E10 Petrol
From the 1st September 2021, forecourts across the UK made fuel changes, from E5 to E10, in a bid to reduce CO2 emissions.
E5 fuel contains up to 5% renewable ethanol, while E10 fuel contains up to 10% renewable ethanol. By increasing the ethanol content, this will help to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with petrol vehicles and tackle climate change.
E10 fuel is the new standard unleaded, whilst E5 is still available at larger filling stations, named “super” unleaded.
Can I use it in my garden machinery?
We would not recommend using E10 in any 2-stroke machine and only in lawnmowers where the user manual states it is fully compatible.
Whether your lawnmower is compatible with E5 or E10, owners should exercise caution when putting any fuel into their garden machinery. This is because ethanol attracts water which can cause problems in starting or running the equipment. It can also cause corrosion to the fuel components and block the capillaries in the carburettor. The more ethanol the petrol contains, the quicker these problems will happen.
Fuel begins to go stale in just 30 days, leading to gum and varnish which can clog an engine’s components. These clogs can lead to inconsistent starting, poor performance, and even engine failure. Due to this reason, we recommend only buying fuel in quantities you will use within 30 days.
What can I use instead?
You can use super unleaded E5 fuel from forecourts which contains 5% ethanol or we recommend a fuel called Aspen. Aspen fuel contains virtually zero ethanol or benzenes and will stay fresh for up to 5 years. It emits 99% less toxic emissions, and prolongs the machines life.
Aspen is available in 4-stroke or as a pre-mixed 2 stroke (50:1) and has a shelf life of 5 years.
Alternatively, if you have a STIHL product, we recommend using the STIHL Moto4Plus or MotoMix which has been optimised for STIHL engines.
Moto4Plus is an ethanol free 4-stroke fuel with a shelf life of 2 years, suitable for 4 stroke machines such as lawnmowers and woodchippers.
MotoMix is an ethanol free pre-mixed 2-stroke fuel (50:1) with a shelf life of 2 years, suitable for 2-stroke machines such as chainsaws and hedge trimmers.
When using E5 or E10 fuel from the forecourts, we recommend the use of a fuel stabiliser such as Briggs & Stratton fuel fit which will prolong the life of the fuel and help it stay fresher for longer.