Thread: 4 stroke gas?

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  1. #1
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    4 stroke gas?

    When the dealer was going over the boat with me he said it was fine to use ethanol gas in the Yamaha 4 stroke. I didn't question him as I figured I'd research it on line and ask in here. What say you?
    Last edited by TheSilverFox; 12-10-2017 at 06:52 PM.
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  2. Member J Risco's Avatar
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    #2
    IMO always choose non-eth if it is available. The engine will run fine on ethanol fuel but its harder on the fuel system -- lines, bulb, pumps, filters, etc and it attracts/absorbs moisture which is always undesirable
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  3. Member tcesni's Avatar
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    #3
    I’d read your owner’s manual to be certain of the recommended octane but I can’t imagine that E10 would be an issue. If you don’t go through a lot of gas then stabilizer would be be a good idea.
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    #4
    Quote Originally Posted by J Risco View Post
    IMO always choose non-eth if it is available. The engine will run fine on ethanol fuel but its harder on the fuel system -- lines, bulb, pumps, filters, etc and it attracts/absorbs moisture which is always undesirable
    This is an excellent comment!
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    #5
    The manual I have says min 86. The paper he had said min 87 in one part and min 89 in the other. I think the SHO is min 89 but the F150 is min 87 and he misspoke. I used non ethanol in my HPDI motor in 87 octane as that was the only non ethanol I have available. I put non ethanol in 87 octane in it this morning. I've never had a problem with ethanol fuel in small engines like other people say they have but I just don't want it in my boats.
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  6. Member J Risco's Avatar
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    #6
    I believe 87 non-eth is the best for your engine UNLESS you are running a 225/250 SHO, then 89 min
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  7. Member Bass AHolic's Avatar
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    #7
    #1 of Dealers Answer. makes me wonder who do you belivere the most, actor doctor on tv shows, or the real doctor you visit once in awhile???

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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Bass AHolic View Post
    #1 of Dealers Answer. makes me wonder who do you belivere the most, actor doctor on tv shows, or the real doctor you visit once in awhile???

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    #9
    If you have access to 87 no ethanol run it. If not just use e10 87 add stabil and don’t look back.

  10. Member One fat one's Avatar
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    #10
    Yamaha did some test a few years back you can google it but if I remember right the sho developed more horsepower with a 89 non ethy. I myself run non ethanol just because of the fuel lines and system not the engine but when I couldn't get it I used stabil
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    #11
    JRisco is correct. My Merc 4S will run fine on 10% ethanol, but I run non ethanol when I can get it which is most of the time.

  12. Member Jeff Hahn's Avatar
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    #12
    There is no ethanol free gas within 30 or more miles of me. So, all I have run in my 25 hp 4 stroke Yammy is 10% ethanol. I add marine Stabil and haven't had a single issue with the motor in 6 years.
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    #13
    I'm lucky on the fuel side. Several around here have non ethanol fuel. It's higher in price... $2.29 for regular and $2.79 for non ethanol. The one I use is less than a mile down the road and away from town so they're not busy in the morning... and they have good coffee! Easy to get in and out with the boat too.
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  14. Member TritonTRXV8's Avatar
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    #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Hahn View Post
    There is no ethanol free gas within 30 or more miles of me. So, all I have run in my 25 hp 4 stroke Yammy is 10% ethanol. I add marine Stabil and haven't had a single issue with the motor in 6 years.
    Same here very limited availability and im not driving that far out of my way to get non ethanol. I run all merc additives with 10% and never had a fuel related issue. If its treated properly you would never know any difference.
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    #15
    In the past when I owned older 2stroke carbed motors I was more concerned about running E10 fuel in them. Back then I was still working and the boat sat a lot more between trips.

    My current boat has a 2015 Mercury 115 4stroke motor. I would think as long as ethanol has been around the newer fuel lines should be fine. The vent system on the fuel tank of the boat is different than the older boats that allowed constant air exchanges and I don't think it would get as much moisture in the fuel.
    Since I now live near the lake and the boat normally gets used every week I'm really not worried about using ethanol fuel in it.

    I do treat the fuel and in the winter months I just put as much fuel in the tank as I think I'll need for a week or so. That way the fuel in the tank doesn't sit as long.
    Last edited by Lowerider58; 12-11-2017 at 07:35 AM.

  16. Member TritonTRXV8's Avatar
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    #16
    I would highly recommend treating the fuel for every tank. Ethanol fuel will begin to degrade in 15-30 days untreated. If you can burn through your entire tank in 2 weeks then maybe. For me not worth the risk plus even when i fish every weekend it wont burn through it all that fast. 4 strokes are not immune to the effects of ethanol.
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    #17
    I've been running 89 10% Ethanol for years. Engines are much easier to start and idle much smoother with less spark plug fouling. Also, discovered the fantastic BIOBOR EB as an additive. Yamaha typically has a higher compression ratio that all the others, so I wouldn't run 87. For a price difference of less than $5 a fill up, no brainer for me.
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  18. Member Panama's Avatar
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    #18
    Quote Originally Posted by basstrackeroptimax View Post
    I would highly recommend treating the fuel for every tank. Ethanol fuel will begin to degrade in 15-30 days untreated. If you can burn through your entire tank in 2 weeks then maybe. For me not worth the risk plus even when i fish every weekend it wont burn through it all that fast. 4 strokes are not immune to the effects of ethanol.
    I am not disagreeing with this because I have read it before....but it always makes me wonder. A lot of smaller stations with big tanks in rural areas just don't sell that much fuel. Every time they top off their storage tank there is a lot of old fuel there. In the winter I am sure there are places that don't buy a new tanker load every 15 to 30 days. How do they keep the gas in the holding tanks good?

    I don't buy gas in places like that. I learned lessons about buying gas or especially diesel at rural type stations when I owned RVs..... I only buy gas at popular busy stations and I don't put ethanol in any boat or small engines unless forced to do that. My Yamaha has had some ethanol gas added to it only twice when I was in a bind. But if the fuel only lasts about 15 to 30 gays before starting to degrade, there must be a lot of bad stuff out there....and always treat it.

    I do believe however that four strokes are less likely to have a problem with ethanol than two strokes are. They are more like traditional automobile engineering than a two stroke.
    Last edited by Panama; 12-12-2017 at 09:19 AM.
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    #19
    Yamaha dealers in our area say the same thing. We are a Mercury and Yamaha dealer and technically either brand is approved to run on E10. We strongly urge our customers to use 100% gas only. Ethanol fuel absorbs moisture and has a very short shelf life. Condensation from a partially full tank of ethanol gas is a nightmare. It mixes directly with the ethanol. Even though Yamahas run fuel/water separators moisture still gets by. We see far less severe internal effects with Mercurys than Yamahas. Regardless of brand we preach 100% gas only, tank kept full at all times, and a stabilizer if it will sit up more than 2-3 weeks.

  20. Member gatorglenn's Avatar
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    #20
    Quote Originally Posted by squarebilljunkie View Post
    Yamaha dealers in our area say the same thing. We are a Mercury and Yamaha dealer and technically either brand is approved to run on E10. We strongly urge our customers to use 100% gas only. Ethanol fuel absorbs moisture and has a very short shelf life. Condensation from a partially full tank of ethanol gas is a nightmare. It mixes directly with the ethanol. Even though Yamahas run fuel/water separators moisture still gets by. We see far less severe internal effects with Mercurys than Yamahas. Regardless of brand we preach 100% gas only, tank kept full at all times, and a stabilizer if it will sit up more than 2-3 weeks.
    X2, y’all know what I was going through with my tank. Previous owner let the tank gel up. And my use with additives was breaking the stuff up and clogging up the motor. It can’t be said enough. USE ADDITIVES!!!!

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