I too run ethanol free, its available in a couple places in my area. I had a issue with E10 a couple years ago in a mercury verado. Since then ethanol free is all I use.
Do you use Ethanol free?
- Thread starter RussGW270
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E free gas is not available in my neck of the woods Yes, some older components had/have issues with ethanol but more modern components do fine. Carbed motors have more factors that relate to ethanol in an indirect way. Off season storage is a prime example. If you keep your cards full of fuel, you have ethanol and whatever moisture it has absorbed so many folks drain the bowls for storage. Then again, dry carbs sometimes lead to dried out gaskets which leak in the new season. For that reason, some add stabilizer and keep bowls etc full. I knew an old timer that would drain his carbs and fill them with Marvel Mystery oil for the winter. Of course they had to be drained and flushed in the spring but after switching to that plan, he never again had issues in the spring.
For me and my injected motors (where in effect most fuel components on the motor are 'sealed', I drain those components ( on motor filters, VST tank etc) in the fall and make sure I prime them in the spring before starting the motors. That has worked well for me.
One funny fact is that in the past boaters would add DryGas to their fuel. That stuff is alcohol and did pretty much what ethanol does today; it absorbs water!
I don't feel that there has been enough research independently done on the topic and what has been, has not been well published. Most of the stories I read are sponsored directly or indirectly by the additive vendors
For me and my injected motors (where in effect most fuel components on the motor are 'sealed', I drain those components ( on motor filters, VST tank etc) in the fall and make sure I prime them in the spring before starting the motors. That has worked well for me.
One funny fact is that in the past boaters would add DryGas to their fuel. That stuff is alcohol and did pretty much what ethanol does today; it absorbs water!
I don't feel that there has been enough research independently done on the topic and what has been, has not been well published. Most of the stories I read are sponsored directly or indirectly by the additive vendors
Does the 87% in your OP refer to octane rating, or gasoline:ethanol ratio? If it is octane, you are comparing apples to oranges, as most of the marinas in my area sell 92-93 octane ethanol free, which is also available on the street.
fastexas
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I'm of the opinion that if you run a modern 4-stroke, and go through your fuel often (no more than every 2 months or so) PLUS replace WATER separating fuel filters AT LEAST every year or 100 hours, you should be fine.
I'd think any outboard designed & built after roughly 2000 is designed to run fine on E10. FWIW, I once had E10 from Chevron gas station (+ some Techron fuel system cleaner I added) in my Grady for just about
a year with no negative effects. But I'm in TX & run the boat almost year-round. I might have gotten lucky though.
I'd think any outboard designed & built after roughly 2000 is designed to run fine on E10. FWIW, I once had E10 from Chevron gas station (+ some Techron fuel system cleaner I added) in my Grady for just about
a year with no negative effects. But I'm in TX & run the boat almost year-round. I might have gotten lucky though.