Lawnmowers, like any vehicle, use fuel to fire up and run the engine. But what kind of gas does a lawn mower take?
Putting the correct fuel in your new or trusty old mower is crucial as this directly affects its health and service life.
An inappropriate fuel type can damage your lawnmower’s engine and fuel delivery system.
Thankfully, some standard rules help you determine your engine’s right fuel type.
Do lawn mowers take regular gas? Where can you get fuel for your machine? How do you put gas in your mower correctly?
Read along to find out.
Do Lawn Mowers Take Regular Gas?
Yes, lawnmowers take regular gas, but the fuel must be fresh and clean octane gasoline with a minimum of 87 octane rating and, at most, 10 percent ethanol.
So, while lawnmower engines take regular gas, not all types of regular gas will suit your mower’s engine.
The suitable gas for your engine will also depend on whether you have a 2-stroke or 4-stroke lawnmower.
What is the Difference Between a 2-Stroke and 4-Stroke lawn mower fuel?
The main difference between two- and four-stroke engines is how they burn fuel. A two-stroke mower engine burns gas and oil as a mixture—the oil for lubrication.
On the other hand, a four-stroke engine burns only the fuel, keeping engine oil separately. As a result, four-stroke engines are quieter, longer-lasting, and cleaner.
They also have more torque since they make double rotations per explosion, whereas their two-stroke cousins make only one rotation for every explosion.
If your lawnmower has a two-stroke engine, you must mix in a certain amount of high-quality engine oil every time you refill the fuel tank.
What Fuel Should I Use in My lawn Mower?
Whether your lawnmower is two-stroke or four-stroke, it uses regular clean gas with a minimum of 87 octane rating and an ethanol content not exceeding 10 percent.
Your mower does not require any special fuel type. As long as the fuel has these characteristics, it is ideal for lawnmowers.
Therefore, going for premium fuel with octane ratings as high as 91 or 93 is a personal choice. However, most of the time, such premium options come at much higher prices.
The price notwithstanding, regular or premium gas for lawn mowers is recommended.
Gasoline Types to Use in Your Mower
Here is a rundown of the fuel types to get for your mower.
1. Regular unleaded gasoline
Unleaded gasoline is typically the most popular and readily available gas at most fuel stations.
The fuel has the lowest acceptable octane rating and comes at the lowest price. The fuel is ideal for any small engine, making it a good value for money.
Note that octane rating measures gasoline’s ability to resist compression. The higher the octane rating, the more fuel compression can handle before combustion.
So you want a fuel with a greater octane rating that will not detonate or combust prematurely when mixed with air and compressed in your vehicle’s gasoline engine.
2. Premium unleaded gasoline
As the term suggests, premium unleaded gas is a high-grade fuel with higher prices. The grade comes from its high octane fuel rating, often between 91 and 93.
Most high-octane fuels are rated 91, with only a few companies going as high as 92 or 93 with their octane ratings.
Even though some manufacturers recommend using these premium unleaded fuels, their value over regular gasoline for a lawnmower is debatable.
3. Mid-range unleaded gasoline
This fuel offers a good balance between regular and premium unleaded gasoline.
It typically has octane ratings ranging from 88 to 90, making it less expensive than premium versions but pricier than regular unleaded gas.
4. Non-oxygenated gasoline
Most fuels are oxygenated, so they contain additives (oxygenates) added to improve octane ratings and combustion.
Ethanol is the most common oxygenate normally added to reduce exhaust emissions. Unfortunately, the more ethanol a gas has, the more moisture contamination it suffers.
That is where non-oxygenated gasoline comes in to eliminate the problems associated with moisture contamination.
Non-oxygenated gasoline does not contain any ethanol, which reduces the risk of ethanol decomposing in your vehicle and creating musty and gummy deposits all over the fuel system.
This fuel type is rare and costs the highest of all types.
What Type of Gas to Avoid for Lawnmowers?
Various engines are designed to work differently, and lawnmower engines have specific fuel requirements.
The wrong fuel in these engines could damage them. So, here are the fuel types to stay away from.
Diesel
As a rule of thumb, you should always use diesel in diesel engines and gasoline in gasoline engines and never interchange them.
Putting diesel in a lawnmower’s gasoline engine will damage it, drastically cutting the service life of your mower.
Gasoline blends with a high ethanol content
High ethanol content means greater fuel decomposition, moisture damage in your fuel system, and even corrosion. This can wreak havoc on your fuel filter, hoses, and carburetor.
So, ensure the gasoline in your mower’s engine does not contain more than 10 percent ethanol.
Where Can I Get gas For My Lawnmower?
You should get fuel for your lawnmower at a garden supply store or local gas station.
You can always carry a container in your car and bring the fuel home for your lawnmower without a hassle.
What is the Difference Between Regular and Premium Gasoline?
Premium gasoline primarily differs from regular gas in terms of octane rating and price.
Premium gasoline has an octane rating between 91 and 93, while regular gas typically has an octane rating of 87.
Regular vs premium gasoline for lawn mowers
| Regular Unleaded Gas | Premium Unleaded Gas |
| Regular unleaded gasoline is inexpensive. | Premium unleaded gasoline is expensive. |
| Regular unleaded gas is less efficient, especially for newer car models. | Premium gas is more efficient, with greater durability and burning value. |
| The gas has an octane rating ranging between 85 and 87. | Premium gas octane rating ranges between 90 and 95. |
| Regular gas has fewer detergent molecules. | Premium gas has more detergent molecules that help with cleaning the engine walls. |
What is the Difference Between Ethanol-Blended and Ethanol-Free fuels?
As the name suggests, ethanol-blended gasoline adds ethanol to boost its octane rating and reduce exhaust emissions.
While ethanol is beneficial and helps make gasoline more eco-friendly, it is unstable and degrades quickly.
So when ethanol blended gas stays in the vehicle for a month or longer, it reacts with the plastics and metal inside the engine and causes moisture-related contamination within the fuel system.
On the other hand, ethanol-free gas contains no ethanol, so it will not contaminate your lawnmower engine if left to stay inside the gas tank for long periods.
This quality makes such fuels ideal for your mower during little use.
How Do I Put Gas In My Lawn Mower?
Here is the simplified procedure for filing your lawnmower with gas:
- Start by locating the gas tank on the lawnmower and its gas receptacle.
- Undo the gas cap from the tank.
- Put a funnel in the mower’s gas receptacle.
- Slowly and steadily pour the gasoline from the can into the gas tank through the funnel.
- Once done, replace the lid, tightening it by screwing it into place.
Read also: How much gas does a push mower hold?
How Often Should I Fill My Lawn Mower’s Tank?
The general rule is to refill the gas tank on your lawnmower every season. This should be approximately 50 to 100 run time hours, or more frequently, depending on the mower engine size.
Ethanol-blended gasoline should not sit in your mower gas tank for over a month. Ethanol-free options can sit in the tank for up to six months without problems.
Fuel System Maintenance for Your Lawn Mower
- Keep your mower’s fuel system clean through weekly use in the summer.
- Empty your mower’s gas tank before storing it for the winter.
- Add a fuel stabilizer to your gas if plenty is left before storage time. This will slow down fuel degradation and keep the mower’s fuel engine and system safe.
- Consider filling your mower’s gas tank with ethanol-free fuel for the last refill of the season before storage.
Fuel for lawn mower FAQs
What is the best gas for lawnmowers?
The best gas for a lawnmower is clean, fresh, unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 87 and no more than 10 percent ethanol for gasohol or up to 15 percent for methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE).
Do push mowers take regular gas?
Yes. Push mowers take regular gas most of the time. But the gas push lawn mower must have at least an 87 octane rating to be suitable for push mowers. It also needs to have a maximum of 10 percent ethanol, as ethanol contents beyond that level can quickly damage the small engine of such a mower.
Can you use E85 in a lawn mower?
The use of unapproved gasoline such as E85 is not recommended. Doing so, modifying the engine for alternative fuels, or mixing oil in gasoline to use in your mower will damage the lawnmower’s engine components.
Can you use 93 octane in a lawn mower?
Absolutely. Using 93 octane or other premium gasoline sold at gas stations perfectly suits a lawnmower. It is beneficial and helps high-powered vehicles run smoothly and more efficiently. However, this fuel is more expensive and needless to use on a small lawnmower engine.
Can you put premium gas in a lawn mower?
Yes, you can put regular or premium gas in a lawnmower as the premium option does not threaten the engine.
However, the fuel will cost more and offer no essential additional benefit to the mower’s engine over regular unleaded gasoline.
Premium gasoline does not help improve the performance or fuel efficiency of engines such as lawnmowers that do not need it.
It can be unsustainably costly, especially for mowers with increased fuel consumption.
Do lawnmowers need mixed gas?
Not all lawnmowers need mixed gas, except two-stroke mowers. If your mower has a two-stroke engine, it will require specific 2-stroke engine oil mixed with the fuel in a certain ratio during each refill.
You must use the correct gas-oil ratio for the two-stroke engine to remain healthy and work properly.
Is lawnmower gas the same as car gas?
Yes, lawnmower gas is the same as regular car gas, except it must contain less ethanol to guarantee the longevity of the lawn mower engine. Fuel for cars can contain more ethanol than gas for lawn mowers.
Can you use car oil in lawn mowers?
Yes, you can use car oil in lawn mowers but avoid using synthetic oil as it can damage the engine. Instead, use a high-quality detergent-based motor oil that meets your lawn mower’s specific requirements for viscosity, API classification, and SAE rating.
Can you use car gas for lawn mower?
Using car gas in a lawn mower is not recommended. Lawn mowers require a specific fuel called “lawn mower gas,” which is a mixture of gasoline and oil.
Car gas can lead to engine issues and damage due to incompatible additives. Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for the correct fuel type to ensure optimal performance and longevity.
What octane gas for a lawn mower?
The right octane gas for a lawnmower is a clean, fresh, unleaded gasoline with at least an 87-octane rating and a maximum of 10 percent ethanol.
What is the right Honda lawn mower gas type?
The right Honda lawnmower gas type is gasoline with 0 to 10 percent ethanol. These fuel types, combined with using the right Honda mower oil type, ensure optimal efficiency and top-notch performance for Honda engines.
Best gas for Honda lawn mower
The best gas for a Honda lawn mower is regular unleaded gasoline. Such gasoline has an octane value of 87 and no more than 10 percent ethanol.
What is the right craftsman lawn mower gas type?
The right Craftsman lawnmower gas type has a minimum octane rating of 87 and no more than 10 percent ethanol.
Can you use high-octane gas in a lawn mower?
Absolutely. Putting high-octane gas in your lawnmower will not hurt it, but it will hurt your budget by costing more than the regular unleaded gasoline recommended for lawnmowers.
What is the best gas for a John Deere riding mower?
The best gas for John Deere riding mowers is unleaded gasoline, available at any service station. The gas should have an octane rating between 87 and 92. John Deere tractors have four-cycle engines, so do not mix oil into the gas.
How much gas to put in the lawn mower?
Put approximately 2 to 5 gallons of fuel in your lawnmower. Of course, your lawnmower gas capacity will vary depending on its engine size. But you can operate the mower without putting in a full fuel tank.
Regular gas for lawn mower summary
Like most lawnmowers, your unit should run fine with regular unleaded gasoline with anything from 87 to 90 octane rating.
Nonetheless, it is best to always check your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s engine specifications and recommended fuel for your mower model.
These specifications may include the precise octane rating for your lawnmower or an acceptable ethanol level.
Following these recommendations should help prolong the lifespan of your lawn mower’s engine.
We hope this article was informational. If you have any thoughts or addition, leave them in the comments, and we will do our best to respond.