Using petrol in this way can go towards the running costs of your mower, so it’s a good idea to have an amount and type of fuel that can be dipped into when needed. You might also consider how much it consumes with each use of your mower.
That is why you can use regular unleaded, 98, E5, 95, and even E10 petrol, which can be used in most mowers of this type in the UK. As a rule of thumb, you want to use petrol that has less than 10% ethanol, as any more can damage the parts of your mower.
With that out of the way, you might be thinking about how these types of petrol compare with each other and how you can use your fuel efficiently, which you can find below.
Why Use E10 Petrol?
This form of fuel replaces the E5 grade of petrol, which was before the standard type you could find in any petrol station across the country, but this new type is made up of 10% renewable ethanol and 90% regular petrol.
This is deemed more environmentally friendly as the goal is to reduce CO2 emissions, which is pretty much usable by most car makes and other petrol-fueled devices, including lawnmowers.
As this is a greener fuel, it also means that it’s cheaper in cost. It isn’t subject to any premium charges based on its extraction and supply, so it can be 1p cheaper than the E5 grade is still available but in fewer configurations.
What Does This Mean For Costs?
If we take the cost per litre for E10 petrol, which is roughly 163.5p a litre, and a fuel tank of 4 gallons, this can equal around £6.54.
If we compare this to E5 fuel, which is 166.4p per litre, with the same size of the tank, this will give us £6.65, which is only 11p, but if you counter in how many times you fill up your mower, the savings can go towards some significant savings.
There is also the consideration that fuel prices can go up, down, or stay the same, so when you need to use it often for times in the summer, for example, this can be significant if we compare this to other types of fuel like diesel, which can be much more expensive.
How To Conserve Petrol
Now you know the right type of fuel to use, you have to consider the mileage you’ll get from your mower, as the average mower can consume anything from 1 litre an hour to 1 gallon an hour, which is why it’s best to check your mower against these averages for a precise amount.
With this in mind, other factors can affect the efficiency of your mower and how far your fuel goes.
The Size And Power Of Your Engine
Commonly, the bigger and more powerful an engine is, the more fuel it will consume, so for push mowers, this can depend on the tank size, which can be anywhere from half a litre up to four gallons on higher-end models.
As a guide, you can generally mow half an acre with one tank, so for larger gardens up to an acre, you’ll be looking at two tanks and a litre on average. This doesn’t include the fact that some people like to repeat an area for adequate coverage.
Before getting a mower, it might be a good idea to measure your garden and work out how much fuel you are likely to use for each cut, which could save you money but may be an issue if you have a smaller garden with lots of tight spaces.
The Terrain Of Your Garden
In many gardens out there that aren’t perfectly square and require some manoeuvring to get them cut, and any small areas that you have will require more power to get through, which can eat up more fuel.
This is especially the case if your garden is on an incline, so you have a slight hill to go up, so if you want to save time, you could use a mower for the general shape and use a strimmer to get all the smaller and awkward areas that look uneven.
How You Store Your Fuel
Once you’ve filled up your petrol can, you want to store it so it doesn’t become stale, so you should keep it out of direct sunlight and use a petrol stabilizer if you are storing it longer than 30 days.
This ensures that no deposits build up in the fuel system and makes their way to the engine, which can cause irreparable damage in some cases. When used, it can also make it easier to start if you have a 2 or 4-stroke starting system.
Also note that with some variations of mower, like the 2-strokes, you’ll need to mix the petrol and oil together as this helps lubricate the internal parts rather than the motor drawing oil from a separate area.
Maintenance
If you clean your mower regularly after use, you can make the performance of your mower work in your favour as you can stop any friction between the parts, so it doesn’t have to work harder and draw out more fuel.
You can go one step further by changing the oil and air filters, replacing any spark plugs, and making any adjustments for the terrain that you are covering.
The Bottom Line
Now you have ways to run your mower efficiently, you can plan out any mowing job and determine what it will cost in fuel and time.
This is as a task like this can be frustrating for many people, so making it easier is an added bonus during those times when you have to use your mower more often.
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