What Grade of Gasoline do you use

[Aplus 525]

What grade of gasoline do you use in your power washer, and why?

[steve r 14]

highest octane i can get .id run airplane fuel if i could.id lke to use airplane fuel like i use in my plane.i used it in a old car i had .didnt get to far .kinda got to hot and boom

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Premium always.

Engines run cleaner and more powerful. Also prohibits carbon buildup and spark plug fowling.

Having worked and trained on small engines, I was taught that using high octane fuel always gives better performance and lessens the need for maintenance due to carbon deposits and buildup.

I just wish they had the same options for diesel in our area without having to travel to the next county.

Kerosene and options for graded diesel fuel are rare in the metro area due to the lack of farming.

Regardless of which grade of fuel though, I perform regular checks on the spark plug(s), wiring and filters including the fuel filter. I Clean and gap the plug(s) as needed.

.02

Rod~

[PressurePros 248]

Are small engines run under high compression? I was under the assumption that as long as there was no detonation (pinging or knocking) it was okay to use regular grade gasoline. I'll make the switch next season.

[newlook 265]

Premium all the way...even use it for the car, trucks and van

[CCPC 26]

I use premium in my truck and mid grade in my washer.

[GymRat 14]

I have always used regular grade gas in all of my cars, boats and small engines unless the owners manual recomends otherwise.

I have always understood that High-test gas can be bad for your motor! High octane implies that more energy is available but it actually produces no more then regular. Higher octane in fuel raises it's burning temperature and requires higher compression pressure to burn efficiently. Using higher octane in a normal engine results in incomplete combustion, less power, carbon fouling of the cylinder and, most important, wasted money.

Most new cars also have knock sensors that will adjust the timing to keep the vehicle running smooth.

[Washaway 64]

I have always used regular grade gas in all of my cars, boats and small engines unless the owners manual recomends otherwise.

I have always understood that High-test gas can be bad for your motor! High octane implies that more energy is available but it actually produces no more then regular. Higher octane in fuel raises it's burning temperature and requires higher compression pressure to burn efficiently. Using higher octane in a normal engine results in incomplete combustion, less power, carbon fouling of the cylinder and, most important, wasted money.

Most new cars also have knock sensors that will adjust the timing to keep the vehicle running smooth.

I have to agree. Engine manufacturers design their engines to run on certain types of fuels. My MBs run horrible on 87, will get by with 89 but run considerably better on 93. If I put 93 into my Expedition it laughs at me like I was born yesterday.

On my small engines I use 87 only but every now and then they receive a dash of fuel additive (carb cleaner, gas cleaner, water remover.......that sort of thing). .....and I am religious when it comes to maintenance. I don't care if I have to do it weekly or bi monthly, every 50 hours I change gas/diesel/air/oil filters, engine/pump oils and spark plugs.

[R L S 14]

Regular in everything I own. I will run Techron through my truck every couple of fill ups. For my burner I use dyed diesel.

[StainlessDeal 16]

On most equipment I use the manufacturer recommended fuels (and lubes).

Strangely, I use E-10 in my Ford and Oldsmobile (the manuals recommend it) but won't use it in small engines. I just don't think carburators and their mysterious parts get on well with alcohol.

My Range Rover gets premium unless it isn't available, then it gets E-10. The Rover will even run on Methanol, not that it is easily available, just interesting. The computers on most modern engines can adjust for octane ranges that are widespread, and that technology will eventually come to small engines, making them more expensive, but longer lived and more reliable. Think of how you felt about (carburated) Volkwagen 4-cylinders in Beetles and Dashers, and how you feel about them in modern 4-cylinder cars like Honda civics and S-2000's.

When I was first driving trucks, "Four and a Quarter Cats" and V8 Macks were the hot engines for big-rigs. They were totally mechanical, smoke-billowing 4 mpg monsters that blew fire from bellowing stacks in the mountains. I loved them and couldn't see spending even more money for a fuel-miser straight six with, of all things, a computer installed. To say I was a skeptic would be a terrible understatement. However, my last rigs were all computer deisels (mechanical motors are a thing of the past) that made a hundred horses a cylinder and (usually) delivered over 7 mpg, all while keeping me informed of any concerns in the engine with a clearly worded computer display on the dash. I can't wait for small industrial engines to go this way.

There was a series of columns in Car & Driver Magazine this fall about gasoline formulations and uses. I'll see if I can find a link, but I would bet that a search on their site would be informative.

[Jim Carroll 14]

medium in the truck, regular in the honda, regular in the honda powered pw. it was my understanding that higher octane had additives to give it the higher octane and these addititives would gum up easier than regular. I have used all grades in the pw trying to determine if one was more efficient than the other and have never came up with a conclusion. with the truck it gets better mpg with medium than regular, however it does not get any better with premium over the medium grade.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

What about diesel? :(

Sorry - just messing with you guys....I know it's a gas thread...

Beth

[steve r 14]

What about diesel? :(

Sorry - just messing with you guys....I know it's a gas thread...

Beth

not greasel use kerosene only less smoke LOL

[washdawg 14]

I use whatever the owner's manual recommends. No sense in wasting $$$. All my small engines and my pickup run on regular unleaded. I would rather use the $$$ saved on gas for proper maintenance. All my vehicles and small engines run synthetic oil after a proper break-in, and I keep all plugs gapped correctly and change filters regularly. Another tip is to find a gas station that has low prices (here in Central Florida "RaceTrac" is one), they have a high turnover on gas and it does not sit in the tanks long. Old gas is a sure way to foul up any engine. I always run out the fuel to shut them off, unless I will be using it daily.

Just my .02

Dave

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

not greasel use kerosene only less smoke LOL

We are not putting kerosene in our Sprinter Van.

Beth

[washdawg 14]

We are not putting kerosene in our Sprinter Van.

Beth

I'll second that. Kerosene does not have enough lubrication for the injection pumps. Maybe on some older diesels, like the Cummings B5.9 used in the early Dodge trucks (90-98), but you will risk voiding the warranty if it is discovered you are using anything but what the Owner's manual recommends. Kerosene is inbetween Diesel and Gasoline in the refining process. Some Diesels will run great on JP4 or AV1 (Jet fuel, basically Diesel with winterizing agents for the cold air at altitude).

In addition, Kerosene is considered Off-Road only and the fines can be stiff if it is found in your vehicle....

Dave:lgsad:

[steve r 14]

I'll second that. Kerosene does not have enough lubrication for the injection pumps. Maybe on some older diesels, like the Cummings B5.9 used in the early Dodge trucks (90-98), but you will risk voiding the warranty if it is discovered you are using anything but what the Owner's manual recommends. Kerosene is inbetween Diesel and Gasoline in the refining process. Some Diesels will run great on JP4 or AV1 (Jet fuel, basically Diesel with winterizing agents for the cold air at altitude).

In addition, Kerosene is considered Off-Road only and the fines can be stiff if it is found in your vehicle....

Dave:lgsad:

i didnt mean kero in personel trk .it is for my hot unit .

[steve r 14]

i thought this thread was for gas for pressurewasher and hot units

[washdawg 14]

i didnt mean kero in personel trk .it is for my hot unit .

Sorry, I misunderstood.:banghead: :banghead:

Dave

[washdawg 14]

i thought this thread was for gas for pressurewasher and hot units

Sorry Steve, You are right. I am easily sidetracked :) .

Here in Central Fl, Kerosene is about impossible to find. #2 Diesel is about the only thing available. Some Mom & Pops carry off-road diesel, which is what I run in my tractor and my torpedo heater for my shop. A hot water unit is not in my budget as of now, but maybe in the next few months when I get rolling.

Dave

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

The thread title started off regarding pressure washers, but vehicles were added in by various posters. The point is, we are discussing engines right?

We use diesel in the Hydrotek's burners, just have not tried Kerosene. We use diesel in the Sprinter for obvious reasons. Our other trucks are gas. Our engines on the Hydrotek's, like the gas engines in two of the trucks, get premium fuel.

Hope this is clearer.

Beth

[Washaway 64]

The thread title started off regarding pressure washers, but vehicles were added in by various posters. The point is, we are discussing engines right?

We use diesel in the Hydrotek's burners, just have not tried Kerosene. We use diesel in the Sprinter for obvious reasons. Our other trucks are gas. Our engines on the Hydrotek's, like the gas engines in two of the trucks, get premium fuel.

Hope this is clearer.

Beth

Beth, don't forget to add a cap full of soot remover with every fill-up of diesel. It'll keep that Hydrotek running longer (actually it's not a hydrotek but rather a burner thing).

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Higher octane in fuel raises it's burning temperature and requires higher compression pressure to burn efficiently. Using higher octane in a normal engine results in incomplete combustion, less power, carbon fouling of the cylinder and, most important, wasted money.

To accomodate the higher octane, it is necessary to adjust the carburetor settings to run less lean and add more air to the mix to acheive better combustion if you are having this problem. The factory preset on Honda, Vanguard and Kohler engines will accomodate premium gas...I own each.

Octane rating is a number relating to the 'anti knock' properties in fuel that is added to it. It is what helps the engine to run smoother because of the oily paraffin hydrocarbons that are added to normal gas (heptane) to produce the anti knock quality we can choose at the pump.

Fuel additives can provide some benefit but I have found in small engines they are unnecessary because of the high heat generated after running a few minutes. These engines do not have the same type of cooling system that vehicles do and become very hot from induction allowing the fuel to burn quite well and without resulting in carbon deposits. These are formed when the engine is only run for short periods of time and are not allowed to reach operating temperature and cannot sufficiently burn off the excess hydrocarbons in the fuel.

This could become a good maintenance discusion in another thread.

Rod~

[steve r 14]

We are not putting kerosene in our Sprinter Van.

Beth

in my hot delco hot box

[Jimmy M 14]

I used kerosine in my burner for awhile besause I was told that it burned hotter than diesel,I went back to diesel after I was told by technician that the fuel pump would not last as long with kero because of the less amount of lubricants. As far as gas goes,the owners manuel for my truck says if an enginr is rated for 87 octane it will not perform any better with prem. fuel. If you want to clean your engine valves,plugs etc. just burn a tank of Amoco premium from time to time. Amoco premium is different than other prem fuels because of less additives, if you'll notice it is almost clear in color. This is just my 2 cents