Ethanol

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MDSkiffer

Recruit
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
5
Where can I get etanol free gas in the Baltimore Maryland area? The stuff has been a problem for my Yamaha since it came out.
 
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rodbolt

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 1, 2003
Messages
20,066
Re: Ethanol

not just you yamaha but for ALL marine engines and ALL americans that eat food.
E fuels are the biggest scam ever shoved down a taxpayrs throat but its made me alot of money in the past 2 years.
the ethanol by itself isnt the problem, the problem is its a very good solvent and doesnt stay mixed with the gasoline,its very corrosive,thats why its trucked and blended at the distribution terminal and not piped.
it also loves water.
 
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mikecjn

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 8, 2003
Messages
238
Re: Ethanol

Since the ethanol started being used up here I have been using the marine stabil in it. It has helped a lot with the water issues I was having not only with the boat but with the snowmobiles and lawn tractor as well.
Hate ethanol...fuel mileage in both my trucks and my wifes car have gone down too. Who ever thought it was a good idea was out of their minds.
 
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foodfisher

Captain
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Messages
3,756
Re: Ethanol

mikecjn said:
Since the ethanol started being used up here I have been using the marine stabil in it. It has helped a lot with the water issues I was having not only with the boat but with the snowmobiles and lawn tractor as well.
Hate ethanol...fuel mileage in both my trucks and my wifes car have gone down too. Who ever thought it was a good idea was out of their minds.
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Follow the money.
 
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Rancherlee

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 6, 2006
Messages
621
Re: Ethanol

Personally have never really had any issues with it and I've been using E10 since the early 90's here in Minnesota. YES it likes water and YES it will eat away a deposits so MOST issues occur when you first use it on an engine thats been on real gas as it cleans out your fuel system and the crud gets stuck in your jets. Some older engines may need a gasket or two changed but should be fine. I've never had E10 "go bad" either, I have a big tank I fill once a year to fuel my ATV's, Mowers, tillers, and small outboards and have never had an issue with it separating in one years time. SMALL gas stations that only get a tanker of fuel every month or so SHOULD be avoided though. I do agree that we shouldn't use Food for Fuel though, that just plain stupid.
 
ondarvr

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
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Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: Ethanol

Rancherlee said:
Personally have never really had any issues with it and I've been using E10 since the early 90's here in Minnesota. YES it likes water and YES it will eat away a deposits so MOST issues occur when you first use it on an engine thats been on real gas as it cleans out your fuel system and the crud gets stuck in your jets. Some older engines may need a gasket or two changed but should be fine. I've never had E10 "go bad" either, I have a big tank I fill once a year to fuel my ATV's, Mowers, tillers, and small outboards and have never had an issue with it separating in one years time. SMALL gas stations that only get a tanker of fuel every month or so SHOULD be avoided though. I do agree that we shouldn't use Food for Fuel though, that just plain stupid.
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Same experience here in WA, long time usage, few issues. The difference may be that in both of our locations MTBE is no longer used, supposedly when MTBE, ethanol and water are combined it creates far more issues than ethanol alone. MTBE is used in the same way as ethanol but costs less and in areas where its still legal the two can be mixed with no easy way of knowing it. So when new regoins are forced to start using E10 and they still have MTBE in use also, the mix + a little water may possibly create a goo that each alone won't. Plus like others have said, E10 is a very good system cleaner, so at first it may plug things up.
 
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Rollo382

Recruit
Joined
Jul 7, 2010
Messages
3
Re: Ethanol

I've found 2 places in my area that has Ethanol free 87 gas. Didn't realize that in KY, they don't have to put on the pumps if the gas contains Ethanol. I used the marine Sta-bil after finding this out. Some of the marinas on KY Lake still have the 87, but talk is they will be going to 10% as well. It's nice to put 5 or 6 gallons in at a lower price than marina prices.
 
ondarvr

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
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Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: Ethanol

Fuel additives, Marine Stabil included, don't do much to prevent the possible real issues with E10, the only thing it will do is help keep the fuel fresh longer, the same thing it does for non E fuel.
 
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Brewman61

Ensign
Joined
Jun 10, 2010
Messages
996
Re: Ethanol

MDSkiffer said:
Where can I get etanol free gas in the Baltimore Maryland area? The stuff has been a problem for my Yamaha since it came out.
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Do a google search on "Ethanol free gasoline" or similar. You will find several web sites that you can use to search your state for ethanol free gas.
My area has several stations that sell real gas. The closest one sells only premium, which my boat doesn't require, but it does't hurt anything either.
The stuff sells for about $0.50 per gallon more than E10. Same gas my marina sells for about $1/gallon extra.

Happy hunting.
 
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BoatNoobie

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 17, 2009
Messages
314
Re: Ethanol

ondarvr said:
Fuel additives, Marine Stabil included, don't do much to prevent the possible real issues with E10, the only thing it will do is help keep the fuel fresh longer, the same thing it does for non E fuel.
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Even the ethanol treatment version?
 
ondarvr

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: Ethanol

What on the label leads you to believe it will do more except that it says Marine Formula, it appears to just have more of the same stuff in it. More solvent, which does the same thing as ethanol in breaking down deposits which allows them to plug the filter and possibly the carb(s), and more corrosion preventers, these are typically petroleum based products, read cheap oil.


There is no chemical solution to the problem, at least one that is on the market right now.

If you read any of the advertising you will see they carefully word it to say it may help with some of the issues, not "this will stop phase separation and all other problems with E10".

One way to stop or slow phase separation (the real problem) is to add more ethanol, this way it can absorb more water before it separates, some actually do this, this is not a good fix.
 
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F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,195
Re: Ethanol

Love it or hate it (Ethanol). Personally, I fill up at the cheapest gas staton in town and don't give it a second thought. Have NEVER had a problem with outboards (modern and antique), car, truck, lawn mower, edger, chainsaw, weedeater, motorcycle, chipper/shredder. Some of them sit for months without use. And this is Florida--the humidity capital. 2000 Chevy has 150,000 miles on it and has never been in the shop except for a warranty recall. Oops, I take that back, an oxygen sensor conked out at 140K.

Except it does give poorer gas mileage.
 
ondarvr

ondarvr

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Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: Ethanol

F_R said:
Love it or hate it (Ethanol). Personally, I fill up at the cheapest gas staton in town and don't give it a second thought. Have NEVER had a problem with outboards (modern and antique), car, truck, lawn mower, edger, chainsaw, weedeater, motorcycle, chipper/shredder. Some of them sit for months without use. And this is Florida--the humidity capital. 2000 Chevy has 150,000 miles on it and has never been in the shop except for a warranty recall. Oops, I take that back, an oxygen sensor conked out at 140K.

Except it does give poorer gas mileage.
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My experience also, about two decades of using E10 here.
 
Cofe

Cofe

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
Messages
1,883
Re: Ethanol

I wonder who is in charge of checking gas for the 10% ethanol content?
Some gas stations give my car better gas mileage than others. It makes me wonder what the real ethanol content in some of the tanks is?
 
ondarvr

ondarvr

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Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: Ethanol

Cofe said:
I wonder who is in charge of checking gas for the 10% ethanol content?
Some gas stations give my car better gas mileage than others. It makes me wonder what the real ethanol content in some of the tanks is?
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Different types of fuel get mixed frequently due to availability, so the same station may have non E one week and E10 the next week, that's why the pump says it may contain up to 10% ethanol. There are situations where even more ethanol (over 10%) is in the mix, but its more of a mistake than anything else.

What it comes down to is you never really know what it is you're putting in the tank unless you buy a test kit.
 
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