11/23/2017
COLD WEATHER, ETHANOL, CONDENSATION AND OTHER STORAGE ISSUES
As winter approaches, your customers will be storing their mowers and other outdoor power equipment. Good storage practice means that the equipment starts for them in the spring when they need it most. Easy starting is not always the case after a long period of storage, primarily due to bad fuel and other associated issues. Bad fuel is not your fault, but it IS YOUR PROBLEM!
Letâs talk about these bad fuel issues, starting with condensation. Think about pulling a drink can out of the fridge. Once you do this, the can starts to sweat. This is condensation. The same thing happens to your equipment and gas cans. The air inside the gas can/tank has moisture in it. When it comes into contact with cooler air in the tank or even the fuel itself, the water will condense. THENâŚthe ethanol in the gas will absorb this water to a certain point. Once the ethanol reaches a certain saturation point, it phase separates (the water and ethanol both fall out of the gas and sink to the bottom of the tank).
Now the problems really accelerate. The ethanol/water mixture becomes very corrosive and will eat fuel system components. Once this happens, carburetors and other parts need to be replaced. This can cost a lot of money. Plus, the ethanol blended fuel dries out rubber and plastic parts. This is why fuel lines get hard and brittle. This will happen even on equipment that is used every day like a landscaper mower. Next thing you know, this equipment is coming back as a return. Not your fault, but IS YOUR PROBLEM!
When your customer reads the ownerâs manual regarding storage or even prolonged sitting between uses, the manual suggests to drain the gas and run the machine dry. Is there an alternative to going through all this trouble? What can stop these fuel issues from happening?
The simple answer is to recommend your customers use a quality fuel stabilizer, like Ethanol Shield in all of their equipment, all of the time (especially in storage). It will protect against all of the ethanol issues from dried lines to stale fuel. Another helpful tip is to keep the tank 95% full to reduce the amount of condensation.
For a non-additive storage solution, customers can use a patented fuel drying and stabilization technology, FUEL LIFE. FUEL LIFE is patented fuel stabilization technology that removes water and neutralizes the compounds in fuel that cause fuel decay that leads to engine problems. Added to the tank or gas can, it removes water, keeps fuel fresh, and stops phase separation and corrosion (see our ad, this issue).
Used together, these products provide the âgold standardâ of equipment protection during storage (or all year).
So, as a dealer, although BAD FUEL during storage could become your (and your customerâs) problem, there are solutions to PREVENT those problems. And, the benefits may include reductions in fuel related warranty issues and costs, increased customer satisfaction, and positive environmental impact (less bad gas disposal).
