i am looking to get a boat this spring, and the 1 question i am perplexed about is the fuel issue.
what do you guys do about the ethanol? any help on this is much appreciated.
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i am looking to get a boat this spring, and the 1 question i am perplexed about is the fuel issue.
what do you guys do about the ethanol? any help on this is much appreciated.
Good luck with the boat journey!!
https://www.pure-gas.org
I will not put ethanol gas in my boats (or in my lawn tools). In my older Ranger, I've replaced the fuel path from A-Z, and it is ethanol "safe", but I won't use ethanol-blended gasoline. Even with additives, if life/work leave me unable to fish for a month or more, I don't trust ethanol-blended fuels in the tank or in the carburetor. I don't want to have to worry about it.
^^^^ +1^^^^Quote:
Originally Posted by NoZero
this is great, thank you!
The closest "Non-Ethanol" gas to me is 200 miles away !! Sorta leaves that option out !! HOWEVER, I add Mercury Quickare and Quicklean to every fill up and have not had any problems what-so-ever !!
https://embed.widencdn.net/pdf/plus/...MC_123-EXT.pdf
Use something like Stabil and I wouldn't worry too much about it with two exceptions.
1) If I knew I was going to leave the boat for a while I would connect an external tank and run some pure fuel through it before putting it away.
2) If I left the boat sitting for a while I would siphon out more than half of the old fuel and replace it with fresh before going to the lake.
As an example my boat has been sitting since April. That gas is old now and will have to be removed before using the boat again. My plan is to siphon it out into gas cans and replace with fresh. Slowly but surely I'll use the old gas in something else.
Outboards built since the late 90s can run up to 10% ethanol as designed by the OEM. None of them are approved for 15%. Some of the fuel lines between tank and engine will need replaced as the inner liner can breakdown and clog fuel system components. Fuel lines that old should be replaced regardless of how good they look on the outside anyway. If you routinely use a fuel stabilizer and buy gas from a station with a high turnover rate you shouldn't have any fuel related issues. When it comes to off season storage there are two methods that are often debated... 1. Fill the tank completely to minimize the air space within the tank thus limiting the surface area for air to contact the fuel. Less empty space means less water that could be absorbed from the tanks air vent. 2. Run fuel stabilizer through the engine and then completely drain all fuel from the tank. Refill with fresh fuel in the spring. The correct answer??? It depends upon who you ask.
these are great, I need to know all of this. Thank You.
one of the guys in the club uses this and he has never had a problem.
There is a large tool rental close by me and the only gas they use is ethanol free. They have a large tank and that’s where I buy mine and add the Mercury Quickleen products.
Been using 10% ethanol in outboards for about 20 years now and have never had a fuel related issue. Heck go up to some of the states in the north east and ethanol free is non existent and yet thousands of boaters have no problems. Some people make a mountain out of a mole hill.
^^^ Lot of truth in that statement.
To add something a little different, my mechanic actually recommended using 87 octane e10 in my 2015 175 Optimax ProXs. Around where I live 100% gas (minimum 90 octane) is readily available so I had always used it in my 2 cycle engines (small engines and outboards). When I bought my current boat last spring it ran great. It slowly started to lose performance. I had a couple of issues repaired and when I picked it up the last time the mechanic asked what fuel I ran. I replied I always used 100% gas. He said in his experience it was better to use the proper octane rather than worry about the ethanol. I was skeptical but after switching I'd have to agree. My boat runs and idles much better with the 87 e-10 over the 90-93 100% gas. Maybe its a fluke, who knows. I should add that I always add Mercury Quikcare and Quikleen to each tank and I use my boat year round, so no long storage periods.
The issue comes in when you let it sit for a long while. If you are using it every weekend it is not going to be a big deal. Fuel lines used today are meant to stand up to ethanol. If you know you are coming to the end of your season I would run non ethanol the last few times out to rid of any ethanol in the system or use a ethanol treatment additive
it's actually easiest to just use gas with ethanol.non-ethanol gas contains MTBE and does not do well mixed.its so much of a hassle trying to find it when on road and your not guaranteed it is actually alcohol free.i use Star-Tron addative and when finished fishing or putting noat yp make sure gas tank is as full as you can get it.the less air in tank the less moisture that can be pulled out by the alcohol.I haven't had an issue with fuel in over 10 years.i also add Yamaha Ring free about every 3rd tank.
That is a great variable you are throwing out there without giving some perimeters of the age boats and engines you are looking at. The older engines that were not built to run ethanol poisoned fuel will have various internal fuel delivery issues, and the older boats will have issues with fuel line as well as possibly fuel tanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Papab
So, if you are looking at rigs that are 5-10 yrs old, you should be OK, but for the record, I do not use any fuel with any percentage of ethanol on anything that will potentially sit for several weeks.
This thread may be of some use for someone here:
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=591938
It is specific to the Merc 4-stroke and ethanol fuels but the gasoline is all the same across the US, 10% or less everywhere. I run 87 in mine, just as mercury recommends.
May be that is what y'all in Californico have been led to believe, but I can assure you that in many parts of this free country of ours, there is still non ethanol poisoned fuel, which I use in my '03 Merc 225 EFI worked and all my small equipment. Now, I use premium no lead in my GMC truck cause my 6.2L has been tuned including CAI, Flowmaster exhaust so it needs it to make that 425 HP/450 Trq. :thumb up2:Quote:
Originally Posted by JS!
BTW, I heard tell that y'all tax cattle farmers for methane in cow farts, which I find it to be dang ridiculous.
OK. Well the linked post has nothing to do with where I live,.... it was posted in the BBC Four-stroke Merc forum by a Mercury Marine Master Technician with 44 years experience...... So really no need to aim comments at me based solely on where I live and absolutely nothing else. You have no idea who I am, what my political beliefs are, or really,.... anything. I simply posted a link to a thread from a very reliable source regarding fuel, written by a Master Mercury Technician in South Caroilna. If you don't believe it because I live in CA, well then, OK......SMH....Yes, you uncovered us. Nancy Pelosi has gathered up every boater in CA and schooled us on the ills of non-ehthanol fuels and the melting of icebergs. We have all bowed-down and vowed to purcahse only 10% Ethanol fuel from now on.
Shitgoddamn, ain't nobody gonna tell me to use no gasoline that Mercury says is OK to use! This is my choice!
And it's great you can buy Non-Ethanol gas at a premium price....or you can use Mercury additives with the lower-price gas and get the same results.
Fresh gas is key, Don't fill the tank, unless you are going to use the boat a lot,
If the boat sits for weeks I would only fill the tank enough for the day so you don't run out & then go get fresh gas right before the next fishing trip.
Fresh gas is better than gas that's been sitting, I usually fill my tank to 1/2, use it till I'm down to around 1/4 then fill to 1/2.
Plus you don't have the extra Gas weight.
I got a 1998 Triton and never had any problems w/ the ethanol, I use my boat 3 times a week.
Boats that sit for long periods have the problems.
Ain't never a good reason to cuss.Quote:
Originally Posted by JS!
My comment was based on all the CA BS that gets push on to other states for no good reason. If you removed every single car off the USA roads, will that stop the icebergs from melting?? or prevent your forest fires? My premium fuel still cost less than your no lead, even in NYS, and BTW, I don't give a rat's azz about politics, since I have never met an honest 1 of any party.
The tech you a referring to is Don Weed, as best as they come, and has helped me out a bunch. He knows my motor and what I run.
Go fill up on 87 octane and use it and you will never have a problem. If you happen to not use it for a month throw a splash of fuel additives in it.
This non ethanol stuff will only lighten your wallet. You are just falling into some silly stupid game trying to run around looking for non ethanol gas.
Dogfish,
based on what everyone is been posting, even in other forums, it seems that in many areas there is a challenge in finding ethanol free fuel. I have 3 stations within 10 miles, and the same goes for many other parts of NYS, even though there is an ethanol plant 30 min from me.
Perhaps, when they first thought of the idea, there may have been a need to supplement the farmer, but we have more crude making it unnecessary. Now, if they would have done it correctly by doing alcohol injection, it would create more HP and much cleaner burn. The problem is mixing it into the fuel, which makes it very inefficient and poor fuel mileage to boot.
My 13 GMC can run E85, but I loose power and mileage, while using up a lot more fuel making it a bad choice all around, but due to lobbyists, they will keep on doing it wrong regardless.
Alright, brother. It's all good. I just took a little offense because your comment was directed to my home state and not what I posted. Yea we got some crazies here, so do you. They are everywhere but people always want to blame those of us who were born and raised here in the Golden State. And you are 100% right, they are all crooks. If you met me you would know I lean a lot further right than the average blue-faced hippie out here - just trust me on that one.Quote:
Originally Posted by digthemup
So let's just call it good, agree that there ought to be Ethanol-free fuel everywhere, but also agree not to dig into fellow boaters here about things that are not in our control. Sound good? Does to me.
John
From what I have read here, a full tank will attract less water that a partially full tank. The alcohol (Ethanol) is a water attractant. A full tank has far less surface area for condensation to build, which is water that will end up in your fuel. This is especially true if you have a vented tank. Newer, pressurized tanks that do not allow air in and out are better. Absolutely treat your fuel for storage but do it with a full tank to reduce condensation. Lots of posts on these boards about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Team Mud
JS,
It all good on my front 2. BTW, did you read the 'Don Weed cocktail' that he has posted on the sticky, or if you don't find it PM Don look for 'European AM'. Look at the sticky on the 3L & 3L HP forum.
:beers:
Found it for you
"Mercury Component Cocktail"- for EVERY tank of fuel, whether or not your fuel contains Ethanol: (Chemically, this works much the same as the previously recommended (and now to avoid alcohol content) cocktail, and requires less components.) This is Don's Preferred "Cocktail":
-1oz Mercury QuickCare +
-1oz Mercury QuickLeen
----------------------------
Per 5 Gallons of Fuel (in EVERY TANK).
In addition to the above, it is acceptable to add 150:1 mix of Premium PLUS in the fuel tank (for OPTIMAX engine models). This has been proven to benefit fuel system components by providing additional lubrication ONLY to the fuel system components (especially the direct injectors- which are often left DRY after engine shutdown).
(If leaving fuel in boat for more than 30 days, be sure to also add Mercury QuickStor).
Here is what I have done. It works for me. It might not for you. IDK.
I have only owned 2 boats, both with 4S Yamaha motors. First one was a F50, on a G-3 Pro 175. Bought straight up 87 octane, with ethanol and always put in Stabil. Second one was a Ranger with a F225. Bought straight up 87 octane, again with ethanol. Always put in Stabil and Yamalube Ring Free. I don't wait until the end of the season. I just put them in all the time. Some years I put the boat up with almost no fuel. This year the tanks are almost full. So far no fuel issues yet. I hope I didn't jinx myself. My worst year so far, on my first trip of the season, I had to press the start button a second time to get it to start. Unfortunately for me, due to work and ice, my boat sits for up to 5 months, November to March.
Fish Wisperer. I think you are fine with your routine. A full tank of stabilized fuel is recommended to reduce surface area inside the tank for condensation along with an additive to keep the fuel fresh and reduce corrosion.
I let a partial tank of fuel sit in my MasterCraft twice for well over a year using Stabil and had zero issues when I got her back on the water. In over twelve years I have owned her my MasterCraft has never not started, not once. And I always have used Stabil in winter storage. I don't have enough data on my newer 150 four stroke to comment.
Blew the powerhead on my Merc 150 EFI just out of extended warranty due to ethenol. Wasn't a mole hill to me. Had to sell the boat. Lived in New Jersey at the time. Easy to find ethenol free gas here in Florida.