different people on here who try different things and report how they work for them.
A lot of people do things different ways and experiment to see what works best for them, then report their findings on here. If it works good, then they continue to do it their way. It must confuse a lot of people who read them, especially new people on here.
The "Stabil" Fast Fix is like "Mechanic in the Bottle". Sometimes it works if its not a bad clog, other times it doesn't and the carb has to be disassembled and cleaned.
It is basically the good chemicals and detergents that they used to put in gasoline but don't anymore due to pollution reasons and their toxicity, chemicals like Naptha and Acetone, cleaning solvents and other flammable chemicals that evaporated easily when the fuel sat and caused air pollution.
 
#26 ·
I'm still a believer in running the equipment dry at the end of the season and then adding 1/2 qt or so of Trufuel and run the engine for a few minutes. Running Trufuel or equiv. exclusively would be very $$$$. I buy one can of 2 stroke and one can of 4 stroke per year. That's all I need.

We do not have access to E0 in my area.
 
#28 ·
I'm still a believer in running the equipment dry at the end of the season and then adding 1/2 qt or so of Trufuel and run the engine for a few minutes. Running Trufuel or equiv. exclusively would be very $$$$. I buy one can of 2 stroke and one can of 4 stroke per year. That's all I need.
you could probably just run the 2 stroke stuff through the engine at the end of season instead of buying 4 stroke stuff. it will do the same job just has a bit of lubrication in it.
 
#29 ·
For what it’s worth, I used stabilized fuel year round and ran dry up until 2012ish. Blower stopped running. Mower always ran from 1998 but would get harder to start.
2012 I paid for a carb rebuild (blower) and was told to run dry vis shutoff, and use stabilized fuel. (As I always did. )

I bought premium fuel and used seafoam. I even got fresh fuel if not used in 30,days. I’d shutoff fuel and run dry. Blower Still gave it up last year. Turns out my “premium “ fuel still had ethonal.

So last spring (thanks to all the help in here) I rebuilt both mower and blower carbs. Mower started on the first pull like it did in 98!
Blower ran like a boss! Blower got trufuel exclusively since the rebuild and sat for 7 months, no fuel shutoff. Started up easily.

Mower also got trufuel exclusively and has/will sit all winter. I’ll let you know in the spring. I’m confident it will start on one pull.

Personally everything I own gets trufuel , and trufuel only. Sure it’s more expensive but I use my mower once a week. I went through 1-1/2 cans of trufuel. My blower was used once, and may not get used again. The extra cost is well worth knowing my stuff will start. Plus I no longer worry about fuel rotation (didn’t help anyway) and mixing oil, etc.
 
#30 ·
Thanks for the post. When I do my last lawn cut should I run tank dry of E 10 gas without stabil, then add cup of Trufuel run 3 minutes and store away for winter. Will Trufuel go bad over winter. Trufuel's website doesn't talk about leaving Trufuel in tank for months on end.
 
#32 ·
that should be fine. wont hurt to run it dry then run some truefuel through it. i would say you may want to use that stuff up within 6-12 months max. it seems like fuel seems to loose some of its kick with age. while it likely won't gum up the carb as it ages it may make the machine hard or impossible to start.
If I have to, I will put a few gallons into my vehicle before filling up a can and then shut it off and restart the pump and use regular and fill up my vehicle. That way I get all the premium I paid for and hopefully only got premium in the gas can. I do miss the days when stations had separate hoses for every grade no matter what.
at least i feel better knowing i am not alone with that lol. usually put about 5-10 litres in my vehicle first and then put some in the jerry can.
 
#37 ·
Thanks for the info on Trufuel. It sounds like I should run all engines dry and leave empty until used the following season. After running dry should I remove bowl and wipe clean and then replace. I know some of you are think this is over kill but why is there so many choices to close down a small engine.
I will run dry, wipe out bowl and call it a day for lawn mower and snowblower.
 
#41 ·
That's not "Over Kill". I know a lot of people that do the same thing.
I also know a lot of people who after running the carburetor dry, they remove the fuel bowl and spray the inside of the bowl and all the metal carburetor parts with coating of WD40 to protect the metal surfaces. They even do that to their metal gas tanks.
Then the next season when they fill the tanks up, they turn on the fuel valve and let the gasoline rinse/flush out the remaining WD40 coating. The WD40 will rinse away and protect the metal when it was dry from air and corrosion so it wont oxidize or rust, and the aluminum wont turn white with oxidation.
The gasoline just rinses the WD40 away and you just start the engine. It might idle a little bit rough at first or smoke a little bit until all the stuff is rinsed away, then everything clears up and you are good to go with your engine.
 
#39 ·
This is an article from the Chicago Tribune May, 2015

It's long, but I thought it would be helpful.


DEAR TIM: I've got a lawn mower, a snow blower and a garden tiller with small gasoline engines. I'm about to purchase a log splitter that has one. I don't want any problems and want to avoid any damage to the new engine and the existing ones. I've heard that the current gasoline with ethanol in it is really bad for small engines. Are the stabilizer products really good? What is wrong with the ethanol? Are there alternative fuels that are small-engine friendly? -- Steve G., Monument, Colo.

DEAR STEVE: If we were playing small engine poker, I'd call your small engine machines and raise you a power washer! Yes, I've got a wide assortment of gasoline-powered equipment too. Small engines used to be the bane of my existence with hard-starting issues, but those days are long gone now that I know the truth about ethanol-based gasoline.

Recent survey results have shown that most consumers place a very high value on ease of starting and ease of maintenance with small engines. One of the most important factors in ease of starting an engine is the fuel you put in it.

What you've heard about ethanol in gasoline is true. Small engine repair shops love ethanol because it provides them with a steady stream of business. But if you get one of these shop owners to open up with you, he'll probably tell you he doesn't use that gasoline in his own small engines.

Ethanol attracts water. Water enters your fuel system in the air that enters the fuel tank as the gasoline is burned by the engine. The water is drawn into the gasoline, making for a chemical mix that accelerates corrosion of metal parts in the engine.

When the fuel level is low in the tank, the water can condense on the cool surfaces of the tank. This water then runs down and gets into the gasoline. If enough water collects in the tank, it can get drawn into the engine, where it can cause the engine to run poorly.

Ethanol acts as a solvent in older engines and can dissolve old gum and varnish deposits from the gas tank and fuel lines. These deposits can then clog the very small orifices in the carburetor. If this happens, your good day turns bad very quickly, as your small engine will not start no matter how many curse words you hurl at it.

Gasoline can also oxidize or rust just like iron or steel. When gasoline oxidizes, you don't get orange flakes of rust; you get gum and varnish in the gasoline that causes clogs.

The reason you don't have trouble with ethanol in most cars is because you tend to get new gasoline on a regular basis as you drive your car each day or every other day. Ethanol-containing gasoline can deteriorate in just 30 days.

Most of the fuel stabilizer products do a great job of protecting small engines. These additives are primarily anti-oxidants. They grab oxygen that's in the gasoline, preventing it from turning into gum and varnish.


Really good stabilizers work not only in the liquid gasoline but in the air or vapor that's on top of the gasoline in the partially filled gas tank. Look for stabilizer products that say they offer vapor technology to treat the air and vapor that's floating above the gasoline in the tank. Remember, this air contains water.

Very few people take the time to fill a small engine gas tank after each use. Doing this minimizes the amount of available oxygen that can cause problems. When you decide to fill your small engine tank, always fill it to about 95 percent of the way so the gasoline won't expand and leak out if the garage, shed or patio gets hot from the sun.

If you have a can of older gasoline in your garage from the winter, summer or fall, just put it into whatever car or truck is driven the most. It will mix with the fresh gasoline and will not hurt your car if you get it filled up once the tank is near empty.

If you're using a fuel stabilizer for the first time and have untreated gas in your small engine, start up the engine and allow it to run for about three minutes. This allows treated fuel to be drawn up into the fuel lines and carburetor. You want stabilized gasoline to extend from the gas tank all the way up to the intake valve so you get no corrosion happening while the engine is in storage.

The good news is you can buy gasoline for your small engines that doesn't contain ethanol. Many businesses that sell machines with small gasoline engines stock cans of ethanol-free gasoline that already has the stabilizer chemicals in it. Most people are unaware of this resource. You can even get these fuels for two-cycle engines with the two-cycle oil already added as well as the stabilizer.

Another resource is a local airport used by small aircraft. You'll almost always find an FBO, or fixed-base operator, at these small to medium-sized airports. Airplanes that use gasoline have engines that will not tolerate ethanol, so the gasoline sold at these airports is free of the problem-causing ingredient.

If you take an approved fuel can, these businesses will almost always sell you the sweet nectar your small engine will devour. The octane of this gasoline is higher, and your small engine will think it's eating a piece of double chocolate cake with mocha icing. You know how that puts a smile on your face; imagine how happy your small engine will be! You should add the stabilizer to this ethanol-free gasoline if you decide to use it
 
#43 ·
Hi C.W. I get to see all kinds of neat stuff everyday with my work. Its unbelievable what people do and how they neglect their equipment and wonder why it wont run or start.
You get to see that a lot in the motorcycle and power equipment small engines carburetors over the past 40+ years.
"But it ran when I put it away last year" is the famous comment we hear daily from customers, and we ask, "Well, did you store it properly like we told you how to do?".
You showed a nice picture of the gunk in a fuel bowl that I like to show people of what happens when they leave fuel sit in the carburetors, and that is why we tell them to DRAIN THE CARB before they put the machine away for an extended period of time.
We tell them to either drain the fuel tank or keep it filled up all the way with stabilized fuel, and DRAIN THE CARBURETOR BOWL!!! of any remaining gasoline by either running the engine with the fuel valve turned off until it stalls out, or loosen the drain screw on the bowl and drain it out, then crank the engine over a few times to get out any remaining fuel left in the passageways of the carburetor. Then it will start much easier next year. But most people forget to do what we tell them, and we get to see them every year for the "No Start" or "Hard Start" problems.
Back in the 90's they used to call the fuel "Oxygenated" but that "Word" got "tired out", and now they call it "Ethanol" because of the name of the additive that is used to oxygenate gasoline.
Give it time and the "Ethanol" word will get "Tired Out" and they will start calling it a different word or name.
But just think, in another couple of months we will be bitching that its too hot out and we have to cut the grass again.
 
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