macojoe
04-29-2006, 03:27 PM
Got this from a well none guy on another site:
I got this in an email....
April 18, 2006
Dear fellow boaters,
Ethanol gasoline is coming to Massachusetts and we have no choice.
Ethanol fuel is gasoline mixed with grain alcohol. The grain alcohol (ethanol) is replacing a more toxic octane enhancer. Octane is a measure of flammability of gasoline. The higher the octane, the faster the burn.
Why is this happening to us? Ethanol gasoline isn’t new. It has been used in 23 states since 1978. The Northeast has been regulated to use another fuel enhancer until this May. Now we will join the rest of the country.
Boats use less than _ of 1% of the fuel used in the US. The oil companies and EPA don’t think we use enough fuel to cause concerns of the effects of their decisions.
There are problems we will all have to endure switching to ethanol/gasoline:
The ethanol fuel starts to loose octane after 15 days in your boats fuel tank.
Do not fill your tank up unless you plan to use the fuel. If you are just running down the bay and back, keep your fuel tank less full so you will need to refuel more often in smaller amounts.
The ethanol cleans your fuel tank and sends the deposits towards your engine.
Last fall we converted most of your fuel water separators to a 10-micron filter to hedge this problem.
Ethanol promotes the gathering of water in your fuel tank.
Your fuel water separator filter should be changed every 50 hours. For most of you, that means at least once in the summer. We would suggest the last week of July or first week of August. If you change your own filters, bring a part # or the filter so we can make sure you get the right replacement.
You cannot mix large quantities of the gas you used last year with the new ethanol fuel. You will have to burn down the fuel you have before you add ethanol fuel. Therefore we will not be fueling your boat this spring as per your request on our spring launch letter. Check your fuel amount before you pick up the boat and drive away.
If you do get water in your fuel….do not use dry gas. Drygas will only add to your problem and will cause the fuel and water to separate.
Boats with older fiberglass fuel tanks (1980 and older) will have problems with the ethanol dissolving the fiberglass resin.
Fuel stabilizer that can be added to your fuel cannot be alcohol based.
Ethanol gasoline will stain fiberglass gel coat.
In the fall, you should run down the volume in your fuel tanks before storage.
We are installing all the necessary filters and are going through all the testing to make Bayside ready for the change over.
If you have any questions, please call JR or myself.
Thank you,
Jack Kent III
I got this in an email....
April 18, 2006
Dear fellow boaters,
Ethanol gasoline is coming to Massachusetts and we have no choice.
Ethanol fuel is gasoline mixed with grain alcohol. The grain alcohol (ethanol) is replacing a more toxic octane enhancer. Octane is a measure of flammability of gasoline. The higher the octane, the faster the burn.
Why is this happening to us? Ethanol gasoline isn’t new. It has been used in 23 states since 1978. The Northeast has been regulated to use another fuel enhancer until this May. Now we will join the rest of the country.
Boats use less than _ of 1% of the fuel used in the US. The oil companies and EPA don’t think we use enough fuel to cause concerns of the effects of their decisions.
There are problems we will all have to endure switching to ethanol/gasoline:
The ethanol fuel starts to loose octane after 15 days in your boats fuel tank.
Do not fill your tank up unless you plan to use the fuel. If you are just running down the bay and back, keep your fuel tank less full so you will need to refuel more often in smaller amounts.
The ethanol cleans your fuel tank and sends the deposits towards your engine.
Last fall we converted most of your fuel water separators to a 10-micron filter to hedge this problem.
Ethanol promotes the gathering of water in your fuel tank.
Your fuel water separator filter should be changed every 50 hours. For most of you, that means at least once in the summer. We would suggest the last week of July or first week of August. If you change your own filters, bring a part # or the filter so we can make sure you get the right replacement.
You cannot mix large quantities of the gas you used last year with the new ethanol fuel. You will have to burn down the fuel you have before you add ethanol fuel. Therefore we will not be fueling your boat this spring as per your request on our spring launch letter. Check your fuel amount before you pick up the boat and drive away.
If you do get water in your fuel….do not use dry gas. Drygas will only add to your problem and will cause the fuel and water to separate.
Boats with older fiberglass fuel tanks (1980 and older) will have problems with the ethanol dissolving the fiberglass resin.
Fuel stabilizer that can be added to your fuel cannot be alcohol based.
Ethanol gasoline will stain fiberglass gel coat.
In the fall, you should run down the volume in your fuel tanks before storage.
We are installing all the necessary filters and are going through all the testing to make Bayside ready for the change over.
If you have any questions, please call JR or myself.
Thank you,
Jack Kent III