Do Lawn Mowers Take Regular Gas? (This Type Is Better)

Gas-powered lawn mowers are a popular choice for many homeowners. However, there is some confusion about what type of gas these mowers need in order to run properly. Do you need to use regular gas or something else?

Most lawn mowers can take regular gas without any issue. Using a higher octane gas is not necessary and can even be detrimental to your lawn mower’s engine, depending on the model. It’s always best to check your owner’s manual to be 100% sure of the type of gas you should be using.

In this article, we will go over the types of fuel you can use, what lawn mowers have specific fuel needs, and what you can do if the wrong gas was used.

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Types of Fuel For Lawn Mowers

Gas-powered lawn mowers are not as picky as you would think. In this section, we will go over the different types of gas you can use and what you can add to your fuel to lengthen the life of your fuel. 

What Fuel Should I Use in My Lawn Mower?

To be certain of what fuel you should use, read the lawn mower’s user’s manual. It will tell you what kind of fuel the mower was made to use. If you don’t have your user’s manual, you can look up the make and model of the mower and find it online. 

However, most mowers will take regular gas, and some will take premium gas as well.

The important thing is that the gas is either treated with a fuel stabilizer or the gas is fresh. You do not want to use gas that’s more than a month old. 

What Kind of Gas Do You Put in a Lawn Mower?

You can generally put regular 87 gas in a lawn mower. The gas can even have ten percent ethanol in it. However, some lawn mowers need a specific kind of gas. Whatever the case is, it is best to use fresh gas or stabilized gas.  

It’s also best to check the mower’s user manual. It will tell you which gas the mower’s engine was made to take.

However, mowers that are made to take regular gas can take premium gas, but premium will not perform any better than regular. 

Do Lawn Mowers Take Regular Gas?

Most lawn mowers take regular gas, and their engines are made to use regular gas. You can even use ten percent ethanol in the gas. Many lawn mowers will also take premium, but premium gas will not likely perform better than regular.

Some lawn mowers even perform worse with premium; they may even overheat. Additionally, lawn mowers need fresh gas or stabilized gas. It’s never good to run a lawn mower with gas that’s more than a month old without a stabilizer in it. 

Do You Use Regular or Premium Gas for a Lawn Mower?

Typically, you can use both regular or premium gas in a lawn mower. However, most lawn mowers are made to use regular gas, and the premium gas will not perform better. In some cases, premium gas will not work as well as regular. 

It’s always good to check the user manual for the mower to see what gas they suggest you use. If it says regular gas is good, save your money instead of buying premium gas.

Also, always use fresh gas or stabilized gas, no matter what kind of mower you have. 

Can You Use Premium Gas in a Lawn Mower?

Most likely, premium gas is okay to use in a lawn mower. However, premium gas may not help the mower perform better than it would with regular gas, and in some cases, it could worsen the performance. 

Check the user’s manual the mower came with for the best gas to use. Or look online for the manual by searching the mower’s make and model.

Also, always use gas that’s either treated with a fuel stabilizer or gas that’s fresh. 

What is the Best Type of Gas for a Lawn Mower?

You can use ten percent ethanol gas which is just as good as anything, but it needs to be fresh gas. Gas that is a month old will be stale and should be swapped out with fresh gas. However, if you added a fuel stabilizer to the fresh fuel, it will last over a year. 

Some fuel stabilizers help the gas stay good for 2 years. This is helpful if you live in an area with a short grass-cutting season. 

Never crank a mower that has been sitting for over a month with unstabilized gas in it. 

You might also enjoy our post on If Snowblowers Take Regular Gas

Where Do You Get e10 Gas for a Lawn Mower?

E 10 gas is sold at nearly all gas stations. It means the gas has 10% ethanol in it. You can buy it from the gas station and tote it in a proper gas can to use in a lawn mower. However, you should use it with a fuel stabilizer.  

A fuel stabilizer helps lengthen the life of ethanol gas. Without a stabilizer, ethanol gas can gum up the system.

You should always add a fuel stabilizer when you are winterizing the mower or in the springtime before using the mower after the winter. 

Can You Use 98 Octane Gas in a Lawn Mower?

98 Octane gas is fine to use in your lawn mower. As long as you don’t use diesel fuel in your lawn mower, you can use any amount of octane in the gas you put in your lawn mower. However, it will not improve the power of your lawn mower’s engine.

You can buy octane gas at most gas stations. You can also buy the cheaper gas with 10 percent ethanol.

If you buy the cheaper gas, we suggest adding a fuel stabilizer, especially if you do not use your mower frequently. 

Can You Use High Octane Fuel in Small Engines?

Before using high octane fuel in a small engine, check the machine’s manual. Most small engines were made to take 87 octane, but most engines can take higher octane levels. However, the engine won’t work better with higher octane content. 

It’s generally advised you buy cheap gas, and when you store your mower, or other small engines, for longer than a month, add a fuel stabilizer to the gas.

The best gas for an engine is fresh gas, and the worst gas is stale gas. 

Do All Lawn Mowers Take the Same Gas?

Not all lawn mowers take the same gas, but most take regular gas you put in your car. However, you should not put diesel in your lawn mower! Check your user manual for which gas your mower was made to use. 

Most of the time, you can use the cheaper gas with ten percent ethanol in it, and it will work just as well as premium.

Also, sometimes premium doesn’t work as well in small engines like lawn mowers. You can add a stabilizer to the fuel when you are putting the mower away for a month. 

Do Lawn Mowers Use the Same Gas as Cars?

Lawn mowers can use the same gas cars do, except for diesel gas. Mowers can even use ten percent ethanol gas. However, some mowers may be different, so check your lawn mower’s user manual for what gas they suggest. 

The best gas for all lawn mowers is fresh gas. After a month, the gas starts becoming stale. If your gas is older than a month, remove the gas.

You can do so with a large turkey baster. Then add fuel stabilizer and fresh gas. 

Getting Specific

Not all lawn mowers run the same, and not all mowers use the same fuel. This section goes over specific types of lawn mowers and what fuel they use. Let’s read on!

What Type of Fuel Does a Briggs and Stratton Lawn Mower Use?

Regular 87 gas is best for a Briggs and Stratton lawn mower. The gas can have 10 percent ethanol in it as well, but do not put 15 percent or more ethanol gas in the lawn mower. If you do, the mower may not stay under warranty. 

Additionally, you should not add oil to the gas or modify your engine to take other fuels. If you do, the mower will most likely become damaged, and the damage will not be covered under the warranty. 

However, adding STA-BIL 360 Protection each time you fill up is suggested by the manufacturer. 

What Type of Fuel Does a Craftsman Lawn Mower Use?

For most Craftsman lawn mowers, 87 gas is the recommended fuel. You can use gas that’s higher in octane, but the mower will not work any better. You can also use gas that has ten percent ethanol in it.

You should not use a higher percentage of ethanol than ten percent. You should also not add oil to the fuel, or modify the engine. However, you should add fuel stabilizer when you fuel up. Stabilizer will lengthen the life of your fuel.   

You might also enjoy our post on What to do if Your Neighbor Keeps Cutting Your Grass

What Type of Fuel Do You Use For a Four-Stroke Lawn Mower?

You can use regular 87 gas on most four-stroke engines, and it can contain ten percent ethanol. Also, you can use premium gas, but it will not work better than using regular gas. However, you should not use diesel or 15 percent or more ethanol gas. 

Check your lawn mower’s user manual for the best fuel recommendation from the manufacturer.

You can either look at the manual that came with the mower or look up your mower’s make and model online to find an e-version. 

How Do You Tell if a Lawn Mower is 2 Stroke or 4 Stroke?

Two-stroke lawn mowers and four-stroke lawn mowers are very similar and use the same fuel. However, four-stroke engines have two fuel tanks; one is for gas, and the other is for oil. And two-stroke engines have one fuel tank for oil and fuel. 

It’s best to buy fuel and oil already mixed for two-stroke engines to ensure you have the correct ratio and the best gas and oil for your motor.

You should not mix oil with gas in a four-stroke engine. I can cause damage and will no longer be under warranty. 

Do You Have to Mix Gas For a Four-Stroke?

You should not mix gas with oil for a four-stroke engine. This will damage the engine.  You should also not modify your engine to take a different fuel. It will likely damage the mower and it will no longer be under warranty. 

You can and should add a stabilizer whenever you put in new fuel. This will keep your fuel good for a year or more.

This is important for lawn mowers because they are often stored in the wintertime and are used less frequently in the spring and fall months. 

Are All Lawn Mowers 4 Stroke?

Lawn mowers are either four-stroke or two-stroke engines. The difference is a two-stroke engine has one fuel tank for mixed gas and oil, and a four-stroke engine has two tanks for separating gas and oil. 

For both four-stroke and two-stroke engines, you should add a fuel stabilizer to the fuel.

Fresh fuel is the best fuel for any motor, and the stabilizer keeps your fuel ready to go for a year to two years. Do not use gas that has not been stabilized and is more than a month old.

I accidentally used the wrong gas!

If you accidentally put the wrong gas in your mower, don’t panic and throw your mower out just yet! In this section, we will cover what you can do to reverse fuel mistakes and fuel storage mistakes.

Let’s motor on!

What Happens if You Put Wrong Gas in a Lawn Mower?

Depending on what kind of gas you put in your mower will determine how bad it will be for your mower. If it just has a higher octane percentage, then it might hurt it at all, but if you use diesel fuel, it will clog your fuel injectors and stop working altogether. 

If you have put incompatible fuel in the gas tank, you can remove it with a turkey baster. After you remove it, add a fuel stabilizer to the new fuel to clean out the tank and fuel injectors.

You should replace the fuel if you used diesel or if you used higher than ten percent ethanol. 

What Happens if You Put the Wrong Fuel in a Lawn Mower?

If you put in premium instead of regular, it probably won’t make a difference. But, if you put in diesel, then you will clog up your fuel injectors, causing your engine to quit. Also, you should not use more than ten percent ethanol in your gas. 

If you have a four-stroke lawn mower, mixing your fuel with your oil can cause a lot of damage.

And if you have a two-stroke lawn mower, you should use an already mixed fuel of gas and oil to be sure the ratio is correct. 

Will My Lawn Mower Break if I Use the Wrong Type of Fuel?

Your engine will stop working if you use too much ethanol in your fuel or if you use diesel fuel instead of regular gas. However, if you put the wrong gas in the tank, you can remove it with a turkey baster. 

If you put premium gas in your lawn mower, it probably won’t hurt the mower, but it will not help it perform any better if the mower was designed to take regular gas.

Also, be sure to add a fuel stabilizer to whatever fuel you use. 

What Would Happen if You Put 2 Stroke Gas in a 4 Stroke?

If you run two-stroke gas in a four-stroke engine, it will quickly become clogged and die. Additionally, if you mix any oil with your fuel, it will cause the engine to die. Four-stroke engines have a separate place for oil and fuel, and the two should never be mixed.  

You should also never use diesel fuel or fuel with more than ten percent ethanol. Both will clog up the fuel injectors and kill the engine.

If you have put the wrong fuel in the mower, do not use it and remove it with a turkey baster. 

You might also enjoy our post on How Short to Cut Your Grass Before Winter

Related Questions

Do You Have to Put Oil in a Lawn Mower?

All lawn mowers need gas and oil. Two-stroke mowers use a mix of oil and gas, but four-stroke mowers keep gas and oil separate. Oil is thicker than fuel and will clog up the fuel injectors in a four-stroke, but a two-stroke is made to use oil and fuel together. 

You don’t have to use an additive in your oil, but synthetic oil lasts longer and is better for small engines that are used less frequently than a car.

However, you should add a fuel stabilizer to your fuel. Whether it’s for a two-stroke or a four-stroke.

How Long Can Fuel Last in a Lawn Mower?

Fuel that is not stabilized will last up to one month, especially if it contains ethanol. Fuel that is stabilized can last up to two years. You should not use old and stale fuel in a lawn mower.  

Stabilizing gas is important for small engines like lawn mowers because they are not used year-round, and gas can sit for months at a time without being used.

Fresh gas is best but stabilized gas works really well too.

Where Can I Store My Fuel Over Winter?

It is best to store your fuel in a ventilated place away from the house. It’s also good to keep fuel stored in a locked cabinet to keep small children away from it. You should also store fuel away from direct sunlight. 

You can also store your lawn mower full of fuel as long as it is stabilized fuel. Also, to winterize your mower, you will want to clean the deck and the blades. Additionally, you should store your mower in a dry spot away from direct sunlight. 

Final Thoughts

It is important to know what type of fuel your lawn mower takes and to never put the wrong fuel in it. It’s always best to use fresh gas, but if you can’t, then be sure to use a fuel stabilizer.

When in doubt, check your owner’s manual or the manufacturer’s website to be sure you are using the correct fuel.

We hope this article has helped you learn a little more about lawn mowers and the fuel they take. Happy mowing!