newer outboard/ethanol

[hipster dufus]

ok, just asking a stupid question. ethanol has been around for quite some time now. so would a newer ouyboard have problems with it? i am not asking about a fiber glass or old gas tank, a newe rportable one. say 2006 and up. it seems to me that new engines would be bult to handle ethanol. it is kind of a moot point, i run my carbs dry and use stabil after every use. any opinions out there?

 

[robert graham]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

Use the Stabil or Seafoam all the time, install a water/fuel separator type filter, drain carbs before any motor lay-ups of several weeks or months, this should eliminate most fuel related problems. Draining float bowl chambers is better than "run carbs dry" because they don't really run dry, leaves some fuel/water/debris in there that can cause trouble. Good Luck!

 

[lncoop]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

Yeah, it's really not necessary to run it dry, which is a bit of a misnomer any way as Robert says. You can't go wrong adding Startron, Seafoam, or the additive of your choice (just be aware that some treat while others only stabilize). Once the treated fuel is in your system it makes a lot more sense just to leave it there imho.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

Additives do not protect engine parts from damage from alcohol. Also, the mechanical parts of the motor do not have issue with the alcohol, it is the perhiperal parts (Gaskets, hoses, fuel tanks) that have issues with the E10. A motor as new as 2006 will have alcohol resistant perhiperals, so do not expect any real issues, for many years.

Using additives all the time is unnecessary in all motors, IMHO. Do not let fuel lay around for months in uncapped containers, nor for a longer time (years) reguardless of the container. I recommend you watch for water in the fuel, as is a good idea if the fuel has alcohol or not. You also do need to periodically inspect the perhiperal parts for alcohol damage, more often in the motors older than early 90's.

E10 is a fine motor fuel, provided the e10 is free of water, the fuel tanks are not fiberglass and your fuel system is clean.

 

[Brewman61]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

Any newer motor should be compatible with E10. Assuming of course that the fuel is not contaminated. You should be able to read the manufacturers statement on fuels on their websites or in the owners manuals, etc.... Certainly you could email the question to the mfg. if there is no other way for you to verify. You'd read something like motor is compatible with unleaded gasoline of 87 octane containing up to 10% ethanol, etc........... Not sure anything in the past 10 or more years has been made to not tolerate the 10% booze/gas.

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

I am not sure why so many people think that additives such as sta-bil and seafoam are quick fix's for ethenol. First of all, seafoam is not even a fuel stabilizer (yes, it does have some stabilizing properties so i am sure it is better than nothing) , it is mainly for de-carb- and it is a great product for that. Sta-Bil is a marginal fuel stabilizer at best. Both of these products have one thing in common-just read the product warnings etc.. They are based on alcohols! So tell me, how exactly is an alcohol based additive going to help with an alcohol problem? Back to sta-bil... I know that many people will give me grief for this and some veterans will chime in saying "I have used sta-bil for 35 years and haven't once had a problem with it" Well , You are lucky! As far as i am concerned..leave the sta-bil in the lawnmowers! Not the high dollar marine engines. Even the "marine" sta-bill they have released is little more than the regular stuff with some blue food coloring! There are much superior additives such as mercury quickstor. Spend a few extra bucks and do it right. please.

Rant over .

 

[robert graham]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

Check: Marine Fuel Additives, for lots of information about additives, ingredients, applications for most of these products. I can only relate my own personal experiences, but I wouldn't want to operate without the Stabil, Ringfree and my Water/fuel Separator. My motor is a 1999 and I've had no fuel problems at all since new, no carb cleaning, no nothing, runs like a new motor. And the price of these additives is peanuts compared to carb cleanings, lean mixtures/fried pistons, etc. Good Luck!

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

I am not saying there is anything wrong with running additives such as sta-bil etc just to keep fuel from going stale. However, it does not have any effect on the ethenol in the fuel. And, as i said above, for actual fuel stabilization for long term (winter or more) storage, get the better stuff recommended by the manufacturer.

 

[robert graham]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

The Yamaha Marine Stabilizer is 95% Alcohol, while the Stabil is mostly Petroleum Naphtha with some other proprietary stuff. The Marine Stabil is a better product. If I didn't believe that these products worked, then I certainly wouldn't spend my time a money using them. It's O.K.....

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

To each his own, i tend to stick with what the engineers tell me .. Could be related to that i am an engineering student haha.

 

[Cannondale]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

They are based on alcohols! So tell me, how exactly is an alcohol based additive going to help with an alcohol problem?

Because being an alcohol doesn't always imply it was derived from organic/plant material like ethanol is. The alcohols in Sta-bil and the other fuel treatments are derived from petroleum and have the unique properties of being able to absorb and suspend water, unlike ethanol alcohol that phase separates out water.

No big mystery......but you ought to listen to science instead of engineering when asking a question about chemistry.

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

touche my friend. My roomate is a Chem. major, i should have asked him . About the most Chemistry i get into with MechE is corrosion.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

Cannondale, Ethyll alcohol mixes real well with water. Think gin and tonic, or bourbon and branch water. I never saw ethanol seperate from water. Heck we clean water out of fuel tanks with denatured alcohol. Denatured alcohol is ethyl alcohol to which wood alcohol has been added to make it undrinkable....

Let the engineers give the real answers.....you don't know the chemistry

 

[ondarvr]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

how exactly is an alcohol based additive going to help with an alcohol problem?

Rant over .

It does help, because the more alcohol in the mix, the more water the fuel can absorb in the tank before Phase separtion takes place.

I'm not saying its a good idea.....the cure for alcohol is more alcohol....but...

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: newer outboard/ethanol

I'll just stick with premium grade no-ethanol until they take that away from me too! My old merc inline seams to run best on the higher octane anyway. Especially with timing set 21* TDC, i use good fuel.