Gasoline contains various components that contribute to its final output in the refinement process. Some of these materials are additives, and ethanol is one of the additives. Gas color and other features are the results of additives that manufacturers use in the refinement process.
That is a common additive to find in the gas you buy across the street but you may not be aware of its side effect on your vehicle or outdoor power equipment’s engine.
One of the significant differences between ethanol gas and ethanol-free gas is their lifespan. If you were contemplating, “How long does ethanol-free gas last?” Let’s find out here.
What is an Ethanol-Free Gas?
Ethanol-free gas is a type of gasoline without the namesake additive and is known as pure oil.
Many vehicles on the street run on gasoline with at least 10% of ethanol in their content. Much to the car owner’s pleasure, the ethanol helps oxygenate the gas, thereby causing it to burn completely.
Most people use ethanol gas in their outdoor power equipment, like chainsaws, lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and trimmers. However, the extensive usage of this type of fuel no way undermines its drawbacks.
And ethanol-rich gas can quickly weaken or damage your outdoor power equipment’s engine even before you know it. This is why you should consider switching to ethanol-free gas.
Besides preventing your vehicle’s engine or power equipment’s engine from becoming weak, ethanol-free gas has an extended shelf life.
How long does ethanol-free gas last?
Ethanol-free gas overcomes the limitations of regular gasoline. One of the areas in which ethanol-free gas is superior to regular gas is its longer lifespan.
Ethanol-free gas lasts up to 6 months without compromising its freshness. For those asking, “How long does gasoline last?” Generally, gasoline lasts between 3 to 6 months.
Ethanol is non-oxygenated, unlike regular gasoline, which contains different additives, including ethanol, to make it oxygenated in order to burn thoroughly.
Meanwhile, if you are wondering, “How long does ethanol-free gas last with a stabilizer?” It can last up to one year if you include the right stabilizer.
If you intend to store up gasoline for a long time, ethanol-free gas is the best option. People who live in remote areas where they hardly come into town to buy gasoline can leverage this option. However, ensure to find out how to store ethanol-free gas and the suitable gas cans to use.
Pros and Cons of Ethanol-Free Gas
Ethanol-free gas has several benefits that make its users stick to that kind of fuel. More people are beginning to use ethanol-free gas in their vehicles and industrial power equipment.
Pros
The following are some notable benefits of using ethanol-free gas:
- Improved gas mileage
- Independence from the usage of ethanol crops
- Extended shelf life
- Minimal harm to the engine
Cons
Although ethanol-free gas comes with a lot of benefits, they also have a few limitations. Some of the cons of ethanol-free gas include the following.
- More expensive than regular gas
- Scarcity in some areas
- Increased dependence on importation
- Release of more harmful emissions
What is the difference between Ethanol-Free and Ethanol-Based Gas?
Ethanol-free gas and ethanol-based gas are two kinds of fuel with obvious distinctions. The limitations of one make up the advantages of the other.
The following are apparent differences between ethanol-free and ethanol-based gas.
| Ethanol-Free Gas | Ethanol-Based Gas |
| Ethanol-free gas does not cause corrosion within a vehicle’s fuel system. | Ethanol-based gas causes corrosion within the fuel system of a vehicle due to the presence of alcohol. |
| Ethanol-free gas gives off more emissions than regular gas. | Ethanol-based gas does not produce emissions as much as ethanol-free gas. |
| The cost of production and transportation of ethanol-free gas makes it more expensive than regular gas. | Ethanol-based gas is relatively cheaper than ethanol-free gas as it doesn’t require separate transportation. |
| Ethanol-free gas improves mileage. | Ethanol-based gas reduces mileage by 3 percent. |
| The shelf life/lifespan of ethanol-free gas is up to 6 months. | The shelf life of ethanol-based gas is lesser. Ethanol-based gas has only 3 months as its lifespan. |
How long does ethanol-free gas stay fresh?
Ethanol-free gas can stay fresh for up to 6 months when and if stored properly. In case you were contemplating, “How long does ethanol gas last?” Ethanol-free gas has a more extended shelf life than gasoline blends with ethanol.
A regular gas like E10 contains 10% ethanol as part of its total composition. Due to the presence of ethanol, the E10 gas can only stay fresh for only 3 months compared to ethanol-free gas, which can last up to twice its shelf life.
Ethanol-free gas is not susceptible to evaporation or oxidation like regular gas. However, you must ensure to store the product according to the prescription for it to last its lifespan.
Should I use ethanol-free gas in my lawnmower?
Of course, ethanol-free gas is the ideal fuel you should use in your lawnmowers and not the regular gas with ethanol content.
When you use regular gas with ethanol in your lawnmowers and other outdoor power equipment, you face the risk of damaging the equipment’s engine within a short time.
Despite that, ethanol-free gas is best for lawnmowers because it doesn’t absorb water with time like its counterpart, E10, which has 10% ethanol. Using E10 in your lawnmower will eventually result in weak engine performance, and after a while, it can ultimately damage the engine.
Why is ethanol-free gas so expensive?
Ethanol-free gas is pretty expensive because of the cost of processing and storage. Processing ethanol-free gas requires separate transportation from the processing refinery to the storage tank farm.
While it is easy to process, transport, and store a large quantity of regular gasoline all together in one tank farm, ethanol-free gas requires separate transportation and storage. This process is usually costly for manufacturers.
So, manufacturers can only cover up the extra cost of processing, transporting, and storing the ethanol gas by increasing its price more than the regular gasoline.
Can you mix ethanol-free gas with regular gas?
If you are asking, “Can you mix ethanol and non-ethanol gas in a car?” Sure, you can mix ethanol-free gas with regular gas without any reactions or complications. Ethanol-free gas and regular gas are compatible.
So, mixing the two is like pouring the water from river A into a container with water from river B. Irrespective of the different rivers, water remains water.
The same is true for ethanol-free gas and regular gas. The two products come from one primary raw material, crude oil. In that case, you can be sure of their compatibility without contaminating your clean gas tank.
Is non-oxygenated gas the same as ethanol-free?
Non-oxygenated gas can be referred to as ethanol-free because it doesn’t contain ethanol. The gas is processed without any additives, including ethanol.
The absence of additives in the non-oxygenated gas increases its oxygen content. Due to this quality, the fuel does not cause problems like corrosion, poor engine performance, etc., like other regular gasoline.
If you need to leave your car for a long time, the best type of fuel to use is non-oxygenated gas. You can be sure not to experience damages that result from corrosion or fuel line clogs because of the purity of the gas.
Final Words
If you were wondering, “How long does ethanol-free gas last?” This article has revealed the expected lifespan of ethanol-free gas along with every other vital detail you need to know about ethanol-free gas.
So, consider the pros and cons of the kind of fuel you currently use in your vehicle. It will help you ascertain whether you are putting your vehicle’s engine at risk or not.
If the disadvantages of the fuel are more than the advantages, switch to a better fuel alternative. In any case, ethanol-free gas is the best bet for your vehicle.
