You must know that using the correct type of gas for your Toro lawn mower matters. So, you wish to know whether your Toro lawn mower uses regular or mixed gas. Well, you're at the right post because we have the answer to this question below!
Toro lawnmowers have 4-cycle engines; hence, they take regular gas. Generally, these are unleaded gasoline with an 87-octane rating and, at most, 10% ethanol content.
Operating at the correct gas is crucial for the lawn mower’s optimum performance and long serviceability life. It makes the machine run at its best. In this post, we will dive into the nature of the machine’s engine, alongside the type of fuel it should use. With that said, let's begin!
What Are 4-Cycle Engines In Toro Lawn Mowers?
In recent years, most Toro lawn mowers sold in the market are designed with 4-cycle or 4-stage engines. While the 2-cycle engines are still used in some Toro models, it is slowly becoming unpopular among homeowners.
The 4-cycle engine in Toro lawn mowers involves a fuel system that uses regular gas instead of a mix of gasoline and oil in 2-cycle engines.
This means the machine’s 4-cycle engine wholly operates by burning gasoline. It also uses motor-grade oil, only that it is separately added to the engine's crank.
Know more about engine oil in Toro lawn mowers in this post: Do Toro Mowers Come with Oil? [And What Type Does it Use?]
Also: What Year is My Toro Mower?
What Is Regular Gas For Toro Lawn Mowers?
Toro lawn mowers' fuel systems require regular gas. What does this mean?
Your Toro lawn mower needs regular gas to keep its engine running at optimum performance. Regular gas has at least an 87-octane rating.
Additionally, the ethanol content should be at a maximum of 10%. A low-ethanol or no-ethanol content is much preferable.
The gas’ octane rating is a measure of the fuel’s stability. It is the pressure at which the fuel will combust or automatically ignite in the engine. The higher the number means, the more stable the fuel.
The 87-octane rating is the lowest, which is marketed as regular gas. It is also called unleaded gasoline in some gas companies.
A middle range of 89 to 90 octane is called midrange gas or super gas. The highest octane rating is 91 to 94. This is labeled as premium gas or super-premium, which you can see in gas stations.
Typically, regular gas is marketed with an 87-octane rating in almost all retail gasoline stations. Hence, the availability of this fuel type isn't a problem for your Toro lawn mower.
Why Does My Toro Lawn Mower Need Low-Ethanol Gas?
Toro lawn mowers require gas with a maximum of 10% ethanol content. This is marketed as E10 in retail gas stations.
Ethanol is a corn-based fuel that is proven beneficial to the environment. This is the rationale for why it is a much-needed additive in gasoline. It works best for automotive engines, but unfortunately, it doesn’t apply to small engines of Toro lawn mowers.
One of the characteristics of ethanol is that it attracts moisture from the atmosphere.
Since it is an additive, it induces the gas component to separate from it. The separated gas will sink to the fuel tank floor. At the same time, the separated ethanol will go through the engine.
In this instance, the small engine mechanism of lawn mowers cannot fully absorb the ethanol. This causes clogging in the fuel system resulting in ignition problems.
In this perspective, a low-level, or even zero-level, ethanol content is preferable.
Moreover, ethanol has these characteristics which aren't favorable for small engines:
- It leaves a thick and sticky residue that can damage the fuel components.
- It is corrosive and burns at very high temperatures. This causes overheating that will result in significant damage to your mower.
To check on the content level of ethanol in gasoline, it is usually posted on the decal of the fuel pump of retail gas stations. Typically, they have an average of 10% to 15%.
The 15% content, labeled E15 gas, is a big no for your Toro lawn mower.
Advantages Of Ethanol-Free Gasoline
Ethanol-free gasoline is best for your Toro. It is marketed as recreation fuel or REC-90. It can be a little expensive by as much as $2 per gallon if you buy from gas stations.
Luckily, you can also avail of it in hardware and engine shops. These are packaged in 4-cyle fuel canisters, perfect for your Toro lawn mower.
This ethanol-free fuel is available on Amazon.
Ethanol-free gas is conveniently packaged in a canister for added convenience to the user. It is easy to pour, and the vapor pressure is uniform leading to a clean burning of gas.
Canister gas has added synthetic oil that guarantees the correct ratio, perfect for use in a 4-cycle engine.
Here are some advantages of using ethanol-free gas:
- Extends the serviceability life of the equipment
- If used in new equipment, it affords superior break-in
- Easier ignition due to higher trigger response
- When the machine is idle, there is no smoke or foul odor
- Customized for small engines
This fuel treatment is available on Amazon.
To avert the damaging effects of ethanol. Sea Foam is a petroleum-based product recommended by Toro company for its lawn mower engine product line.
It has been on the market for many decades and has innovated to prolong the engine's life. It cleans the carburetor from accumulated deposits and dirt in combustion engines and the intake valves.
Aside from Amazon, it is available in all Toro dealers nationwide.
Fresh Gasoline Is The Best For Toro Lawn Mowers
Gasoline expires after 30 days. This means it tends to lose its effectiveness over this period.
It deteriorates when its volatile components get evaporated. When evaporation reaches a certain level, the user will experience ignition problems on the machine.
Due to this, it is always recommended to purchase fresh gasoline to run your Toro lawn mower. It is a good practice to consume gas as early as possible, right after buying.
What Happens When Gasoline Expires?
During evaporation, the fuel will start to have a brown sticky residue.
Over time, this residue will form a gummy and become varnish. This unwanted residue will cause the plugging of the carburetor resulting in a chain of engine problems.
It may prevent the engine from starting, or if it starts, the operation is poor due to surging, stalling, or lack of power. Moreso, fuel leaks may occur if the float needle cannot be adequately sealed.
This carburetor replacement is available on Amazon.
The replacement carburetor is Briggs & Stratton, designed for small engines and perfect for lawn mowers. This kit comes with a gasket and carbon dirt cleaner for the user's convenience.
How To Avoid Expired Gasoline
There are a couple of ways to avoid getting fuel not to expire:
- Purchase the amount of gasoline you can consume before its expiration date, that is, thirty days.
- Purchase at busy gas stations. In this way, you are more likely assured that they have a faster turnover of fuel stocks, and expired fuel will be remote to happen.
- In instances where you have excess and unused fuel, observe the correct storage requirements to maintain its freshness.
- Observe FIFO, first-in-first-out. Consume the gas you purchased and stored before using the new gas. Empty your storage can before adding new gas. This ensures that you aren't adding fresh gas to old gas.
- If you still have unused gas at the end of the mowing season, it would be best to discard it appropriately. Consider using it in your car or other machines. In this way, you are assured that you will have no gas sitting for many months until the next mowing season.
How Should I Store Unused Gasoline?
If you cannot consume your fuel within thirty days, you must store the excess fuel properly to retain or prolong its effectiveness.
- Store in a dry place. Avoid water exposure since ethanol readily attracts moisture that loses its functionality.
- Use plastic gas cans designed explicitly for unleaded gasoline. Ordinary plastic containers may not hold and secure the gas and will break down over time.
This gas storage container is available on Amazon.
This gas can is made of hard plastic and is CARB and EPA-compliant. There is a control button for pouring and eliminating spillage. The funnel spout is perfect for small engines such as lawn mowers.
It also features a dust cover for safety and tightly secures the stored fuel.
- Use additives to stabilize your fuel. Fuel stabilizers work to form a top layer over the gasoline. This reduces or inhibits the evaporation of the volatile gas components. It also retards its moisture absorption, which translates to the prolonged helpful life of the gasoline.
This fuel stabilizer is available on Amazon.
This fuel stabilizer markets to prolong gas' freshness by as much as a year in storage.
Additionally, it prevents the gummy and varnish residue buildup that guarantees a smooth fuel ignition. This product is designed explicitly for ethanol-blended fuel types.
To Finish
Running on the wrong fuel type can cause costly damage to your priceless Toro lawn mower. It doesn't only harm the machine, but worst, its engine.
Furthermore, your Toro lawn mower should only use unleaded gas with an 87-octane rating and a low-ethanol fuel of less than 10% for any small engine equipment. Though ethanol is environment-friendly, it is not conducive to small engines.
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