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The number one Service Issue for AOPE Customer's In 2011 was Fuel Related... primarily due to Ethanol

Austin Outdoor Power is dedicated in working with our customers to ensure they are aware of the issues we see in our service department. Above and beyond all other issues are the effects of Ethanol in small engines. The below videos should help AOP Customers understand the issue is not a local problem and we are doing what we can to educate them of any and all issues as they arise.

NOTE: There are no cures for bad fuel... there are only treatments to keep your fuel from going bad. Listed below are some recommendations to assist our customers with this issue.

1) Buy a higher octane fuel from a reputable manufacturer.

2) Buy a fuel treatment/stabilizer such as Ethanol Shield for ethanol and to ensure your gas will last longer.

3) For 2 cycle products you can buy SEF 94 to eliminate bad fuel and ethanol completely...

One of the things a customer can do is to treat their fuel with an Ethanol Treatment such Ethanol Shield or for their 2 cycle products the best solution may be to remove the ethanol completely by using a "non-ethanol" pre-mixed fuel such as SEF94. To our knowledge there are no fuel stations in Travis County that do not include ethanol in their fuel with the exception of a few on the lake.


 


 


 


 

Fuel-Testers.com has an in depth article covering all apsects of Ethanol and it's impact on small engines and the boating industry.

To undestand more about Ethanol's effects and possible solutions visit the links below

Consumer Reports.org
Corn Ethanol Worse than Oil?
USA Today
Total Landscape Care
Fuel Testers

Most of the references were released from 2007-2009, and the problem is increasing monthly if not daily. So please stay informed and do what you can to make sure the "Ethanol Bug" is not impacting you until this matter is resolved...

The Effects of Ethanol Gasoline Blends in Cars, Boats, and Small Engines
The blending of ethanol into gasoline across the nation is now a common practice due to recent EPA mandates for 10% ethanol blends. These mandates are aimed at improving air quality and reducing air pollution from fuel emissions, which ethanol blends achieve through the lowering of harmful emissions. But ethanol causes major issues for consumers, who face loss of mileage, storage issues and a tendency for ethanol to corrode plastic and fiberglass tanks and parts, primarily in lawn equipment and marine applications.

 1) Water accumulation in gas tank - ethanol absorbs water from the air
 2) Deposit build up
 3) Loss of power
 4) Ethanol is a solvent and can dissolve, fuel system parts, rubbers, plastics and even aluminum.
 5) Ethanol may shrink, swell or degrade the strength of rubber seals, grommets and/or fuel lines.
 6) Rough running
 7) Lower fuel mileage
 8) Corrode internal engine components
 9) Contaminants in fuel system
10) Fuel phase separation - cannot be restored
11) Encourages microbial growth in fuel
12) Short shelf life -as short as 90 days

SEF 94 (Small Engine Fuel)... The best solution for Ethanol related problems in all 2 Cycle small engines.

Click here for more information on SEF94

Pricing and Model Types on this website are subject to change. We reserve the right to change prices without changing the pricing on our website. 

Automakers Sue To Stop E15 Gasoline Over Fears It Harms Cars
Every major automaker selling cars in the U.S. has signed onto a lawsuit filed aimed at halting the rollout of E15 gasoline, which has a higher proportion of ethanol (15 percent) than today's E10 gasoline.

The companies cite fears that the greater concentration of ethanol will damage engines and fuel systems.Carmakers worry that they'll be blamed for failures in cars that are running on fuel they were never designed for.

The three Detroit automakers--General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler--are joined by Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and many others in the suit. Their effort echoes a similar lawsuit filed by a coalition of farm groups, food trade associations, and oil and gas companies.

The suits seek to overturn a rule, issued in October by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, approving the sales of E15 for 2007 or newer cars. Labeling and other rules are to be developed over the coming months.

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This Web-Site is designed and maintained by Jeff at Austin Outdoor Power

A political storm over ethanol is brewing and it revolves around adding more ethanol to gasoline. It began this past March, when a coalition of ethanol producers formally asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to approve the use of E15, a blend containing 15 percent ethanol. The lobbying group Growth Energy filed for the waiver to the Clean Air Act, claiming that increasing the blend to E15 would create jobs and inject billions of dollars annually into the economy. Granting the waiver request, the group also said, wouldn't impact small engines since gas stations would still be able to sell E10.

The EPA has until December 1 to make a decision. Many members of Congress, most notably from states most involved in ethanol production, support the waiver, with other Congress members from other states voicing opposition. But the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), a trade group of power-equipment manufacturers, and numerous other parties are calling timeout in a big way.

While it supports the use of E10, the OPEI is calling for a formal waiver process that considers the full effects of higher levels of ethanol on small engines. This means not only nonroad equipment such as lawn gear but also generators, marine engines, snowmobiles, and motorcycles. The group moreover expresses concern about fostering confusion at the pump, when a homeowner goes to refill a mower and sees multiple blends of ethanol. Choose too rich an ethanol blend, and the results could prove harmful to the engine and dangerous to the user.

Among studies Growth Energy cites to support its filing is one from the U.S. Department of Energy (PDF) that tested the effects of various blends on engines. But the study itself, predating Growth Energy's application, acknowledges the need for further tests. It also includes numerous findings that should warrant hesitation on the EPA's part, according to analysis by a consultant to the OPEI (PDF):

• Engine-exhaust temperatures are significantly higher when E15 fuel is used compared with E10, which affects product longevity.
• Operators face increased safety risks, including some unintentional engagement of the clutch because of high idle speeds.
• Two power blowers failed completely after running on E15 fuel for 25 or less hours.
• Operational problems resulted, including erratic equipment operation, "missing" and stalling of engines, and power reduction.

Two other groups have called the waiver request premature. The Union of Concerned Scientists charges the petitioners with "trying to subvert the science with its request . . . before the studies are completed." The Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group says the ethanol industry is "misrepresenting scientific facts in efforts to dupe the [EPA] into waiving critical public-health protections for the sake of boosting ethanol sales." The EWG further claims that all the studies (besides the DOE's) that Growth Energy cites contain evidence "that undermines the case for E15 and above."

Currently, the use of gasoline blends with any higher a percentage of ethanol than E10 voids the warranty of outdoor power equipment and other engines, including those in cars. But among comments to the requested waiver are those from boating associations such as the National Marine Manufacturers Association, a trade group representing the recreational-marine industry. It's concerned that Growth Energy's petition for a waiver makes no mention of marine engines and the potential impact, supported by studies, of intermediate ethanol blends on boating consumers or marine equipment.

At least for boaters, ethanol blends aren't a new problem. A July 2006 article in BoatU.S. magazine (PDF) warned of dissolving fiberglass gas tanks, ruined carburetors and intake valves, and—worst—the threat of engine failure while miles out at sea. "Affected engines may run rough, stall or bog down under load," the article stated.

The following Video shows how fast your fuel with Ethanol collects water. (click next on the videos to watch as many as you like)
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