Ethanol Damaging Mowers and Other Small Engines, Mechanics Say

The ethanol that's being added to gasoline to stretch it and save money could end up costing you more money in repairs to small engines like lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Mechanics all over the country are reporting an increase in the number of mechanical problems they're seeing that they say are caused by ethanol.

Rick Kitchings has been a small-engine mechanic for about 30 years and has seen a big jump in business recently. He says he's replacing a lot of lawn mower carburetors, at $45-$100 each, that have corroded. "I'm seeing equipment that is just running much hotter, due to the alcohol," he says. "Its ability to collect moisture, and therefore displacing oil--lubrication--off of critical engine surfaces, these units (are) running hotter. The heat in itself will destroy one in a very short matter of time."

He says a quality lawn mower that should last five years with proper maintenance will last only about two or two-and-a-half years if the owner is using a gasoline-ethanol blend.

Small engine manufacturers say an ethanol blend of up to 10 percent can be used with no problems. The owner's manual for an Echo string trimmer says, "Use 89 Octane (mid-grade or higher) gasoline...Gasoline may contain up to 10% Ethanol (grain alcohol)." But it says alternative fuels with 20% or more ethanol can cause mechanical problems.

Likewise, a Toro lawn mower owner's manual says ethanol of up to 10% is fine, but, "Never use...gasohol containing more than 10% ethanol because the fuel system could be damaged."

Kitchings says it may be that blends of up to 10% don't cause damage. But, "the primary problem with ethanol is that I am seeing a greater amount than is supposed to be in fuel--no more than 10%. Okay? And anything above that and we'll get an immediate run failure. It just won't run."

One mechanic who works on outboard boat engines says he has seen an increase in engine problems caused by ethanol. But two other boat dealers say that's not the case. Johnny Snipes, co-owner of Mid-Carolina Marine in West Columbia, says, "I don't see it as a big problem."

Likewise, a Columbia ATV dealer says he has not seen any increase in mechanical problems caused by ethanol.

But Kitchings says he's seeing problems even in engines that have used an ethanol blend of 10% or less. His advice? "Theoretically, avoid ethanol," he says.

To see what the American Coalition for Ethanol says about the safety of using 10% ethanol in small engines, go here.