VPRacing Small Engine Fuel: In for the Long Haul
4 min readVPRacing Small Engine Fuel: In for the Long Haul
We all want our gas powered equipment to last forever, but with any mower, weed trimmer, generator, or the like, the fuel you use often takes it’s toll, especially ethanol-blended street gas that’s sat in the gas tank during the off-season. Despite your best intentions, you’ll likely use last years gas, because the stuff is too expensive to waste otherwise.
But the cost of discarding old gas pales in comparison with the cost of the damage it can do. Gasoline from the pump can go bad in just a matter of weeks, doing a number on small engines. The blended ethanol attracts moisture, so you get water in your gas, not to mention varnish and gum of old fuel additives. The contaminated fuel leads to clogged carburetor jets, gummy deposits, or worse, corroded cylinders, valves, & exhaust systems. You get to deal with the grief of equipment that won’t start, and the mounting costs of repairs.
But what if you can count on fuel you used last August, to run just as clean & clear the following May? How about a stockpile of fuel to be perfectly usable FIVE YEARS down the road? Too fantastic? Well, that’s EXACTLY what you can count on in VP Small Engine Fuels. They are indeed, in for the long haul.
The professional racing community knows VP Racing Fuel is top notch quality fuel… pure, powerful fuel. Now they offer a line of consumer grade gas products, including a line of fuels specifically made for small engines.
 Gas at most convenience stores contains ethanol to reduce the price of gas at the pump, bad news from a Prepping standpoint, especially in relying on gas engines in the event of an interruption of gas supplies. The relatively short shelf life of ethanol mixed fuel is significant enough to consider alternatives to gas combustion engines in most long term Prepping plans. |
That’s where VP Small Engine Fuel offers the advantage of pure, high octane fuel, and in doing so, answers the needs of those seeking to stockpile gas for far longer than normal… for years, without need of stabilizing fuel conditioning.
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| VP Racing introduces it’s Small Engine Fuel products. |
VP Racing Fuels sent a sampler of their Small Engine Fuel to try out. Very fortunate too, since I’m nursing along a 30 year old garden tractor, and anything that keeps it in service has got my full attention. It’s a perfect test bed to try out their fuel too.
While I can’t attest to shelf life claims yet, I’ve stowed away one can of 4-stroke fuel & in five years I’ll give it a try to see how well (or how little) it’s aged. From first glance though, I see it ready for use even longer because it’s about as pure a fuel as you can buy. No additives, no ethanol, & with a 94 octane rating, it’s premium gas. 
Getting the tired motor on the tractor running for another season is always a hit or miss affair… literally. The engine coughs & sputters at first. Even with fresh gas, it blows out deposits that’s accumulated over winter. But this time, I ran it with a can of VP Small Engine Fix-It Fuel. Designed as a single use treatment, Fix-It Fuel is an ETHANOL-FREE 89 Octane gas + oil blend. Fix-it fuel cleans and repairs the fuel system, without having to remove the carburetor or injectors.
Other than needing to adjust low speed & high speed idle, the engine roared to life just fine. I only needed half a can as directed, so I’ll have a second treatment if necessary.
I’m not a EOTW type, but I fully understand the desire to stockpile
supplies for any eventuality. While I have gas powered generators on hand “just in case”, I’ve always feared they’re not a long term solution, due to fuel aging over time. So it’s obvious, stocking up on VP Small Engine Fuel is not just smart, it’s CRITICAL if you want to see the life of your small engines and their use extended for a long, LONG time.You can find VP Small Engine Fuel products in stores nationwide. Can’t find it near you? Just order it on Amazon, or direct from their website.
Count on VP Small Engine Fuel products to see you through… in the long haul.
VPRacing Fuels: www.vpracingfuels.com
I sure hope you got paid for this commercial! My goodness. Every small engine manufacturer endorses and provides warranty for blends of ethanol up to 10% ethanol. In fact, some have jumped to E25, and one even E85. That said, these poorly engineered small engine fuel systems (think $7 carb) need more attention than a car/truck. The owner’s manuals are very straightforward pn the subject. If you are not going to use the fuel within 30-90 days (regardless of ethanol content), you should drain the tank or stabilize the fuel. Pretty simple advice to keep your small engine ready for when you really need it, even if it is months away.
Yes this article was a bit of an endorsement for the product. However, I believe the point the author is trying to convey is that this product has a 5 year shelf life. You mentioned proper maintenance and fuel stabilizer. Gasoline, even with fuel stabilizer, has a MAXIMUM lifespan of about 1 year in near perfect conditions i.e. good container, storage temp/humidity ect. ect. A 5 year shelf life for gasoline is pretty impressive. Think how great it would be to have an emergency generator on hand and a supply of fuel stashed away that you don’t have to worry about cycling out every 9 to 12 months. Although I’m sure the cost of this product is exuberant compared to gasoline with fuel stabilizer added. Since VP fuels are obviously exploring the chemistry of long term fuel. I would LOVE to see a regular gasoline fuel stabilizer be created capable of giving you a 5+ year shelf life with regular ol’premium pump gas.