Gas for Your Craftsman Lawn Mower
Your lawn mower needs the right type of fuel; don’t assume you know what it needs. Your mower’s engine could suffer damage if you choose the wrong type. In some instances, it could even be void of its warranty if you choose the wrong type. The owner’s manual for your mower should suggest the specific fuel type and grade that you should use, but in general, you should use high-grade unleaded fuel or a mix of fuel and oil for your mower.
In today’s market, there are so many types of fuel that can be used in Craftsman mowers. It can be a bit challenging to know which kind of fuel should be used for your Craftsman mower. The purpose of this post is to share with you what gas is appropriate to operate on your Craftsman mower. It will also include why you should do it, in order not to compromise the life of your mower.
In order to make sure that you don’t ruin your investment, you should make sure that you choose the right gas. You will need some fuel to get your lawn mower up and running. This is true whether you’ve just bought a brand new machine, or whether you’re wiping out your old reliable mower.
There is no doubt that small engines are specific when it comes to the type of fuel they use, even though you might not think so. It can be kind of tricky to decide which pump to choose when you are faced with a wide selection of pumps at a gas pump. This is because there are so many to choose from.
Tips for Choosing Gas for Your Craftsman Lawn Mower
Maintaining your Craftsman lawn mower’s fuel system is critical to ensure it continues to run smoothly. Make your Craftsman lawn mower run smoothly with these tips.
- Store fuel outside to avoid moisture
- Fuel should only be purchased in 30 day quantities
- Fuel containing more than 10% ethanol should not be used
- 87 or higher is the minimum octane rating for gas
- A minimum octane rating of 87 is required for gas
A minimum octane rating of 87 is required for gas
Before gas begins to break down and lose effectiveness, it only lasts about 30 days. Purchase gasoline from a busy gas station so you can use it within 30 days. Only run fresh gas through your Craftsman.
It always seems like there are vehicles pumping gas at the gas station during the day, so you want to go there. Whenever possible, avoid small fuel stations that do not have much activity since you can’t tell how long the gas has been sitting there for.
Craftsman mower gas with a high ethanol content should be avoided
Fuels are more environmentally friendly and beneficial when ethanol is added to them. Nevertheless, small engines shouldn’t use ethanol.
Fuel pumps usually display the percentage of ethanol in gasoline on a sticker or tag. A typical level of this concentration is between 10 and 15 percent depending on the country.
Craftsman mowers should never be operated with gas that has a content of ethanol over 10% if you want optimal results. If possible, choose unleaded gas that contains no more than 10% unleaded. Your area may also refer to this type of gas as E10 gas, depending on what you live in.
What is the problem with using ethanol in Craftsman mowers?
Most vehicles can run well on ethanol, but it is not advisable to use it in lawn mower engines as it damages them. Fuel containing ethanol will attract moisture from the air when it is put into the engine, causing ethanol to separate from the gas as a result.
- Craftsman lawn mowers have fuel systems that utilize ethanol in order to meet the needs of their fuel system. This is so that ethanol can separate from the fuel and cause ignition problems.
- Your fuel system can become clogged by deposits left behind by moisture that evaporates in the fuel.
- Tanks sink with gas.
- Alcohol is corrosive and burns extremely hot at high levels. Engine damage can occur as a result of overheating.
The use of fuel marketed as E85 should be avoided at all costs. Approximately 85% of the gas contained in this container is ethanol. Your small engine will be damaged as a result of this type of gas.
Gasoline without ethanol
Regular unleaded gas is the most widely used. The fuel is usually 87 octane, and you can find it everywhere. This is usually the cheapest gasoline you can buy, and it has the lowest octane. A lawn mower or small engine should be run on this fuel because it has the lowest octane. Gasoline’s octane value indicates how much compression it can handle.
The lower the octane, the less compression that can be handled, and the higher the octane, the more compression that can be handled. As gasoline engines are powered by compressed fuel and air, this measurement is crucial.
Refuel your Craftsman lawnmower with fresh gas
A gas supply lasts approximately 30 days before it begins to deteriorate and becomes less effective. You should only run brand-new gas through your Craftsman. This means you should only buy fuel that can be used within the next 30 days. This is because it is best to run it through as fresh as possible.
The most convenient way to buy gasoline is to go to a busy gas station. You always see people pumping gas at the gas station during the day. You want to be there. If you decide to bypass the small gas stations with hardly any activity, you want to keep in mind that you don’t know how long the gas has been sitting on their shelves.
Gasoline with unleaded premium
Gasoline rated at 91 octane or higher is usually referred to as premium grade unleaded gasoline. The most expensive fuel may be 92 or 93 octane that some gas companies might be offering as their most expensive choice, however this is not very common.
Because of its high octane rating, some car manufacturers recommend using premium unleaded gas in their cars, however the question of whether or not it’s worth paying more for unleaded gas is hotly debated by some lawn mower owners.
Honestly, I believe that lawn mowers should not be running on premium gas because it is not a necessity. It is still possible to operate small engines with high octane unleaded gasoline if you so desire.
Gasoline that has not been oxygenated
Let’s start by talking about oxygenated gas, before we get to the topic of non-oxygenated gasoline. There is a high concentration of oxygen in most gasoline. To boost fuel combustion and octane ratings, fuel additives called oxygenates are added. Thus, exhaust emissions are reduced. There are a number of fuel additives that contain oxygenates, but ethanol is one of the most common.
It is for this reason that nearly all oxygenated gasoline has some amount of ethanol in it. In contrast to oxygenated gasoline which contains ethanol as a component, non-oxygenated gasoline does not contain any ethanol as a component.
The question is why people would want to use fuel without oxygenates/ethanol and why would they want to do that? There are a number of reasons why an increase in the amount of oxygen in gasoline may lead to contamination with moisture.
Basically, to make a long story shorter, some people prefer to use non-oxygenated gasoline in engines that aren’t operated on a regular basis so that there is a reduced risk of moisture entering the fuel system and messing up the workings of the engine. There are a few types of gasoline available on the market, but most of them tend to be quite expensive and are not available everywhere.
Your Craftsman lawn mower can be reused by storing unused gas
Plastic gas cans can be used
Mixing and storing gas shouldn’t be done in just any container since many plastics will begin to degrade once gas is added. Gas cans made of plastic should be used for storing gas. There’s nothing better than this gas can from Amazon.
The addition of a fuel additive
If you want your gas to be stabilized, add a fuel additive to it. Fuel additives should be used according to the instructions on the package.
In Summary – Lawn Mowers Craftsman
There are a few steps involved in purchasing and storing gas. Gas for your Craftsman mower should include the following items:
- Make sure there is no more than 10% ethanol in the beverage
- The gas station is a good place to get fresh fuel
- Fuel stabilizers can be used as needed
- 87 octane or higher is the minimum octane level for unleaded gas
- Utilize old fuel before rotating new fuel – this eliminates long-term storage of fuel
- 30 days is the maximum time to use fuel
For additional assistance, refer to the owner’s manual for your Craftsman
