Hi Peeps,
A quick lessons learned on the topic of petrol going stale.
I bought about 3 gallons of unleaded in the normal small green plastic can for a new mower, all fine there. Mower started chugging and spluttering then refused to start about 3 weeks ago. I suspected petrol as the cause, took it to the service bloke anyway as its under warranty - he said stale petrol.
So drained it out, filled with new petrol and all's good.
Shelf life of new petrol the mower man told me is 4/6 weeks - i reckon a bit longer but say 8 weeks tops..
Some of you may have known this anyway
Cheers
Stale Unleaded Petrol
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Yorkshire Andy
- Posts: 9237
- Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm
Re: Stale Unleaded Petrol
Metal cans are better in terms of sealing
You can get fuel stabiliser
Honda mower by any chance?
You can get fuel stabiliser
Honda mower by any chance?
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong 
Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
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Yorkshire Andy
- Posts: 9237
- Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm
Re: Stale Unleaded Petrol
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong
Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Re: Stale Unleaded Petrol
There must be varying qualities of petrol. I've got three petrol mowers and they commonly don't do much over winter but all have still started in the spring on the petrol remaining in the tanks.
Supposedly two stroke is worse than regular petrol.
'Course I could just be lucky.
Supposedly two stroke is worse than regular petrol.
'Course I could just be lucky.
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bob the builder
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:32 pm
Re: Stale Unleaded Petrol
I am the same my mower is fine on old petrol but my petrol strimmer runs like sh1t on it but my two stroke stuff is fine maybe running rich on oil helps then my jenny is a beach to start fresh or old fuel rich or lean oil mixgrenfell wrote:There must be varying qualities of petrol. Ive got three petrol mowers they commonly don't do much over winter but all I have still started in the spring on the petrol remaining in the tanks.
Supposedly two stroke is worse than regular petrol.
'Course I could just be lucky.
Not planning for the end of the world just to survive till normality resumes, while sticking to the scout moto be prepared!
Still considering do I want to survive the end of the world or deck chair on the front lawn with a cold beer?
Still considering do I want to survive the end of the world or deck chair on the front lawn with a cold beer?
Re: Stale Unleaded Petrol
Diesel is much better for longer storage.
Richard
South Wales UK
Retired, spending the children's inheritance.
South Wales UK
Retired, spending the children's inheritance.
Re: Stale Unleaded Petrol
Has anyone tried the Motul fuel Stabiliser?
Here's a fact sheet for it http://motul.speclube.com/products/all- ... zer-0250l/
It's designed for: Gardening engines, boat engines, motorcycle or snowmobiles engines…
It seems available in 1-4 bottles from £13-£11 a bottle from lots of places on Ebay
I've never had issues running a Honda mower after the winter. I drain the tank though and run Shell 99 Octane or Tesco Momentum through it on the first mow. Seems happy to run
I've tried storing fuel as an experiment, I've gone up to 10 weels with momentum in a can and it's been fine running through the mower. I've gone so far 8 week old fuel untreated in a car with no noticeable changes in power or MPG (and my car is fussy on fuel)
Here's a fact sheet for it http://motul.speclube.com/products/all- ... zer-0250l/
It's designed for: Gardening engines, boat engines, motorcycle or snowmobiles engines…
It seems available in 1-4 bottles from £13-£11 a bottle from lots of places on Ebay
I've never had issues running a Honda mower after the winter. I drain the tank though and run Shell 99 Octane or Tesco Momentum through it on the first mow. Seems happy to run
I've tried storing fuel as an experiment, I've gone up to 10 weels with momentum in a can and it's been fine running through the mower. I've gone so far 8 week old fuel untreated in a car with no noticeable changes in power or MPG (and my car is fussy on fuel)