# A few teaspoons of gas line anti freeze?



## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

A friend of mine mentioned that his snowblower using buddies all recommend using a few teaspoons of gas line anti freeze in your tank. Sounds right. Anything to recommend against it?


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## SAVAGE420 (Apr 21, 2015)

Unless your using old summer fuel, you won't have to add anything. Even then, unless it's - 40 or so you won't have to worry 

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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

SAVAGE420 said:


> Unless your using old summer fuel, you won't have to add anything. Even then, unless it's - 40 or so you won't have to worry
> 
> Sent from my SM-G973W using Tapatalk


I believe his/their contention was that you often get a little water in the gas directly from the gas station. I was blowing snow in -26 celsius recently....I'm thinking that might be cold enough.
In anycase I've been meaning to pickup a bottle of that K100 stuff after seeing Donyboy recommend it.


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## SAVAGE420 (Apr 21, 2015)

barney said:


> I believe his/their contention was that you often get a little water in the gas directly from the gas station. I was blowing snow in -26 celsius recently....I'm thinking that might be cold enough.
> In anycase I've been meaning to pickup a bottle of that K100 stuff after seeing Donyboy recommend it.


Well it definitely wouldn't hurt.
Let us know the results 

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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

i don't worry about gas line antifreeze. i usually just keep fresh gas on hand. never had an issue yet.


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## RC20 (Dec 4, 2019)

You need to check your regions fuel setup. Many cold areas go to a winter blend that has Ethanol in it for emissions purposes. If you get your fuel in the winter you are covered. 

It also works as picking up some water (a slug will not be removed) and for a carburated machine its a carb ice preventer.


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## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

K100 can make sense for those who leave their snow blowers in below freezing conditions. However, K100 will eliminate water equal to itself and it's not likely a snow blower gas tank will have a few teaspoons of water.


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## TooTall999 (Nov 19, 2015)

I use ethanol free gas year around with no additives and have zero problems. My snowblower is kept in an unheated garage and I've blown snow in sub-zero (fahrenheit) conditions.


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## Sid (Jan 31, 2014)

There used to be a product called "Dry Gas" mostly alcohol. Since they have been putting methanol in the gas, I don't see it around anymore.
Sid


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## Fat City (Feb 11, 2017)

I'd use a little fuel stabilizer to combat water . Gas has alcohol, you don't need more .


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

barney said:


> A friend of mine mentioned that his snowblower using buddies all recommend using a few teaspoons of gas line anti freeze in your tank. Sounds right. Anything to recommend against it?


Dryers and deicers are usually alcohol based.
Alcohol in many of the small engine carbs will corrode them and plug the jets.
Straight gas and water do not mix at all and you can see a bubble of water in the bottom of the tank if there is any water...it separates in seconds as long as it's straight gas..Pure gas can suspend a very small amount of water itself..but then the water will bubble together if beyond it's ability to suspend moisture
Alcohol will suspend a much larger amount water...but it also attracts moisture which further damages the carb.
If you do use an alcohol based product .. go very very light with it.
I prefer to drain the carb once a year.
I do use seafoam which has a very mild deicing ability..very mild..but enough for those few snowflakes that might make it in the tank.
The best course is to avoid water as even if we suspend it..it will damage the carb.
No water...no alcohol...No problems.






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## Nanook12 (Nov 26, 2019)

Isopropyl alcohol is what you want to use, up to 1%.


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## TooTall999 (Nov 19, 2015)

Sid said:


> There used to be a product called "Dry Gas" mostly alcohol. Since they have been putting methanol in the gas, I don't see it around anymore.
> Sid


They don't put methanol in gas, it's ethanol.


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## 88-tek (Nov 5, 2017)

TooTall999 said:


> They don't put methanol in gas, it's ethanol.


..And that's why it tastes so good...ccasion14: LOL


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## RC20 (Dec 4, 2019)

I keep hearing the bugaboo about needing pure fuel in snow blowers that have been designed to use winter fuel with Ethanol in it for 20+ years. I just don't buy it.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

RC20 said:


> I keep hearing the bugaboo about needing pure fuel in snow blowers that have been designed to use winter fuel with Ethanol in it for 20+ years. I just don't buy it.


Many people have suffered carb damage due to alcohol on these small engines.
The old carbs tolerate alcohol..these new ones not so much.
The story is always the same..."It was running fine when I parked it..and now it won't start ...or only runs with the choke on."
Some states don't list whether or not if gasoline has alcohol..I am in one of those states. I don't buy expensive canned gas. But rather have to go to a station several miles away that has a premium fuel without alcohol..they are few and far in between here 
I test the gas when I get home.
Are there some newer carbs fine with alcohol...Yes... But there many that are not.. Nothing worse than having a long driveway you can't clean because the snowblower won't start... And now you can't get out of your own driveway to do anything about it.
I have a 300 foot driveway . . Two car apron and a turn around area to clean.. A clogged carb is not an option.
Alcohol corrodes..many automobile manufacturers stated in manuals for years only use fuel with alcohol on a must basis as it was corrosive to the system.
Vehicles now will tolerate it with no issue.
However many of the Chinese carbs on our small engines are not alcohol tolerant.
Alcohol added to gasoline is not to your benefit ..it's Govt mandating that x amount of alcohol needs to be used as a whole with gasoline.
That percentage has went up through the years and I am not aware of any reversals.
One thing good about gas... You can get an engine started in very low temperatures.. Alcohol.. not so much
A one pull start at 20 below zero with a Honda clone ..count me in.



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## NWRider (Jan 6, 2020)

I see HEET gas line antifreeze in the auto parts stores frequently; isn't it about the same as the Dry Gas?


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## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

Shovel said:


> Some states don't list whether or not if gasoline has alcohol..I am in one of those states. I don't buy expensive canned gas. But rather have to go to a station several miles away that has a premium fuel without alcohol..they are few and far in between here
> I test the gas when I get home.


Shovel, I've wondered who buys these test kits and I guess it makes sense if you can't otherwise determine ethanol content. (In my state ethanol is stated on the pump and I'm satisfied with that.) But unless you find ethanol from time to time, testing frequently seems unnecessary.


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## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

NWRider said:


> I see HEET gas line antifreeze in the auto parts stores frequently; isn't it about the same as the Dry Gas?


Heet is the same as dry gas. It's also the same as ethanol which is already in most gasoline sold at pumps. Having said that, a teaspoon or so wouldn't hurt in below freezing temperatures.


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## KennyW in CT (Feb 24, 2015)

I love K100. made a 2 gallon can of stale gas and water burn just fine. And after it was gone there was barely any water in the tank.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

Tony P. said:


> Shovel, I've wondered who buys these test kits and I guess it makes sense if you can't otherwise determine ethanol content. (In my state ethanol is stated on the pump and I'm satisfied with that.) But unless you find ethanol from time to time, testing frequently seems unnecessary.


You don't have to buy a kit...A simple glass jar will do.
Put a little water in a jar...mark it.
Now pour some gas in the jar.
Shake it to mix it up.
Let settle..if the seperation line is above your mark you have alcohol.
Also if the gas has no alcohol.. it seperates pretty quick and you don't have to wait.
So after a few times you dont to need to measure anything..you see how long it takes to seperate...gas is quick...E 10 ..not quick.
If you want to find actual alcohol content..then you measure how much higher your seperation line is.
This is more for someone buying e85 by accident and you are eliminating the wrong fuel as a runnability problem..(they may have topped off from a half tank with the wrong fuel)..as more alcohol is needed than gasoline given everything else is the same...same RPM..same load and so forth.
We pay dearly for alcohol free fuel here..and they are protected from having to disclose alcohol being in the fuel ...So I test it..I can't have alcohol causing me problems as is very common with the carbs on the Powermore engine which is on my snowblower.
The autos get the E 10 ..E 15 ..which is undisclosed...the e85 is labeled.

When alcohol first appeared here it was e10 at 89 octane and was a penny higher than 87...then the prices were the same later..it was labeled then..Now it's a crap shot.




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## Nanook12 (Nov 26, 2019)

NWRider said:


> I see HEET gas line antifreeze in the auto parts stores frequently; isn't it about the same as the Dry Gas?


Use the red bottle not the yellow.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

There must be now a couple dozen threads on what people do to there gas for small machines.

Just read all the threads, and then figure the best way that you want to move forward. 

They basically have the same material, and what most do, as many have there own preferences.

BTW, just my opinion, but if you have water in the tank, I would say drain the tank and bowl and start fresh.


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## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

Shovel, I'm amazed at your situation although I agree with what you're doing. If someone is adding ethanol to the gasoline to "water it down" and increase their profit (ethanol is cheaper than gasoline), they're also adding octane.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

oneacer said:


> There must be now a couple dozen threads on what people do to there gas for small machines.
> 
> Just read all the threads, and then figure the best way that you want to move forward.
> 
> ...


They may want to watch this before the final decision.
Alcohol is bad for small engine carbs..
He does alot of neat stuff...I have watched several of his videos...you name it he may have tested it...from drill bits to saw blades..from glue to epoxy..
This one is from alcohol free gas to e85 with and without water added..The results are shocking.








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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

Shovel said:


> You don't have to buy a kit...A simple glass jar will do.
> Put a little water in a jar...mark it.
> Now pour some gas in the jar.
> Shake it to mix it up.
> ...


Thank you for this great explainer. I'm going to give this a try to test the Shell Nitro 92 gas I bought. I've read that this particular formulation [Canada] is their nonE gas and I'd like to make sure they're not pulling a fast one.
I always shoot the first 1/2 liter into my car's tank to make sure I'm not getting any leftover Egas in the line when at the gas station. The single nozzle is used for four different gas formulations.


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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

crazzywolfie said:


> i don't worry about gas line antifreeze. i usually just keep fresh gas on hand. never had an issue yet.


Yeah, I don't worry either as I also keep the gas fresh, ensure that its nonE and I also add a little Stabil for good measure and make sure my tank is always full and have read every gas thread over the past few years. As noted the water I was wondering about was the possibility of occasional water in the gas as bought from the gas station...apparently that's a thing. The singular question about gas line anti freeze was put with that in mind as opposed to "How should I store my gas" etc. I could have posed the question better.


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