Lawn Mower Gas vs Car Gas: Are They Same. Lawn mower gas type

Lawn Mower Gas vs Car Gas: Are They Same?

But What kind of gas does a lawnmower use? Is lawn mower gas the same as car gas?

Most of the lawnmowers use the same gas as cars.

However, older models can be exceptions. So, if you’re not sure what type of gas your mower prefers there are ways to find out!

First off, search for your lawnmower brand – they typically list different fuels required by each brand.

This article will go into depth about whether they are the same and what difference there might be between them.

• Lawn Mower Gas vs Car Gas: Are They Same?
• Which Type of Gas Cars Does Car Use?
• Which Type of Gas Lawnmowers Do Use?
• How To Insert Gas in Lawnmower?
• How Frequently We Need To Change The Gas of a Lawnmower?
• Things To Keep In Mind When Changing Gasoline of Your Lawn Mower?
• What Is The Best Way To Store Your Lawnmower For Winter?
• How Long Can You Keep A New Storage Tank Of Gas In Your Shed Without Filling It Up Again?
• What Is The Difference Between Gas And Oil?
• Are Lawn Mowers Engine Safe On Premium Gas?
• Is Premium Gas Worth It For Lawn Mowers?
• Can I Use Unleaded Petrol In a Lawn Mower?
• Can You Use Lawn Mower Gas In a Car?
• What Happens If You Put Regular Gas In a Lawn Mower?
• What Happens If You Put Regular Gas In a Lawnmower?
• Is Ethanol-free Gas Better for Small Engines?
• Wrapping Up

Lawn Mower Gas vs Car Gas: Are They Same?

Lawnmower gas and car gas are the same in terms of composition but they are having different chemical structures. Lawnmower gas smells like gasoline because it has a chemical additive called Tetraethyl Lead (TEL). TEL is added for octane, which helps lawn mowers have enough power. Gasoline for cars typically contains other additives in it like ethanol and octane enhancers that lawnmower gas does not have, so they are different fuels altogether despite smelling similar.

The smell of TEL isn’t harmful to humans, but in high doses can cause serious health problems including kidney failure and decreased brain function.

It’s also important to know that lawn mower engines must be tuned differently from your car engine when using lawnmower gas as fuel; so don’t try filling up with a garden hose at home! Lawnmowers will have a higher compression, which means the engine is tuned to combust fuel more completely.

Gasoline for cars typically contains other additives in it like ethanol and octane enhancers that lawnmower gas does not have, so they are different fuels altogether despite smelling similar. If you choose to use lawnmower gas instead of gasoline because your car can’t run on anything else, be sure your engine has been modified with features like spark plug timing advance or an exhaust system designed for leaded gas before filling up!

To know more – How does the lawnmower engine works – check the linked article.

Which Type of Gas Cars Does Car Use?

Car engines are designed to run on a mixture of gasoline and air, not just gas. If you want your car engine to survive for long periods of time with lawnmower fuel instead, then it will need to be modified beforehand so that it can handle the difference in viscosity between lawnmower fuel and gasoline for cars.

Which Type of Gas Lawnmowers Do Use?

Lawnmowers are designed to run on a mixture of gasoline and air, not just gas. If you want your lawnmower engine to survive for long periods of time with car fuel instead, then it will need to be modified beforehand so that it can handle the difference in viscosity between lawnmower fuel and gasoline for cars.

The bottom line is: if you don’t have an auto-engine tuned specifically for leaded gas, stay away from using car fuel! It might seem like a good idea at first because it’s less expensive than regular gas but could cost more in the end when your lawnmower needs repairs.

How To Insert Gas in Lawnmower?

It’s not hard to insert gas into a lawnmower. The first thing you’ll need to do is prepare the fuel by putting it into a container that has an easy-to-grip handle and spout for pouring purposes. If you’re using a metal canister, make sure to take off its protective cap before turning upside down over your mower so that any built-up pressure will be released safely through the nozzle or opening on top of the canister.

You should always fill up with fresh gasoline when possible but if this isn’t feasible then there are products made specifically for taking care of old stale gas such as Gunk Gas Treatment which helps eliminate buildups caused by ethanol and moisture in older fuels (avoid “octane boosters” as these may cause damage to your lawnmower).

You’ll also want to clean the carburetor and fuel filter which can be achieved through a combination of Gunk Cleaner and Fuel Stabilizer with Old Fashioned Corn Oil (or any other light, natural oil), followed by running the mower for several minutes until you see a significant improvement in engine performance.

The last step is adding gasoline stabilizers such as Sta-Bil or Sea Foam if high octane gas isn’t available locally so that old gas won’t evaporate quickly when left sitting on top of the tank. You should only use this product after filling up because it’s not intended for use during normal operation like standard gasoline additives are.

Want to get a lawnmower for your yard? Check the latest article on the best lawnmower for small yards.

How Frequently We Need To Change The Gas of a Lawnmower?

A lawnmower’s gas tank needs to be replaced at least once a year if it is stored in the garage or shed, and every two years for lawns that are not.

Things To Keep In Mind When Changing Gasoline of Your Lawn Mower?

If you just bought gasoline stabilizers make sure they’ve been mixed before adding them to your mowers fuel tank since they need time to work properly.

Some brands also recommend following up with their own additives called Fuel Additives Stabilizer after using Sta-Bil, Sea Foam, Gunk Cleaner, and Old Fashioned Corn Oil as well as running the engine on the high throttle for several minutes afterward until engine performance comes back.

What Is The Best Way To Store Your Lawnmower For Winter?

If you have an automatic start, make sure to store the battery on a full charge.

How Long Can You Keep A New Storage Tank Of Gas In Your Shed Without Filling It Up Again?

Most experts will say that gasoline can last for up to one year when stored in the garage or shed without being used if it’s kept sealed tightly; some recommend using fuel stabilizers.

What Is The Difference Between Gas And Oil?

There are two main types of gas, regular and premium.

Premium gas is higher octane than regular gasoline. Premium grades can contain up to 93 or 95 octane levels; the lower number means that it’s more likely to detonate (ignite) under engine pressure because it’s less refined and contains more BTUs (British Thermal Unit). Regular has an octave rating between 87 and 91 which makes it cheaper but also worse quality for your lawnmower engine.

Gasoline typically contains lead as a fuel additive, while diesel does not have this additive; this was done in order to improve the combustion process by helping reduce ‘knocking.’ Lead helps keep the fuel’s density relatively stable, as well as decreasing the tendency of a spark to ignite prematurely.

Gasoline contains more BTUs than diesel or lawnmower gas because it is refined from crude oil; this means that it takes less energy to produce gasoline than either diesel or lawnmower gas.

The octane rating for premium grade usually falls between 93 and 95. The lower number on regular grades can be anywhere from 87 up to 91 which makes them cheaper but also worse quality for your lawnmower engine.

Are Lawn Mowers Engine Safe On Premium Gas?

In general, most engines are safe when using high-octane fuels except in older model cars where only low levels of octane gasoline are needed.

If you are interested to know more about – Is It OK to Run a Lawn Mower on Premium Gas?

Is Premium Gas Worth It For Lawn Mowers?

Premium gas is not necessary or worth it to use on lawnmowers.

However, the more you spend and get premium gasoline for your lawnmower engine you will see a decrease in performance as well as increased emissions due to decreased fuel efficiency which means that there’s really no reason why anyone should be using better quality patrols than regular unleaded.

Can I Use Unleaded Petrol In a Lawn Mower?

Many people have asked themselves this question before, but the answer is that unleaded petrol cannot be used in a lawnmower. This is because unleaded petrol contains additives which make it more expensive and less effective for use in small engines like those found on lawnmowers. The same company that makes unleaded fuel also produces leaded fuel, which does not contain these additives and can therefore be safely used as an alternative to gasoline in a lawnmower.

Can You Use Lawn Mower Gas In a Car?

This is a question that many people ask themselves. Can you use unleaded petrol in a lawnmower? The answer to the question, unfortunately, is no. Lawnmowers require diesel fuel which is similar to gasoline except it contains more lubricants and additives for better performance. This blog post goes into depth on what you need to know about lawnmower gas before filling up your tank!

What Happens If You Put Regular Gas In a Lawn Mower?

This is a question that many people have asked themselves when they are filling up their gas tank for the first time. Many lawnmowers use special gasoline, but what happens if you put regular gas in one? It could cause some serious damage to your engine! We will discuss this in detail and give you tips on how to avoid such an issue.

What Happens If You Put Regular Gas In a Lawnmower?

Don’t do it! Gasoline is a mixture of many different hydrocarbons, and the older gas might have already gone through several chemical changes. Mixing gasoline with an old gas can cause fuel pump malfunctions in your car or lawnmower.

Is Ethanol-free Gas Better for Small Engines?

The debate over ethanol-free gas and its benefits for small engines has been going on for a long time. Some say that it is better than regular gas because the fuel burns cleaner, but others argue that it can cause major problems with equipment.

Wrapping Up

The gas in your lawnmower is different from car gasoline because it’s more volatile. This means that smaller amounts of water will cause the fuel to become unusable. The best way to combat this issue is by adding a fuel stabilizer, which prevents moisture and rust particles from settling into the tank or line.

To make sure you’re using the right type for your needs, read through our guide on understanding what kind of gas you have in the engine of your mower!

Lee Safin was born near Sacramento, California on a prune growing farm. His parents were immigrants from Russia who had fled the Bolshevik Revolution. They were determined to give their children a better life than they had known. Education was the key for Lee and his siblings, so they could make their own way in the world. Lee attended five universities, where he studied plant sciences and soil technologies. He also has many years of experience in the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a commercial fertilizer formulator.

Thoughts on “Lawn Mower Gas vs Car Gas: Are They Same?”

Should You Use Regular or Premium Gas in Your Lawn Mower?

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A lot of people are under the misconception that their lawn mower’s engine will run better if they use premium gas rather than regular. Even for car engines, I’ve heard a lot of people say that their car will run “cleaner” on “higher quality” gas. While premium gas is listed as “required” for some engines, using regular gas is usually always absolutely fine.

You’re probably wondering if it’s better to put regular or premium gas in your lawn mower…

You should use regular gas in your lawn mower. Running a smaller engine on premium gas isn’t necessary. Premium gas is designed for engines with a higher compression ratio which are generally found in high powered cars. While premium gas may not hurt your mower’s engine, it will hurt your wallet.

You won’t benefit from the extra cost of premium gas. As always, make sure you refer to the owner’s manual for guidance on what fuel to use in your mower.

What’s the difference between premium and regular gas?

The title given to a certain type of gas depends on the octane number of the fuel.

In the US, regular gas has an octane level of 87 and premium gas an octane level of 91-93.

This definition can slightly vary by state in the US.

The octane number

The octane number is a measurement of the knock resistance of a fuel. Higher octane fuel can allow the use of higher compression ratios. Without boring you with what happens in a combustion chamber, all you need to know is that higher octane numbers are appropriate for high performance engines that compress the mixture more than a normal engine.Use a fuel stabilizer!Adding a fuel stabiliser to your fuel is one of the best ways you can preserve your mower’s engine. STA-BIL (link to Amazon) works in all gasoline and ethanol blended fuels.

The general assumption about premium gas for lawn mowers

The word “premium” tends to imply that something is better. Especially compared to something labeled as “regular”. The general assumption is that a premium is of higher quality and will lead to increased engine lifetime, decreased emissions and better performance.

In reality, you won’t get any of these benefits from using premium fuel in your mower. You certainly won’t get more power from using premium gas!

In the context of fuel, how well a particular type functions depends on the type of engine its being used in. If you tried to run a high-performance engine on too low of an octane fuel, the engine will not as well as it possibly could. Luckily for you, your lawn mower’s engine is not a high-performance engine. An engine that’s designed to run on regular fuel isn’t going to see any benefit from using a higher-octane option.

The overwhelming majority of car engines in the US need regular gas. The only reason to purchase fuel with a higher-octane rating is to prevent knocking on high performance engines.

Premium starting fluidThis premium starting fluid (link to Amazon) from Preston is pretty useful too. It helps start engines with either too little or too much fuel.

Why premium gas costs more than regular gas

Premium gas can be significantly more expensive, but why does it cost so much more?

There’s no standalone reason why premium gas is more expensive than regular gas. Two of the gas companies can simply charge more because there is less competition. It’s also harder to produce.

What type of gas is best for lawn mowers?

I’d recommend using a fuel with an octane rating of 87 octane or higher for all of your mower’s. There’s not really any need to go higher. 89-93 octane fuels are designed for high powered cars and vehicles.

It’s not just about the octane number…

The ethanol concentration is important too. Ethanol can absorb moisture which can cause issues with your carburetor. It’s recommended that your fuel mix contains no more than 10% ethanol or you could face problems when trying to start your lawn mower.

In general, ethanol can be but it’s not something to worry about if you’re using the fuel frequently and it’s not sitting for a long period of time.

I like this ethanol-free fuel (link to Amazon) for 4-cycle engines. It’s pre-blended and can be used in all different types of outdoor power equipment.

How to know what fuel to use in your lawn mower

If the manufacturer doesn’t recommend a certain type of fuel for your mower then you probably shouldn’t be using it. Using an incorrect fuel could potentially cause damage to the components which can be very costly.

I’d recommend referring to the owner’s manual. If you no longer have access to that then you can try googling the serial number to find more information about your mower’s engine requirements.

In Summary

You have a few options when it comes deciding on which fuel you should use in your lawn mower. Whichever you decide to choose, the gas should be fresh and clean. Ideally, you should add some stabilizer to keep the fuel from degrading which can lead to issues starting the mower and poor performance.

They key takeaway is that there is no benefit if the octane is higher than what the engine requires.

Your mower will run just fine on regular gas. It will not run any better on premium fuel so don’t waste your hard-earned money buying more expensive fuel.

In general, I’d recommend using the lowest octane fuel you can find.

Here are some of my favorite lawn care products

Thanks a lot for making it to the end of this post! I hope you found it useful. Here are some lawn care products that I use and that I think you’ll also find helpful. These are affiliate links, so if you do decide to use any of them, I’ll earn a commission.

In all honesty, these are some of the basic products that I use and recommend to everyone.

Broadcast Spreader

This Scotts Elite dual rotary spreader is not a professional grade model but it’s excellent for homeowners.

I really like the edge guard on it. It’s really easy to switch on and off so it’s great for going around my driveway and flower beds.

If you’re not looking to spend hundreds of dollars, I’d definitely recommend this model. It spreads out a wide path and is great quality for the cost.

Backpack Sprayer

This 4-Gallon sprayer is my absolute favorite. It sprays for a really long time. I’ve had this sprayer for quite a while and I’ve never had the battery run out.

The adjustable pressure switch is a really import feature to me.

You can order a lot of accessories for this model but I’ve never really found much of a need for it.

Head Aerator

Hand aerators are great for small spots if you’ve got construction debris or a spot that constantly dries out.

You can also fill these holes with organic matter that will hold a bit more moisture.

This one by Yard Butler is an absolute bargain. It pulls nice long cores. I also use it for taking soil samples around the yard!

What is the best gas for lawn mower?

Frustrated with the inconsistent performance of your lawn mower? Then it’s about time you used clean and ethanol-free fuel for your lawn mower’s engine.

That’s because most ethanol-blended fuels deteriorate with time, causing several performance issues and leaving the users worried and frustrated. But apart from that, several other factors go into choosing the best fuel for your lawn mower.

In this article, we will be discussing some of those factors to help you make an informed purchase when it comes to choosing the best fuel for your lawn mower. So, if you are ready, let’s jump straight to the good stuff.

Type Of Gas Suitable For Lawn Mowers

Even though the best fuel to use in lawn mowers varies from brand to brand, most two-stroke and four-stroke engines utilize regular unleaded gasoline having an octane rating of 87. Plus, this unleaded gasoline should have less than 10% ethanol content for best results.

You can even use premium gasoline with a higher octane rating of 91 and 93, but you are unlikely to derive any significant benefit from it. Therefore, we think it’s safe to say that most lawn mowers use fresh unleaded gasoline, having a minimum octane rating of 87 and less than 10% ethanol.

Type Of Gas To Avoid

As stated earlier, you would want to avoid gasoline having more than 10% ethanol. Keep in mind that most gas stations are infamous for selling gasoline, having more than 85% of ethanol, which is not good for the engines of your lawn mower. So, make sure you ask the seller about the content of the gasoline before you make the purchase.

Regular Or Premium Gas

While purchasing gas for lawn mowers, most people are faced with one question- if they can use premium gas in their lawn mowers or not. Well, you can most certainly use premium gasoline, but it’s best to check the manual before using it.

From our experience with lawn mowers, we realized that the lawn mower engines are built to use low octane-rated fuel more often than not. Therefore, using a higher octane gas could result in minor damages to the fuel system of the lawn mower, which is certainly not something you would want. That said, it’s important to note that the chances of it happening are very rare.

Also, premium gas is a bit on the expensive side; it could cost up to 20 cents more than regular gas. Not to mention, you’ll need a higher compression ratio to notice any significant benefits out of higher octane numbers. Thus, it’s best to stick to regular gas, as premium fuel is just not worth the hassle.

Important Recommendations

Here, we have listed a few of our recommendations so that you can make the most out of your lawn mower engine.

Use Additives

As most gasoline sold at gas stations contain large amounts of ethanol, you would want to ensure that you stop it from deteriorating over time and damaging the mower’s engine. That’s why we strongly advise using the official fuel additive recommended by the brand of your lawn mower to avoid corrosion created by moisture in gasoline having ethanol.

High-Altitude Adjustment

A minimum of 85 octane fuel is suggested to stay emissions-compliant at high elevations. So, if you live in a high-altitude area, you might need a high-altitude adjustment for the mower’s engine to maintain its peak performance.

However, if you don’t make such an adjustment, you may see a decreased performance in the mower, increased fuel consumption, and more emissions. Beyond that, those living in colder areas should not store gasoline and use it after months to ensure the optimal performance of their lawn mowers.

No Mixing Gas

This is another important factor that you need to keep in mind when dealing with gasoline. Make sure you never mix it with oil if the manufacturer does not advise it.

Other than that, we would suggest that you avoid tweaking four-stroke engines to make them run on alternate fuels. This is because it could lead to damage to the combustion chamber of your lawn mower. Also, keep in mind that the brand will have you covered under its warranty if you put the mower through such modification.

Lastly, check the product manual to confirm if it sports 4-cycle gasoline or a 2-cycle gasoline engine to be sure of the kind of gas it uses.

87-Octane Rating And 10% Ethanol

While purchasing fresh gasoline from a gas station, make it a point to ensure that it has an octane rating of 87 and less than 10% ethanol. Other than that, check if the gas you are purchasing is clean and fresh as such fuels tend to deteriorate quickly. And don’t use fuel that’s leftover from last season, as it might damage the lawn mower’s engine.

As we have already stated previously, your local gas station could be selling you fuel containing ethanol between 15-85%. Such fuels are not compatible with small engines, including weed eaters, edgers, and of course, lawn mowers. Therefore, always ask the one selling gasoline to confirm the content of the product before purchasing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

In this section, we have tried answering a few frequently asked questions about gas for lawn mowers to help clear any doubt that you might have.

Can High Octane Gasoline Enhance The Performance Of Your Lawn Mower?

Premium gas with high octane rating has not been shown to help enhance the performance of the mower as most mowers are designed to work on a low octane rating. On top of that, high octane gasoline is more expensive than the regular one; hence it doesn’t make sense to use them with lawn mowers.

Why Do I Need A Fuel Stabilizer For My Lawn Mower?

If you own a gas-powered lawn mower, you need a fuel stabilizer to keep the gas fresh and prevent any issues that could arise while using it the next season.

But if you decide not to use a fuel stabilizer, it’s not that big of a deal. In this case, just ensure that the lawn mower has been drained of all the fluids before storing it in order to prevent corrosion in the fuel system.

How To Gas Up A Lawn Mower?

This is how you can fill up your lawn mower:

Find The Tank

Today, most lawn mowers sport a small plastic tank at the back or at the side. However, some models have the tank hidden under a symbol or cap. So, make sure you locate it correctly.

Remove The Cap

Once you have identified the tank, you’ll have to remove it by turning it counterclockwise. Note that, for some models, you might have to use a key to unlock the cap.

Fill It Up

After you have figured out which gas is the best for your lawn mower, take the mower to the fuel station and have it filled with gasoline. It’s best if you use a funnel or nozzle so that the gas doesn’t spill while you pour it into the tank.

Secure The Cap

Once you have filled up the tank, ensure that you put the cap back on the tank and secure it as tightly as possible. Now, your lawn mower should be ready.

How Much Gas Is My Lawn Mower Likely To Use?

It entirely depends on the model of your lawn mower. Therefore, we suggest looking at the manual to know how much gas your lawn mower is likely to use. That being said, more often than not, a lawn mower can use up to 1 gallon of gas for every hour it runs. Thus, it means 0.25 gallons per minute.

Final Thoughts

We think it can be safely said that the best gas for your lawn mower depends on its engine. However, as a rule of thumb, you can use regular gas with an octane rating of 87 with 10% or less ethanol to get the best out of your engine.

If the product manual recommends using premium gas, you can use it to help the lawn mower’s engine achieve its peak performance.

What Kind Of gas Does A Zero Turn Mower Take? (Does It Need Premium?)

Zero-turn mowers are increasing in popularity because of their sweet rotation mechanism. That feature makes zero-turn mowers extremely handy. But, of course, you’d want to make the most out of such a machine while keeping it safe. So what should you feed it? What kind of gas does a zero-turn mower take?

The best gas for your mower is always the one recommended by the manufacturer. If there are no direct instructions about the fuel type, then use regular gas rated 87 octanes or premium gasses rated 91 octanes or more. In both cases, avoid gas with ethanol content above 10%

Understanding what octane ratings and ethanol percentages mean and how they would affect your zero-turn mower is essential.

We’ll tackle that while also telling you what types of gas you should avoid, along with a few extra precautionary measures.

Best Gas for Zero-Turn Mowers

When it comes to gas, there are two main things you should FOCUS on: octane rating and ethanol. The first measures the fuel’s ability to resist “knocking.” The second is the percentage of alcohol mixed in with the gasoline.

We’ll start with octane ratings because it concerns gas quality, while ethanol content only determines how much alcohol is mixed in.

Octane Rating

Octane rating is a number between 0 and 100.

An octane rating is a measure of how heat-resistant a fuel is. The higher the octane number, the greater the fuel’s ability to resist knocking or pinging during combustion.

This high resistance means the fuel won’t ignite before it’s supposed to.

In other words, a higher octane rating means less fuel burn and higher efficiency. That being said, you’d want your gas to have an octane rating of at least 87.

Ethanol Percentage

We add ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol) to fuel to help oxygenate the gas. Oxygenation leads to completely burning out the fuel, which in turn helps in reducing harmful emissions.

We’d love to reduce the harmful effects of the gas we use. However, using too much ethanol will lead to faster fuel burning, reducing efficiency.

over, ethanol is one of the hygroscopic materials. These materials absorb moisture and water vapor from the air.

When ethanol mixes with water, it forms a gummy-like deposit inside the fuel system, which leads to clogging.

This deposit will build up over time and damage your engine by clogging the fuel line, filter, or carburetor. That’s why you should always check the ethanol percentage before refueling to make sure that it’s not higher than 10%

You can tell how much ethanol is in your gas by looking for the letter E on the container. For example, if you see a 10% next to the letter E, that means there is 10% ethanol in your gas.

Does a Zero-Turn Mower Need Premium Gas?

The true answer to whether your lawn mower necessitates premium gas lies within the user’s manual and your reasoning for using better fuel.

Premium gasoline is any gas that has an octane rating over 91.

Deciding whether to switch your car to premium gas depends on what the owner’s manual recommends.

Some mowers have high-compression engines, and they require premium gas. These mowers work optimally only with premium gas, and regular gas would decrease their performance.

If you have one of these high-compression mowers, it’s better to stick to the manual and use the premium gas.

If your manual doesn’t directly point out that your mower needs premium gas, you could use the 87-octane gas without issues. The question is, do you need premium gas for those too?

Will Premium Gas Make My Zero Turn Run Better?

Don’t waste your money on premium gas for your lawnmower- it won’t make it run any better.

Higher octane rating only increases fuel efficiency. For example, If you have 10 liters of regular gas that generally last for 20 days, the same amount of premium gas would last for 23 days.

Throughout those 23 days, your mower won’t work any faster or cut the grass any better.

The premium gas gives you a bit more time as far as fuel usage and costs a few cents more, but that’s about it. Remember that the number of days we used is just for explanation.

What Type of Gas to Avoid for a Zero-Turn Mower?

When you need to fill your lawnmower with gasoline, the first thought is probably going to the nearby gas station and buying one or two gallons.

That sounds like the sensible thing to do. It’s just an engine, after all.

However, in most cases, it’s not a good idea. Most gas stations have fuel with up to 85% ethanol.

Any ethanol percentage above 10% will harm smaller engines like mower engines. The higher the ethanol percentage, the more harmful it would be.

High ethanol gas won’t immediately damage your mower, but if you’ve been using it for a while, have a professional check your engine.

If possible, try to avoid this in the future, as it could lead to more significant issues in the future.

Other Considerations

Before purchasing gas for your zero-turn, there are other things to consider. Here are some questions to tips to keep in mind.

These tips will not only help you save money, but they’ll help your mower run better too.

Buy What You Need

It’s not a good idea to store gas for more than 30 days as it will start to evaporate and break down, making it less effective and potentially damaging the lawn mower engine.

We recommend getting enough gas to use within 30 days to keep your fuel system safe.

Use Fuel Additives

Fuel additives are compounds that increase the efficiency of fuel in engines. In addition, these compounds lubricate the engine parts they go through.

This reduces friction and makes the engine run smoother. As a result, your mower will use less gas while working more efficiently.

Additionally, ethanol’s water absorption could cause corrosion in the fueling system. Fuel additives reduce the risk of such corrosion.

Without delving too much into chemistry, these additives prevent the ethanol from attacking the oxide coating on the metal. That oxide coating is what prevents corrosion, so keeping it intact is necessary.

Two of the most popular fuel additives are Stabil and Sea Foam. You can get them at any auto parts store or online.

Don’t Mix Gas With Engine Oil

Unless recommended by the manufacturer, avoid mixing gas with engine oil. It could damage the engine.

Two-stroke engines are an exception. They require you to mix gas and oil in a specific ratio before adding them to the tank. The oil helps lubricate the pistons on the engines.

Mower engines could be two-stroke or four-stroke engines.

Only the two-stroke engines require mixing gas with fuel because it lubricates the pistons.

Since mower engines can be two-stroke or four-stroke, it’s essential to check the manufacturer’s manual before doing anything.

Don’t Modify Your Engine

Avoid modifying your engine to run with different fuels – you may get the engine working, but damaging the fueling system by using incompatible fuel is a high risk.

Additionally, this will void your manufacturer’s warranty.

Read the Manual

This might seem pretty basic, but we can’t stress this enough. Some mowers require only regular gas; others require only premium gas.

On many other occasions, a mower can safely run on both. But, again, follow the manual’s instructions to avoid any issues.

Using the wrong fuel type against the manual’s instructions will also void the warranty.

Final Word

So, what kind of gas does a zero-turn mower take? The best answer is to follow the manual. If the manufacturer isn’t recommending a specific fuel type, it’s best to use the regular 87 octanes and 10% ethanol gas.

The premium 91 and 93 octanes won’t harm your mower in that case, but they won’t improve the performance either.

Understand the difference between octane ratings and ethanol to get the right fuel for your mower.

Avoid fuels with high ethanol content, as they can cause permanent damage to your mower.

Following the manual is the key to good maintenance. Unfortunately, the warranty doesn’t cover any damage caused by not following a manufacturer’s instructions.

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Yard Troop is owned and operated by a project lover and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Susan also participates in affiliate programs with Bluehost, Clickbank, CJ, ShareASale, and other sites. Susan is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.

About Us

I love working in the yard and coming up with projects around the house. In addition, I am blogger. I’ve decided to start this blog to share stuff I learn about yard work, or any projects that are house related. These days I blog about everything related to anything pertaining to the outside of the home. Everything in this blog should be used for educational purposes only.

YardTroop.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Privacy Policy