This my sound a little stupid, but when I mix gas for my auger,at a filling station I use the good stuff no ethnol. Well, you only get a gallon(right)when you go and hit the button for the gas you want,the hose is full of ethnol gas before,you get the gas that you need for your auger. Put a gallon or even a half gallon in you car or truck before you make your mixture. You will have a pure mixture with out any ethanol. I do this all the time. Jerry
I do this too! 
Excellent suggestion. I know Harley riders that are real anal about their premium gas and dread the fact that they are getting the cheap stuff at first when filling only 2-5 gallons in their bikes.
I never even thought of it until you mentioned it. A little eth cant really hurt. Might take care of a little moisture?
The question is, how much is in the hose.
btw- I also use the good stuff in my small engines and sleds.
Not sure if I can blame Ethonol. However despite my best efforts to maintain everything including using fuel additives (Seafoam and Stabill) my snow blower wouldn’t start when needed. It did run this fall just fine.
Tipped it over and dumped the gas out. Put in fresh gas and it worked again.
Last summer I replaced a fuel line in the boat. Cut the old line open and found a lot of amver crystalized deposits in the line.
I have had one other experience that I am not sure the cause of.
I used to be whatever about gas, but I am thinking it may be time to switch no non-ethonol gas. Are you guys using stabill or seafoam in non-ethonol?
Do you store your machines dry (run them dry before storing)?
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Not sure if I can blame Ethonol. However despite my best efforts to maintain everything including using fuel additives (Seafoam and Stabill) my snow blower wouldn’t start when needed. It did run this fall just fine.
Tipped it over and dumped the gas out. Put in fresh gas and it worked again.
Last summer I replaced a fuel line in the boat. Cut the old line open and found a lot of amver crystalized deposits in the line.
I have had one other experience that I am not sure the cause of.
I used to be whatever about gas, but I am thinking it may be time to switch no non-ethonol gas. Are you guys using stabill or seafoam in non-ethonol?
Do you store your machines dry (run them dry before storing)?
In the 3 augers I’ve owned I have always left a small amount of gas in the tank and gas in the carb. I always put sea foam in the gas even though its non-ethonol to keep it stable in the off season. The reason I don’t run my carb dry is because I was under the impression that the diaphragm and seals in the carb would dry out throughout the summer. Once a month I start the auger and run it so it doesn’t sit for 8 months with no use. Seems to keep everything in good running order.
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The reason I don’t run my carb dry is because I was under the impression that the diaphragm and seals in the carb would dry out throughout the summer. Once a month I start the auger and run it so it doesn’t sit for 8 months with no use.
That is what I always heard as well. I wish there was a way to start my FIL’s boat instead of letting those sit around for months. My next place will have a heated garage with running water for multiple reasons.
You’ll get mixed reviews on leaving gas in a machine or running it dry. I leave gas in and take time to start each during the off season a couple times. I had the mower and tiller out in the drive yesterday running for 5 minutes. During the summer the blowers get started and run for that long too. Never have issues as long as the fuel is non-ox.
I treat the gas whether it needs to be or not. Stabil goes into fuel that hits the machines right before being shifted according to season, but seafoam goes in all of my gas cans with the non-ox.
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I treat the gas whether it needs to be or not. Stabil goes into fuel that hits the machines right before being shifted according to season, but seafoam goes in all of my gas cans with the non-ox.
Interesting. I treat all cans of gas with Stabill and spot treat with Seafoam. Perhaps all cans of gas need both.
MPO people forget that EPA has gotten into all Fossil fuel engines the newer small engines have to meet EPA standards. They are running leaner and the carbs have been changed to where most of the fuel passages are so small that any little piece of gunk will plug them up.
I have run E10 in all my small engines, outboard and my old farm tractors with out any issues. Keeping Seafoam or Startron in them. The older machines I have had to replace rubber fuel lines to accommodate the E10. The new fuel lines on newer engines are designed to handle E10.
Great info here! Will start emptying out the hose from now on, esp. as I’m typically filling a 1 gallon gas tank at a time!
I’ve been running what’s been referred to as the “Ice-Auger-Cocktail” in my Strikemaster 2-cycle engines for a few years now and have been very happy with the results.
-Amsoil Sabre – mixed 50:1
-Highest Octane Fresh Non-Ox Gas
-Seafoam – 2 oz./gallon
Less Smoke than what I was used to using, but easier starting was the tipping point back when my auger was an older Tecumseh Lazer Mag. I continue to run it in my solo and have been happy with the consistent performance.
Thanks for the tip!
Joel
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Great info here! Will start emptying out the hose from now on, esp. as I’m typically filling a 1 gallon gas tank at a time!
I’ve been running what’s been referred to as the “Ice-Auger-Cocktail” in my Strikemaster 2-cycle engines for a few years now and have been very happy with the results.
-Amsoil Sabre – mixed 50:1
-Highest Octane Fresh Non-Ox Gas
-Seafoam – 2 oz./gallonLess Smoke than what I was used to using, but easier starting was the tipping point back when my auger was an older Tecumseh Lazer Mag. I continue to run it in my solo and have been happy with the consistent performance.
Thanks for the tip!
Joel
Joel–Just curious why the 50:1 raio on the Saber…did you have or hear of a bad experience at 100:1?
Those that have the “Good Ole’ Gas” are lucky. Less and less stations around here have it. When I do find a station, I fill up the couple 5 gallon cans at a time.
I run the same cocktail in my auger just 70 to one mix with sabre.
Aspen fuel, no mixing, very little fumes. After almost two decades of use I thought I would take my Jiffy in for a tune up. The shop I took it to emptied my gas and put Aspen in. Never had any issues starting before and all I used was the pre-measrued Jiffy mix, but now I don’t have to run dry at the end of the season, supposed to be good for two years.
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Great info here! Will start emptying out the hose from now on, esp. as I’m typically filling a 1 gallon gas tank at a time!
I’ve been running what’s been referred to as the “Ice-Auger-Cocktail” in my Strikemaster 2-cycle engines for a few years now and have been very happy with the results.
-Amsoil Sabre – mixed 50:1
-Highest Octane Fresh Non-Ox Gas
-Seafoam – 2 oz./gallonLess Smoke than what I was used to using, but easier starting was the tipping point back when my auger was an older Tecumseh Lazer Mag. I continue to run it in my solo and have been happy with the consistent performance.
Thanks for the tip!
Joel
Ha! I run a similar cocktail but 80:1 with Sabre and 1 oz SF per gallon.
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Great info here! Will start emptying out the hose from now on, esp. as I’m typically filling a 1 gallon gas tank at a time!
I’ve been running what’s been referred to as the “Ice-Auger-Cocktail” in my Strikemaster 2-cycle engines for a few years now and have been very happy with the results.
-Amsoil Sabre – mixed 50:1
-Highest Octane Fresh Non-Ox Gas
-Seafoam – 2 oz./gallonLess Smoke than what I was used to using, but easier starting was the tipping point back when my auger was an older Tecumseh Lazer Mag. I continue to run it in my solo and have been happy with the consistent performance.
Thanks for the tip!
Joel
Ha! I run a similar cocktail but 80:1 with Sabre.
Same here but am toying with going to full 100:1.
I havent had the guts to go full 100:1. 
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I havent had the guts to go full 100:1.
Used to, but I don’t drill many holes inside of a house so smoke isn’t too big an issue…..that and warranty is voided on my SM if you mix leaner than 50:1!
Joel
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I havent had the guts to go full 100:1.
Amsoil has its own warranty if anything happens so it’s not that much more of step…still I understand as I’m not fully there yet myself. 
Good idea
Great topic to bring up, this is what I usually do when mixing up gas for my Solo Lazer. IMO Depending on your area/where you live you’ll want to buy your Highest Octane non-ethanol gas (usually 93 or 95) between the months of November-March, as this is when most gas station switch to a winter blend & this is what Strikemaster tunes their carbs for from the factory. Depending on what kind of pump your are getting your gas from (such as a pump that has individual hoses/nozzles for each grade or one that has one hose/nozzle for all the grades) I usually pump 1-2 gallons in my car first for the Pumps that have separate hoses/nozzles for each grade, & 2-3 gallon for the ones that have one hose/nozzle, then I will pump the one gallon into my gas can. This helps ensure you are getting the grade you want, not what is left in the hose. Also for my mix, I have tinkered with it for a while & figured out the least amount of oil it required in order to prevent it from running out the muffler & that I found to be at a 58:1 mix (2.21 oz oil). I feel very comfortable at this mix because I feel I have enough for lubricant, but not so much that the excess is running out the muffler. Also I use AMS OIL Saber Pro Smokeless, so there is no smoke at this ratio either. Here is my concoction in shorthand.
Single hose Pump: 2-3 gal in car
Individual hose pump: 1-2 gal in car
Mix 58:1:
– 1 gal of non-ethanol Premium gas (93-95 octane)
– 2.21 oz or 65.36 ml/cc of AMS OIL Saber Pro Smokless
– 0.44 oz or 13 ml/cc of STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer
– 2.0 oz or 59.15 ml/cc of Sea Foam
At the end of the season I ensure that I have around at least a 1/2 tank in my auger so that I am able to start it & run it once a month in the off season. I have found this mix to run awesome in my Solo Lazer. 
Regarding whether to run the engines dry…I never have in my mowers, snow blowers or boats, just add Stabil as the end of season approaches. I also run them all occasionally off season. I have Stihl small engines for my chain saw, trimmer, leaf blower, etc. and I run add Stabil as the end of season approaches but run them dry before storing. Why treat these motors differently is a mystery to me…just the way I have always done it.
Where can a guy get Ams oil?
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Those that have the “Good Ole’ Gas” are lucky. Less and less stations around here have it. When I do find a station, I fill up the couple 5 gallon cans at a time.
The bait shop in my town sells non ethanol gas!!! It cost more though by like ten cents but that’s where I fill up at.
I don’t like to cheap-out on my investments, I wouldn’t even think of just running any of my engines dry, because lets face it, your carb will still have fuel in the float, and that fuel can still gum up your carb.
Rather than messing around with mixing up a fuel cocktail (Seafoam, Stabil, etc.), what I do is use racing fuel (110 octane) near the end of the season with the auger, and always with my Stihl chainsaw and weed whacker. Never have to worry about what is in the hose, because racing fuel has its own pump and its BLUE, so you know for sure. Racing fuel is on the same level as AvGas and will last up to 20 years, at least. It will not break down the oil that you mix it with unlike other octanes when left in the tank or can for an extended period of time. In my snowmobile I always siphon the gas out of the tank at the end of the season and put in a gallon or two of racing fuel and it for awhile. Always fires up like a champ the next season!
Racing fuel has a much higher flash point, which makes those cold starts much easier. However it comes with a price, I filled my last 5 gallon jug for $6.30/gal, but I feel that it is well worth the cost to protect my investments
I may be wrong but a higher octane fuel would have a higher flash point there for making it harder to start the colder it gets. Anybody know for sure?
My mistake!
I tried searching to find the actual flash point of 110 octane and could not find it. Although did find one interesting thing, that being gasoline with 10% ethanol (which I think we can all agree has no place in our 2-stroke engines) has a flash point that ranges from -20 to -4 degrees F. compared to 87 octane that has a flash point around -45 F.
I guess the main point that I was trying to make is that 110 octane doesn’t go bad and (I don’t want to have to eat my own words again) it is not supposed to break down your oil that you mix in your can over time.
I have read elsewhere that if you use fuel stabilzer with gas without ethanol that it will last 18 months and without stabilzer will last 4 months before breaking down the oil in your mixed gas
Any risks of damage with running such a high octane in small engines?
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