What Kind Of Gas Does A Leaf Blower Use

What Kind Of Gas Does A Leaf Blower Use

You can find corded and battery-operated leaf blowers, but gas-powered models are more common. A gas-powered leaf blower is a smarter investment if you treat it right because there are significant limitations to the electrics, like cord length and battery charging time.

Like your car, using the wrong gas will damage the engine. I’ll help you figure out what kind of gas your leaf blower uses, so you don’t make an expensive mistake.

What Kind Of Gas Does A Leaf Blower Use

Most leaf blowers use regular Unleaded Gasoline 87 Octane or higher. For best results, use gas that is no more than 10 percent ethanol. It is important to mix the gas with two-stroke engine oil with either a 50/1 ratio of gas to oil for newer models or a 40/1 ratio for older models.

Can I Use Regular Gas In My Leaf Blower

You can use regular unleaded gas in your leaf blower, but not on its own. Unless your particular brand requires unmixed gas, you need to pay close attention to the manufacturer’s ‘recommendations.’

Using the wrong gas in your leaf blower can have disastrous consequences. For example, you won’t be able to start the blower or even pull the drawstring.

As McCall succinctly points out, “If you are using too lean of a gas mix, plain gas will not lubricate the pistons properly, and they will freeze…”

Frozen pistons aren’t like frozen car door locks in winter, and ‘thawing’ or unlocking them often requires a visit to a repair shop.

Do Blowers Take Mixed Gas

Leaf blowers do take mixed gas. Since the engine in your machine is a two-stroke, it requires a unique gas and oil blend to run and function properly.

Please do not put regular motor oil into your leaf blower. Instead, you need a two-cycle specific oil.

Mixing your own leaf blower fuel is the most cost-effective method. However, if you are not inclined to do the math, companies like SEF and TruFuel make pre-mixed blends specifically for this engine type.

How Do You Mix Fuel For A Leaf Blower

Before you can mix fuel for your leaf blower, it is crucial to determine the correct proportions. Newer models often have a 50/1 ratio of gas to oil.

Meanwhile, the older models typically run on a 40/1 blend. For this example, we’ll use the 40/1 blend.

Follow the simple steps below to blend your own leaf blower gas.

  • Gather your materials. In this case, you need a funnel, a five-gallon gas can, four gallons of gas, and thirteen to fifteen ounces of oil. You may also want some newspaper to lay down in case of spillage. A self-venting spout is also a good idea for easy refills and a tight seal.
  • Pour a gallon of gas into the container.
  • Add 3.2 ounces of oil.
  • Repeat this process three more times. Your 5-gallon gas can will not be full, but you’ll also avoid overfilling with this method. Plus, you’ll have more than four gallons of the necessary fuel, which will last quite a while.

You can find measurements specific to your model in the user’s manual. If you’ve lost your manual, no worries. Lawn and Garden offers digital copies of most leaf blower manuals right here.

What Is The Ratio Of Gas To Oil For A Leaf Blower

The gas to oil ratio for leaf blowers varies by model. Newer models often use a 50/1 ratio, but I will provide you two simple charts in gallons and liters for some of the more common ratios.

Feel free to bookmark this page for later reference and keep in mind that, when buying a leaf blower, a larger number ratio like 50/1 or 80/1 means you won’t spend as much on the more expensive oil.

Gallons of Gas

  • 80/1- 1.6 ounces of oil per gallon
  • 60/1- 2.1 ounces
  • 50/1- 2.6 ounces
  • 45/1- 2.8 ounces
  • 40/1- 3.2 ounces
  • 32/1- 4 ounces
  • 30/1- 4.3 ounces
  • 20/1- 6.4 ounces

Liters of Gas (aka Petrol)

In liters, you will often be working with a 5-liter container, so the ratios below reflect that. One 5-liter container of gas is roughly one and a quarter gallons.

  • 80/1- Add 63 ml of oil to your five-liter container.
  • 60/1- 83 ml
  • 50/1- 100 ml or a tenth of a liter for this blend
  • 45/1- 111 ml of oil
  • 40/1- 125 ml, which is the same as 1/8 of a liter
  • 32/1- 156 ml of oil
  • 30/1- 167 ml of oil
  • 20/1- 250 ml or 1/4 liter

How Do I Fix Wrong Gas In My Leaf Blower

You can always go to a repair shop. However, DIYers and those on a budget need to know how to fix a leaf blower if you accidentally put straight gas into the tank.

If you’re lucky and never turned it on, the machine is more likely to be salvageable.

First, you have to understand that this may not be fixable, so be prepared for disappointment. Once you’re ready, you can check a few things and try to get it working again. Start by draining the gas out.

Next, pull the muffler off and look inside. If there’s scoring from the lack of oil, your machine is toast. If not, do a compression check. You want a higher compression because when it gets too low, your machine is kaput.

Finally, you can try removing the spark plug and putting a tablespoon of oil in. Then put your sparkplug back, fill it up with proper blended fuel and try to get the engine to turn over and start.

You may get lucky but putting the wrong fuel in is a serious problem, even for a moment.

How Many Ounces Of Gas Does The Leaf Blower Need For 3 Ounces Of Oil

The charts above detail how to get forty and forty-five to one ratio of gas to oil. There are a hundred and twenty-eight ounces in a gallon. Rather than trying to remove a minuscule amount of gas, try the following instead.

Cut the recipe you need in half. For a 40/1 blend using a half-gallon of gas, you’d need 1.6 ounces of oil. Meanwhile, for a 50/1, you’ll need 1.3 ounces.

This method will get you a more accurate blend than calculating, measuring, and removing a fraction of a gallon of gas.

What Kind Of Gas Does A Husqvarna Leaf Blower Use

According to Husquevarna, their two-stroke engines require fresh and clean unleaded gas.

Don’t use old gas that has settled or been stored too long in a leaf blower, as it will likely gum up the works and turn your machine into an expensive wall decoration.

For engines up to 75ccs, this brand requires a 50/1 blend. Larger machines over 75cc need a 33/1 blend instead.

What Kind Of Gas Does A Stihl Leaf Blower Use

The STIHL company also uses the 50/1 ratio on their gas-powered leaf blowers. However, this brand recommends that you use STIHL MotoMix.

The premade blend takes all the guesswork out of the mix. Using the right gas also means you are less likely to void your warranty on a new machine.

What Kind Of Gas Does A Homelite Leaf Blower Take

Homelite leaf blowers aren’t quite as popular as the well-known Stihl and Husqvarna brands.

However, these lightweight and portable leaf blowers are easy to start, and they are very well-liked. You need to use the same unleaded gas as other leaf blowers, with an octane rating of eighty-seven or above.

What Kind Of Gas Does An Echo Leaf Blower Take

Echo Leaf blowers are outstanding machines. The Echo power blower users guide recommends “89 Octane [R+M/2] (mid-grade or higher) gasoline.”

Blend this with a high-quality two-stroke engine oil of your choice.

Helpful Tips To Know About What Kind Of Gas A Leaf Blower Uses

Keeping your leaf blower running isn’t difficult. Once you understand the proportions for mixing fuel, it’s easy to ensure you always have what you need on hand.

Here are a few helpful tips to know about what kind of gas a leaf blower uses.

  • Mark your gas cans clearly if you have more than one. Putting the wrong gas in a leaf blower most often leads to a dead machine.
  • Choose one gas can and dedicate it to only storing your leaf blower fuel. Unless you have other two-stroke engines with the same ratio requirements, this will help prevent accidental contamination that skews the blend.
  • Use premium oil and high-quality gasoline. The smaller engines in leaf blowers are also less forgiving than some larger machines.

Final Thoughts

A leaf blower can be a real timesaver, plus it won’t put as much strain on your back as manual raking. However, it is essential to give your leaf blower the right fuel.

Otherwise, it will lock up and stop working. No one needs an expensive oversized leaf blower-shaped doorstop, and repair shops can get pricey.

Whether you mix your own or pick up a pre-made blend, make sure you put the right fuel in your machine.

Drew Thomas

My name is Drew Thomas and I’m the creator of Fun In the Yard, your one stop site for all your outdoor games, sports, party activities, outdoor gear, and lawn & gardening tips.

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