I'm considering getting a 2 stroke engine snowblower. Would the additional ethanol have more detrimental effects on 2 stroke versus the 4 stroke?
Here is a response from Mercury it's about boat engines, but 2 stroke models.
Can ethanol-blended fuels affect the performance of two-stroke engines?
Two-stroke outboards should experience little or no decrease in performance due to gasoline fuels containing up to 10-percent ethanol when operated according to Mercury's standard recommendations. When gasoline with ethanol is used for the first time after a fuel changeover from MTBE, the tank must be completely dry prior to introduction of gasoline with ethanol. Otherwise, phase separation could occur that could cause filter plugging or damage to the engine. If an engine is a 1990 or older model frequent inspections of all fuel-system components are advised to identify any signs of leakage, softening, hardening, swelling or corrosion. If any sign of leakage or deterioration is observed, replacement of the affected components is required before further operation.
Here is the link I grabbed it from
http://www.wmi.org/www/boating/boatboard/T27616.htm
"If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in New England." "If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in New England."