"E10" Observations

[Doh]

Okay everyone this is what I have noticed since the mandated E10 rule.

I have a 1998 boat with a V4 2 stroke outboard. The main oil tank is under the rear casting deck and has a deck hatch can be lifted to get access to it. I used to lift this hatch to see how much fuel I "acuatly had in the boat"

The 20 gallon something fuel tank is visable while lifting this hatch. The tank is white plastic, and over the years has become cloudy and brown. I could not tell how much actual fuel I was carrying.

The fuel Line was not visalble in the tank from all the Brown Tarnish inside the tank.

Now after 1 year of E10 there is "No brown Varnish" in my tank, I can plainly see the fuel level through the "Oil Hatch" I can also see the Line and sending unit in there and my motor has recently begun Intermittent "Idling on 3 cylinders, 3 cylinders under load" Randomly

So I cleaned the fuel filter ( full of junk) and just cleaned all the jets, (again full of junk)

Now being a Yamaha 2 stroke, I am used to random (red sealant) junk in my carbs, but this is nasty stuff. And how much is the Ethanal drying out my 2 stroke? With it cleaning out my fuel system like it seems to?

 

[CN Spots]

Re: "E10" Observations

Do a google search on the effects of ethanol on marine engines. Pretty scary. It has a habit of wicking moisture out of the air (turns out there's quite a bit of moisture around boats. Who knew?) and storing it in your fuel tank. That then forms into a lovely sludge. Several new stabilizers have been reformulated to deal with it but a lot of damage has already been done. Older gaskets and seals aren't that wild about it either.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: "E10" Observations

Yep, the Hawaiian have been going a long way from home and lining up to buy "real" gasoline for quite sometime now. It would even slowly disolve fiberglass fuel tank.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: "E10" Observations

using a fuel/water separating, filter really helps.

 

[bootle]

Re: "E10" Observations

Here in Oklahoma we have mandated that gas stations post notices to let the consumers know whether their gas contains ethanol or not.

The stations selling the real stuff; even though it costs a little bit extra, do seem to be selling much more than the ones selling ethanol blended gas,
This has been my observation in the Edmond, OK area.

 

[DrCox]

Re: "E10" Observations

All along the columbia River (oregon/washington) we actually have marine fueling stations that sell non-ethanol gasoline. I was under the impression that for boating use only this was allowed. Is this only in my area? (fueled up 2 weeks ago).

-DrCox

 

[mscher]

Re: "E10" Observations

The problem with Ethanol based fuels and water, is once a significant amount of water makes contact with the fuel, either by absorbing condensation, or direct water contamination, the fuel becomes unusable, almost immediately.

The water bonds to the ethanol and connot be filtered or separated.

Most engines cannot run on a gasoline/ethanol/water mixture.

If you ever have vehicle that quits running abrubtly, have the shop check the gas first, for water contamination.

The only way that the water can be removed is to reprocess the fuel, though a refinery.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: "E10" Observations

does the new diesel act like this too, my vw intermittently looses power uphill very briefly very experience vw mechanic is at lost.

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: "E10" Observations

My Evinrude manual says that I can use up to 10% ethanol. Been using it for a long time now with no problems. Trade that rice grinder for an Evinrude.

 

[rolmops]

Re: "E10" Observations

I have been using E15 not E10 in my 50 horse Rudy for a few years now.Every so often I dump some Seafoam in my 6 gallon tanks.I have never had a problem.
Fuel tanks that are not topped of at the end of the day will start producing water as soon as it cools off at night.The bigger the empty space in the tank,the more condensation will drip into your fuel.The problem is not Ethanol.The problem is allowing water to get into your fuel.