Old gas is one of the primary reasons a snowblower will not start or will begin to run sluggishly. Knowing the right type of gas to use and how to care for it is a must for every Toro snowblower owner to minimize issues that develop from running the wrong type of gas or old gas.
Toro snowblowers use unleaded gasoline with a minimum octane rating of 87 and a maximum ethanol content of 10%. While most Toro snowblowers available for sale use 4-cycle engines, you will find both 2-cycle and 4-cycle Toro snowblowers being used by homeowners.
A Toro snowblower with a 4-cycle engine uses straight gasoline. A Toro snowblower with a 2-cycle engine uses gasoline mixed with a 2-cycle premium oil. It’s important to know what type of engine you have on your snowblower. Using the wrong type of fuel can damage the engine.
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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.
Choosing Gas for a Toro Snowblower
Buy Fresh Gas with a Low Ethanol Content for Your Toro Snowblower
Because gas can begin breaking down and have negative effects on your Toro snowblower after 30 days, it’s important to use fresh gas and learn how to care for it.
Many of the negative effects come from running a gas that contains ethanol.
Ethanol is an environmentally friendly alternative fuel, often made of corn. This product is okay to use in most vehicles, but it is not good to run in a small engine like the one on your Toro.
Always use a gas that has an ethanol content of 10% (E10) or less. Avoid using fuel sold as E15 and E85 as these contain up to 15% and 85% ethanol respectively. While ethanol-free fuels are best, they are also the most expensive.
Ethanol attracts moisture that will not only corrode your snowblower components, but it will also leave behind gummy deposits that cause clogging. Your snowblower will not start or will run sluggishly when these deposits restrict the fuel flow to the engine.
Consume the fuel you purchase within 30 days. When you purchase more fuel than can be used within this time, use a fuel additive to stabilize the gas to make it last a little longer without breaking down.
You can find more details about this further in the article.
How Do You Know If Your Toro Snowblower is 2 or 4 cycle?
Knowing the type of engine used on your Toro snowblower will help you avoid the costly mistake of using the wrong type of fuel which can result in a damaged engine.
There are several places you can check to verify the type of engine on your Toro. You can find whether your Snowblower has a 2 or 4-cycle engine by looking at the number of fill ports, the original fuel cap or the operator’s manual.
- Number of fill ports: A 2-cycle engine will have one fill port for a gas and oil mix. A 4-cycle engine will have two separate fill ports. One fill port is for gas and the other fill port is for engine oil.
- Original fuel cap: A 2-cycle engine will have a gas pump and oil can image on it. It may also include the fuel mix ratio. A 4-cycle engine will have a gas pump image on the cap.
- Operator manual: You can find the type of engine and the fuel to add listed in the operator’s manual for your Toro snowblower model.
Gas to Use in a 2-Cycle Toro Snowblower
Don’t make the mistake of adding straight gas to a 2-cycle Toro snowblower. Straight gas runs very dry and will cause the engine to seize up.
Without mixing gas with oil for a 2-cycle snowblower, the engine won’t get the lubrication it needs for the internal parts to move freely.
A 2-cycle Toro snowblower uses a gas and oil mix consisting of unleaded gasoline with a minimum octane rating of 87 and a maximum ethanol content of 10% mixed with a 2-cycle oil that is ISO-L-EGD and JASO M345 FD certified.
Most Toro snowblowers use a gas-to-oil mix ratio of 50:1. This means 50 parts gasoline is mixed with 1 part 2-cycle oil.
You may also find some engines on old Toro snowblowers that require a mix of 32:1. Refer to the operator’s manual if you are unsure of the correct gas-to-oil mix ratio.
| Gas to Oil Mix | 1 Gallon Gas | 2 Gallon Gas | 2.5 Gallon Gas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50:1 | 2.6 oz oil | 5.2 oz oil | 6.4 oz oil |
| 32:1 | 4 oz oil | 8 oz oil | 10 oz oil |
How to mix gas and oil for a 2-cycle Toro snowblower:
- Use the chart below to determine how much fuel mix to prepare.
- Remove the cap from an approved gas can. Add unleaded fuel (minimum 87 octane rating & maximum 10% ethanol content) to a gas can.
- Using the chart above for ounces of oil required, add the 2-cycle oil to the gas can.
- Replace the cap.
- Gently shake the fuel and oil until they are mixed.
- Add the mixed fuel to the snowblower’s fuel tank.
Gas to Use in a 4-Cycle Toro Snowblower
Toro 4-cycle engines have separate fill ports for the engine oil and gas. Toro 4-cycle snowblowers use an unleaded gas with a minimum 87-octane rating and a maximum 10% ethanol content.
Do not mix oil with gas in a 4-cycle snowblower. Never use 2-cycle oil in a 4-cycle engine. Use a standard engine oil like 5W-30.
Best Gas for a Toro Snowblower
While it is okay to use the gas mentioned earlier in the article, the best gas for a Toro snowblower is an ethanol-free fuel.
This type of fuel is a little more expensive, however, it will minimize the problems that develop from using ethanol-based gas through your snowblower.
You can find ethanol-free fuel at the pump from select fuel stations. This type of fuel is sold as REC-90 or recreation fuel. Check out pure-gas.org for a fuel station near you.
Ethanol-free fuel is also sold in canisters online and at your local hardware store. This is the most expensive way to purchase ethanol-free gas.
Add a Fuel Stabilizer to Your Toro Snowblower Gas
A fuel stabilizer should be used to gas when you are unable to use it within 30 days. I know…because you never know when that next snowstorm is coming, it’s hard to estimate how quickly you’ll go through the gas.
This is why I choose to add Sea Foam Motor Treatment to every tank of gas to ensure it stays as fresh as possible.
Another alternative to Sea Foam is STA-BIL. Read more about the advantages of using a fuel stabilizer in “The Best Fuel Additive for Your Snowblower“.