# Regular or Supreme Gas for old Snowblower



## Newt (Dec 27, 2016)

I'm looking for a little more pep out of my old snowblower and wondering if anybody notices a difference with supreme gas.


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## Duff Daddy (Sep 22, 2014)

There is no difference in the fuels. The octane rating is only related to the fuels ability to resist detonation without an ignition source.

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk


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## Ian Ariens 924 (Dec 22, 2015)

In southwestern Ontario,we use supreme gas to get away from the ethanol that is in regular around here.


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## Blackfin (Jan 25, 2016)

I use Shell V-Power NiTRO 91 (or whatever they're calling it) premium in my small engines only because it has no ethanol. Virtually all small engines nowadays are calibrated to run on "regular" and you won't see any benefit from running premium in them.


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Small engines now a days are more or less the same small engines from the 70s and 80s, save for that EFI crap that they are now just starting to stick on some of the engines. There is no "special" engineering out there to make them run better or not with ethanol. These are small engines, not the complex crap that are in automobiles. At the altitude I live at, running 91 octane results in **** poor performance from the small engines in my weed eater, snowblowers, & lawn mowers. I run 85 octane. It has ethanol. I treat it with Stabil-360 and it does juuuuuuuuuuust fine. And I'll rub that in the face of anyone who says fuel stabilizers are not needed. The only non-ethanol fuels sold around here are at 2 shops about 30 miles away and only sold in 91 octane. Same **** poor performance when I ran it in my equipment, even without the ethanol. 
I've had no major issues on my carbs when I've used ethanol fuels and a good fuel stabilizer/treatment. When I have not used a stabilizer, there is a noticeable difference 6 or 8 months later when I go to use the equipment. It runs like crap until I get that fuel out. But I no longer run my carbs dry. Too many cracked seals & gaskets. I've learned my lesson on that.


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## Landngroove (Oct 12, 2015)

I always add Marvel Mystery Oil to the gas on my 1973 Ariens/Tecumseh 8HP. Keeps it running fine.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

i always run supreme just to avoid the corn squeezins. when i fill my jugs i always top my car up first to purge the pump of any regular gas that may be in it.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

I know some areas of Canada and rural areas in the USA have access to E0 gasoline. That's what I'd use *IF* I had access to it.


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## Tomatillo (Nov 11, 2016)

In what way is it running crappy, can we start there?




Newt said:


> I'm looking for a little more pep out of my old snowblower and wondering if anybody notices a difference with supreme gas.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

i plan on stowing the blowers with non ethanol gas with fuel stabilizer and run e-10 with seafoam while the machines are in use. the closest non-ethanol station is about eight miles away. I only keep a gallon of premixed for the 2-strokes plus what's in those machines and five gallons for the 4 stroke machines plus what's in the tank


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## steeve725 (Jan 25, 2014)

GoBlowSnow said:


> I run 85 octane. It has ethanol. I treat it with Stabil-360 and it does juuuuuuuuuuust fine. And I'll rub that in the face of anyone who says fuel stabilizers are not needed. The only non-ethanol fuels sold around here are at 2 shops about 30 miles away and only sold in 91 octane. Same **** poor performance when I ran it in my equipment, even without the ethanol.
> I've had no major issues on my carbs when I've used ethanol fuels and a good fuel stabilizer/treatment. When I have not used a stabilizer, there is a noticeable difference 6 or 8 months later when I go to use the equipment. It runs like crap until I get that fuel out. But I no longer run my carbs dry. Too many cracked seals & gaskets. I've learned my lesson on that.


Yea, I run 87 with ethanol but also Run Amsoil quickshot fuel stabilizer.

I've always ran amsoil quickshot fuel stabilizer in my small engines, in summer or winter.

There is a station that sells non ethanol fuel a few miles away, but there lowest grade is 92, 100, or 116 octane! Yes 116 octane.

My difference is I normally run my other small engine dry on my Honda mower and have never experienced dry or cracked seals. This is my 1st 4 cycle snowblower in a while (Toro qze 721) and planned on doing the same. Hopefully the seals won't dry out or crack.

My power equipment always stays in an insulated non heated garage.


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## Tomatillo (Nov 11, 2016)

nwcove said:


> i always run supreme just to avoid the corn squeezins. when i fill my jugs i always top my car up first to purge the pump of any regular gas that may be in it.



So simple, yet this is something I haven't thought to do -- dump the hose stuff into the truck first to clear the lines of lower octane before filling my cans. UGH ... been so stupid not to do this.


I'm using E-0 right now because I can get it, and it's all from one designated tank and hose. If I go back to the BP station, however, I'll be using your advice.


Ha! "avoid the corn squeezins." 


Thanks.


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## Newt (Dec 27, 2016)

Tomatillo said:


> In what way is it running crappy, can we start there?


I just bought this used Noma 10/27 snowblower and already put new Auger belt, oil change and spark plug in it. It starts up real nice but doesn't throw the snow to far. I'm thinking of putting rubber on my impellers and it may need to have the idle turned up a little more. Also when I get into deep snow under more work it will rev up to make up for idle so not to stall.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

nwcove said:


> i always run supreme just to avoid the corn squeezins. when i fill my jugs i always top my car up first to purge the pump of any regular gas that may be in it.





Tomatillo said:


> So simple, yet this is something I haven't thought to do -- dump the hose stuff into the truck first to clear the lines of lower octane before filling my cans. UGH ... been so stupid not to do this.
> 
> Thanks.


I never thought of that either! that's an excellent tip.
but! ive been lucky!  because my non-ethanol gas always has its own dedicated hose!  no other grades run through it.

Around here, Western NY, we have several gas stations that sell non-ethanol gas, for some reason its always 91 octane.
I have been using it for several years now for my mowers and snowblowers, always with Seafoam.
and I drain completely in the off-season.
been working fine!

Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

Scot


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## Nshusky (Jan 1, 2017)

Great discussion.

I'd like to throw another item into this.
Other than "ethanol" content there is an additive package typically added to fuel but discounters buy unbranded product from the rack and that has no additives. Branded fuel is more expensive than unbranded.

The majors have proprietary additive packages added to the fuel as it is loaded into the truck compartment. Some of the packages are basic and others can have a variety of components with some including stabilizers.
Typically, fuel without any additives with go stale quicker than fuel without any additives. 
Luckily, I can purchase fuel without ethanol. It is hygroscopic and it is not good for long term storage or use in areas of high humidity.


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