Ethanol!

[JimS123]

Yeah, yeah THAT thread again. I have my opinions, but I just wanted to see what the general consensus is.

My problem has been with a Merc 3.5 HP 4-stroke. I knew going in that it had small jets and they recommend running the gas out after each use. So, I do. Also use stabil with every fillup. One of the problems is that she is only a kicker and gets very little use.

I had 8 trouble-free years. Last year she wouldn't start. My dealer rebuilt the carb and it ran ok. This year she started but even after 20 minutes running would not reach full rpm and eventually stalled and would not restart. My mechanic rebuilt the carb again and said it had green gunk inside.

Again this year I was chastised for not running E0. I have never run anything but E10 in EVERYTHING. My position is that the ethanol helps keep the carbs clean. As an example my 45 year old Pontiac Bonneville V8 has not needed a carb rebuild since we started using ethanol.

Now my caveat is.....provided that you take care of your equipment. All my stuff is kept in a dry secure garage and with a full tank.

So what say ye? Should I switch to E0 in this little guy?

 

[Pmt133]

E10 gets this almost sand like depositing if left to evaporate over and over in carbs. E0 develops a varnish like residue. Both aren't good.

My take has always been proper care of the fuel system results in very little issues. The majority of carb rebuilds I have done are because it wasn't used much. Anything driven regularly seems to last until the hard parts themselves wear out.

I don't mind either. If E0 is readily available, I'd use it in low use motors. Otherwise, E10 has never resulted me with a fuel system problem that wouldn't have also been there if using E0....

 

[Scott06]

Yeah, yeah THAT thread again. I have my opinions, but I just wanted to see what the general consensus is.

My problem has been with a Merc 3.5 HP 4-stroke. I knew going in that it had small jets and they recommend running the gas out after each use. So, I do. Also use stabil with every fillup. One of the problems is that she is only a kicker and gets very little use.

I had 8 trouble-free years. Last year she wouldn't start. My dealer rebuilt the carb and it ran ok. This year she started but even after 20 minutes running would not reach full rpm and eventually stalled and would not restart. My mechanic rebuilt the carb again and said it had green gunk inside.

Again this year I was chastised for not running E0. I have never run anything but E10 in EVERYTHING. My position is that the ethanol helps keep the carbs clean. As an example my 45 year old Pontiac Bonneville V8 has not needed a carb rebuild since we started using ethanol.

Now my caveat is.....provided that you take care of your equipment. All my stuff is kept in a dry secure garage and with a full tank.

So what say ye? Should I switch to E0 in this little guy?

Like you I run ethanol fuel and have few issues. Just due to convenience filling up I run ethanol free in the boat and generally e10 in the jetski. Have yet to a have fuel related issue with either But the fuel doesn’t hang around long, I only use stabil when going into winter storage.

given the little use it seems I would try running non ethanol in the kicker. May use a fuel system cleaner like Techron or sea foam. Obviously something is going on with the fuel supply for the kicker... did you clean the fuel system completely after the first carb rebuild? If not what ever plugged it the first time will just plug it again. My buddies Glastron rebuilt he carb got two good seasons out of it then stumbling again. His fuel tank had chit and water in it. Second time I was in the carb contents of fuel filter turned cloudy in a jar.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Clean the carb and tank
Ditch the stabil
Then run the motor more often and drain the fuel system after use.

Item 15 is the drain screw


Green crud is the ethanol gel created when the fuel evaporated

As opposed to brown crud when e0 evaporates.

 

[Earl Cordova]

If I could get E0 that is all I would purchase.

 

[alldodge]

If I could get E0 that is all I would purchase.

Might be closer than you think
https://www.pure-gas.org/

 

[dingbat]

I’ve had zero issues with the machines (2 and 4 stroke) since I started stabilizing all fuels and mixes at purchase that are not intended for immediate use.

From a boating perspective, I rarely if ever fill the 92 gallon main tank. Typically keep a 1/4 tank in reserve. Then add only what I expect to use (20-25 gallons) to the tank at each use.

In mid-October, I start adding stabilizer to the boat and mower fuels in prep for winter storage.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... I drive a diesel pickup, 'n the only gas I buy is for my 1963 Jeep, or my various small motors, chainsaws, etc, which are mixed with oil, 'n stabilized when bought,....
For many years, the only gas I buy is non-ethanol,.....
Back when I lived in NY, I bought gas from native american supplied retailers, which was always non-ethanol, 'n now I have several local choices,.....

 

[Pmt133]

Might be closer than you think
https://www.pure-gas.org/

I'd hate to see what 100 octane costs on the water... 4 total stations in my state, not even worth the hassle.

 

[dingbat]

I'd hate to see what 100 octane costs on the water... 4 total stations in my state, not even worth the hassle.

Don’t trust that list.
Says the station next to my office has E0. I know for a fact it does not.

 

[alldodge]

I'd hate to see what 100 octane costs on the water... 4 total stations in my state, not even worth the hassle.

They have 87 and 93 on my lake and both are over 5 gal

Don’t trust that list.
Says the station next to my office has E0. I know for a fact it does not.

Maybe it's one of those things that it use to but not now, no idea. There is 5 stations in my small town and only one has E0 and it's listed

 

[Pmt133]

Don’t trust that list.
Says the station next to my office has E0. I know for a fact it does not.

NJ makes it very difficult to get E0 or E85 for the spicy cars.

I've been all over the state and never seen E0... anywhere else it usually isn't too difficult to find.

 

[Jeff J]

I think this is the first time I have ever seen a claim that E10 helps keep a carb clean. My experience is exactly the opposite unless wanting to remove some water from a fuel system. The only fuel system problems I have had on my boat were E10 related.

I have been told premium doesn’t have alcohol. One of the local stations also had a sign out front advertising it. The only time I tried to verify it was at that station and it failed the test. However, all grades of fuel went through the same hose. I ran 5 gallons into my truck before testing so maybe I needed to pump ten.

100 octane is available at nearly every airport in the country. Just don’t put it in anything with a catalytic converter unless you want to plug up your exhaust system. Some airports also sell clean unleaded fuel.

 

[KD4UPL]

I only run E0 in the boat and small engines. It's readily available all over in VA including on the water.
At stations right now E10 is about $3.50 and E0 is about $4.20. Given E0 gives you more energy content and thus more range there's no good reason not to run it.