Many problems that develop in a Hustler mower are from using the wrong type of gas. It’s not only important to use the right gas, but it’s also important to use it while it’s fresh.
Gas-powered Hustler mowers use unleaded gasoline with a minimum 87-octane rating and maximum 10% ethanol content.
This article addresses mowers that run on gas. Hustler sells mostly gas-powered mowers, but it does offer diesel models as well. If you are unsure of the type of mower you own, refer to your owner’s manual.
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 is the Best Gas for Hustler Lawn Mowers?
Hustler offers a full lineup of mowers including walk-behind mowers, zero-turn mowers, and stand-on mowers. All of these mowers use a four-stroke engine that requires unleaded gasoline.
Some things to keep in mind when purchasing fuel for your Hustler lawn mower:
- Only use fresh gasoline and don’t let it sit for extended periods of time.
- 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 better.
Choosing Gas for Your Hustler Lawn Mower
There are so many different types of fuel you can purchase at gas stations today. With so many options, it can get confusing what type of gas is best for your lawn mower.
Buy Fresh Gas
Always use fresh unleaded gas that has a low ethanol content. You need to use fuel that is made of 10% or less ethanol. Gas can begin to break down and become less effective as soon as 30 days after purchase.
This is why you should only purchase the amount of gas you can consume within a month.
If you do purchase more gas than you can consume in this period, it is best to use an additive to stabilize the fuel. I talk about that further in the article.
Avoid High Amounts of Ethanol
To make gasoline more environmentally friendly, a plant-based fuel known as ethanol is added. While running ethanol in most vehicles is okay, it is not good for the small engine in your Hustler lawn mower.
Avoid using gasoline that has an ethanol content greater than 10%. The less ethanol in your fuel the better. More options for gasoline with higher ethanol contents are showing up at the local fuel station.
This includes fuels sold as E15 and E85 which contain ethanol levels at 15% and 85% respectively. Never use these fuels in your small engine.
Ethanol attracts moisture from the air. This solution will eventually separate from the gasoline and sink to the bottom of your fuel tank. This solution can cause significant engine damage when it separates and runs through the mower.
Old fuel also leaves behind a gummy solution that can degrade and clog fuel system components causing your mower to run sluggishly or possibly not run at all.
Purchase a High-Quality Fuel
While buying expensive gas isn’t always the best, I do recommend buying the best quality gas with a low ethanol content if you can afford to. Another option for fuel is ethanol-free fuel.
Gasoline with an ethanol content no greater than 10% is okay to run through your Hustler lawn mower, but a fuel without ethanol is even better. It has less damaging effects on your fuel system as it does not 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 pure-gas.org.
Use a Fuel Additive
While ethanol-free fuel is best, I still use high-quality unleaded gasoline that has a 10% ethanol content. I add a fuel additive to each tank of gas just in case I don’t use it before it begins to breakdown
The fuel additive I prefer is Sea Foam Motor Treatment. The product not only is good for the engine, but it also 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.