While there’s been lots of talk about E10 fuel damaging older vehicles, one question has popped up a few times in our online chat – Can E10 fuel be used in lawnmowers?

So we thought it would be a good one to answer in depth.

Can E10 fuel be used in lawnmowers?

Yes, but you should use an E10 stabiliser to protect your lawnmower. Why?

E10 ups the amount of ethanol in the fuel; the government have done this to reduce CO2 emissions as the less fossil fuel in each litre, the fewer emissions are generated. But ethanol absorbs water when mixed bacteria called acetobacter can form. These microscopic nasties excrete acetic acid, and when that sits unused in your lawnmower for long periods, it can damage (rust) your fuel tank and lines.

Very old lawnmowers might even have rubber and plastic components that can easily be degraded with the higher ethanol content.

As mowers are often left over winter, E10 fuel sitting idle could be an issue, so it’s best to prevent it by using an E10 stabiliser – which is what Honda recommends doing. These can be purchased online via Amazon, or your local Halfords should stock them too.

Will my lawnmower work with E10?

There’s no fancy ‘E10 Fuel Registration Checker‘ available for lawnmowers, so your best bet is to look in your mower’s manual or contact your nearest dealer or repairer to see if they can help.

Honda recommends not using fuel with MORE than 10% ethanol, so the current E10 should be fine.

Storing lawnmowers with E10 fuel

If you’re not going to be using your mower for 30-90 days, a stabiliser will do just fine, but first, run the tank dry, then top up until full with fresh petrol – if it’s only partially filled the air in the tank will allow the fuel to deteriorate quicker.

If you’re storing your mower for more than 90 days, it’s best to empty the entire fuel system.