You know your gas-powered mower requires gas in order to run, but did you know some types of gas can cause engine and fuel system damage?
Avoid the mistake of using the wrong type of fuel by knowing what to look for when choosing gas and how to properly care for and store that fuel.
Even though SCAG offers both gas-powered and diesel-powered zero-turn lawn mowers in their lineup, this article focuses on the gas for mowers running gas engines.
This post may include affiliate links. Purchases made through these links may provide a commission for us, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Follow all safety instructions provided in your equipment operator’s manual before diagnosing, repairing, or operating. Consult a professional if you don’t have the skills, or knowledge or are not in the condition to perform the repair safely.
What Type of Gas Do SCAG Lawn Mowers Use?
The type of gas to use in your SCAG lawn mower is something you don’t want to get wrong. SCAG lawn mowers require an unleaded gas with a minimum octane rating of 87 and a maximum ethanol content of 10%.
Never use gas with a higher content of ethanol. This can damage the fuel system and engine as I explain below.
What is the Best Gas for SCAG Lawn Mowers?
While the manufacturer states a gas with an ethanol content of 10% or less is okay to use in your mower, this is not the best type of gas for your mower. The best type of gas to use in a SCAG lawn mower is an ethanol-free gas.
Choosing Gas for Your SCAG Lawn Mower
It can be easy to start to wonder if you are using the right type of gas in your SCAG mower after a visit to the fuel station. Fuel stations today are offering more types of gas beyond the standard regular, premium and diesel.
You will find additional types of gas being offered like REC-90, E15, and E85 fuel. These fuels contain up to a 0%, 15% and 85% ethanol content. So now that you know a SCAG mowers need fresh gas with an ethanol content of 10% of less. I’ll go over why.
Buy Fresh Gas for Your SCAG Lawn Mower
You must purchase gas and use it while it is still fresh. Gas begins to break down as soon as 30 days after you buy it. It’s best to only buy the amount of gas you can use within a 30-day period to protect the fuel system.
I know. It can be hard to gauge the amount of gas you will consume within 30 days. There’s a lot to consider to determine how often you will need to cut the lawn. You will have to factor in the amount of rain you’ll get, the fertilizer you applied, and the warm days you get.
Because of this, I choose to add a fuel stabilizer to every tank of fuel I add to my zero-turn so I don’t have to worry about my gas breaking down and causing fuel system problems. I don’t want to deal with fixing these problems later.
I like the product Sea Foam Motor Treatment. You can read why in “Use Sea Foam Fuel Additive in a Lawn Mower to Stabilizer Your Fuel“.
Avoid High Amounts of Ethanol in Your SCAG Lawn Mower
Even though ethanol can be found in most gasoline, it is not a good product to use through your SCAG mower. It can increase the likelihood of fuel component failures and fuel restrictions.
This is because ethanol is a plant-based fuel. It naturally attracts moisture from the air. The water and ethanol mixture will corrode mower components and leave behind gummy deposits that can cause blockages in the fuel system.
Not only can the water and ethanol mixture cause fuel restrictions, but it can also potentially damage the engine. This mixture will separate from gas over time and sink to the bottom of the fuel tank. This mixture runs very hot through the engine.
Some things to keep in mind when purchasing fuel for your SCAG mower:
- Only use fresh gas and consume it within 30 days.
- Use a fuel additive to stabilize the gas and reduce moisture to avoid it going bad after sitting for a longer period.
- Store in a dry area to prevent water from mixing with the gas.
- Use gasoline with an octane rating of 87 or higher.
- Make sure the gasoline has no more than a 10% ethanol content. The lower the content the better.
Purchase a High-Quality Fuel for Your SCAG Lawn Mower
While buying expensive gas isn’t always the best, I do recommend buying the best quality gas with a low ethanol content you can afford to put in your SCAG mower. Ethanol-free fuel is best, but a more costly fuel.
Ethanol-free fuel, also known as recreation fuel is the best option to run in a gas-powered SCAG zero-turn mower. It has less damaging effects on your fuel system than regular gas because it doesn’t break down like fuels that contain ethanol.
Ethanol-free fuels are more expensive, especially if you are purchasing them in canisters at your local hardware store. The more economical way to purchase gasoline is at the fuel station.
Many fuel stations are adding ethanol-free fuel as an option. This type of fuel is often marketed as recreation fuel or REC-90. You can look for a gas station that sells ethanol-free fuel at www.pure-gas.org.
Use a Fuel Additive in Your SCAG Lawn Mower
While ethanol-free fuel is best, I still use high-quality unleaded gasoline with a low ethanol content. I always add a fuel additive to each tank of fuel to reduce the fuel supply problems I may encounter by running old fuel.
The fuel additive I prefer is Sea Foam Motor Treatment. The product not only is good for the engine, it stabilizes my fuel for up to two years, reduces moisture, and acts as a fuel system cleaner.
This product should be used in your fuel tank when storing excess fuel and when storing your lawn mower with fuel during the off-season. Read more about the advantage of Sea Foam here. If Sea Foam isn’t available at your hardware store, STA-BIL makes a good fuel stabilizer as well.