ethanol truth and myth

Kracker Jack · #1 06-29-2012, 08:18 AM

Can some of you guys give me a lesson on ethanol and what it does to outboards? from water seperation, to the rubber on the end of the needle valves (does it cause them to get chewy and stick?) what does ethanol truelly do to not make your out board not run right? What additives can you add to conter-act these effects. I have accsess to non-ethanol but its more expensive. I have researched this issue but I just want to get yall's opinion.

Cam · #2 06-29-2012, 09:12 AM

I know for sure that it eats up the insides of hoses and gas tanks. The hoses get soft and gooey and somtimes collapse when fuel is being sucked through it. This is not true of the new hoses though. In the gas tanks, it usually cleans up all the gunk from the bottom and sides and causes that sediment to mix with gas.Hence, you need to change filters much more frequently. As for what to do about it, I want to know also.

SkunkBoat · #3 06-29-2012, 09:33 AM

Things I have learned...

Old hoses and tubing and rubber gaskets (made before the '80s at some point) gets dissolved by alcohol. This applies to outboards, inboards, lawnmowers and chains saws....

Alcohol "eats" fiberglass fuel tanks.

Alcohol "cleans" the crap off the bottom of an old fuel tank. That crap goes somewhere bad...

Alcohol absorbs water, so some of the water in your tank will not settle, it will get mixed in the fuel that goes to the engine, which is bad.

Half of the boating world says keep a full tank so you don't get moisture in there, the other half says only put in what you use so it doesn't "age" in your tank, the third half uses wind power....Pick a half and go with it...

At some point in time, when is up for debate, the ethanol will separate from the gas and bad things happen

I use Startron to prevent this. Does it work? Is it just expensive snake oil? I don't really know.

You MUST have a Fuel filter/Water separator regardless of whether you use ethanol or not.

E10 is ok for outboards. E15 is not.

I have been using E10 for years and have not had any problems.

buckleyjr · #4 06-29-2012, 09:47 AM

I don't know for sure if this is ethanol related, but also change the metal housing that the Racor filter screws into every few years. I recently changed my fuel lines, and I replace my Racor filter every year, but I just had a fuel issue because that metal housing corroded.

I keep a full tank over the winter and have never had any issues with the gas going bad or separating. I also treat every tankful with the green/ethanol Stabil stuff.

I also have an Evinrude e-tec. My service guy said that these engines are very forgiving of e-10. But if we go to e-15, we're screwed.

reelapeelin · #5 07-08-2012, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckleyjr

I don't know for sure if this is ethanol related, but also change the metal housing that the Racor filter screws into every few years. I recently changed my fuel lines, and I replace my Racor filter every year, but I just had a fuel issue because that metal housing corroded.

I keep a full tank over the winter and have never had any issues with the gas going bad or separating. I also treat every tankful with the green/ethanol Stabil stuff.

I also have an Evinrude e-tec. My service guy said that these engines are very forgiving of e-10. But if we go to e-15, we're screwed.

Well get ready for the screwing then...I know about a TV commercial recently produced at the Charlotte Motor Speedway featuring a well known NASCAR driver...the whole premise of the ad was to introduce E-15...brace yourself...it's coming...

oteps · #6 07-12-2012, 04:12 PM

If you can get the non ethanol fuel buy it. Ethanol does everything listed above. Plus you get worse fuel mileage. I use startron or lucas treatment if i run ethanol fuel.

awthacker · #7 07-12-2012, 09:07 PM

Ethanol scrubs the white oxidation (aluminum oxide) off the inside of aluminum tanks and that sediment clogs fuel pumps. I never had a problem with it in my Evinrude 2 stroke, but my buddy had a helluva time with it in his Yamaha 4 stroke.

reelapeelin · #8 07-15-2012, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awthacker

Ethanol scrubs the white oxidation (aluminum oxide) off the inside of aluminum tanks and that sediment clogs fuel pumps. I never had a problem with it in my Evinrude 2 stroke, but my buddy had a helluva time with it in his Yamaha 4 stroke.

Sounds like the difference between fuel going through carbs and injectors...I think carbs would be more forgiving...the mist from an injector has to be pretty precise...