Anticipating that someone reading the article “A Call to Arms” [May issue, pages 18-21] might get a bit lax regarding fuel if they have one of the newer engines with EFI, perhaps a short statement in the magazine might be beneficial. It should be pointed out that while the benefits of EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) over carbureted engines are considerable — EFI does not directly prevent actual deterioration of today’s ethanol blended gasoline, which can occur quickly no matter what sort of fuel supply system is provided on a particular engine. Of particular concern on any small engine would be the float bowl of a typical carburetor — holding a small amount of fuel that if it does go bad can result in unwelcome plugging of the critically sized jets required for today’s cleaner engines. I further suggest that whenever possible the best fuel for small engines overall is actually E0 (no ethanol) — which is more often available in rural areas but often worth the trouble of seeking out, especially for any products where the fuel might not be completely used within a 30-day period.
John Fischer
Engine Consultant
Palatine, Ill.
