un-informed question about ethanol enriched fuel

[tfret]

I've heard a lot of fuss about ethanol in gas and don't completely understand the issue. The vast majority of fuel available is 10% E, and we all run it all the time in our cars. What is the difference concerning boats? I guess I can understand the long term Winter lay up concern of ethanol changing states, or attracting water, however I always us Stabilizer and have never had any problems. As far as all other times, I burn the fuel almost as fast as I put it in our boat. It doesn't seem to be there long enough to cause a problem. Forgive my ignorace, but please tell me what the problem with E is, and why we don't have the same problem in cars. Thanks!

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: un-informed question about ethanol enriched fuel

it absorbs water from the air,combines with the ethanol, and the water /ethanol mix drop out of solution from the gasoline stock.cars dont have a tank vent to the atmosphere to suck in humidity.

 

[BatDaddy1887]

Re: un-informed question about ethanol enriched fuel

It is advisable for all boaters today to have a water separator. As described by bt doctur, the water will collect in the bottom bowl of the separator after weeks or months, then you turn a valve to release the water from the mixture.

 

[TyeeMan]

Re: un-informed question about ethanol enriched fuel

Generally speaking the problem with running ethanol in boats is that a lot of people have older boats and those older engines, specifically carburators and fuel pumps do not have Viton seal in the carbs and pumps. Typically the older O-rings and such are made of Buna-N rubber which doesn't like alcahol. Viton seal can handle the alcahol.
I don't remember the year that Viton O-rings and such became more comon place but it wasn't too long ago, , 10 years something like that.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: un-informed question about ethanol enriched fuel

it absorbs water from the air,combines with the ethanol, and the water /ethanol mix drop out of solution from the gasoline stock.cars dont have a tank vent to the atmosphere to suck in humidity.

You also don't likely let your car sit for weeks or months at a time without driving. Small engines often do sit for extended periods of time and the hoses in your engine will degrade due to ethanol. You can upgrade all of your engine's parts, use the ethanol blends up, or switch to non-oxygenated (non-ethanol). My 2009 Suzuki specifically specifies non-oxy gasoline, but says that in a pinch you can run ethanol gas as long as you use it right away and don't do it often.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: un-informed question about ethanol enriched fuel

You also don't likely let your car sit for weeks or months at a time without driving. Small engines often do sit for extended periods of time and the hoses in your engine will degrade due to ethanol. You can upgrade all of your engine's parts, use the ethanol blends up, or switch to non-oxygenated (non-ethanol). My 2009 Suzuki specifically specifies non-oxy gasoline, but says that in a pinch you can run ethanol gas as long as you use it right away and don't do it often.

There are a bunch of collector cars that sit in winter storage for up to six months and they start and run just fine in the spring. My boats also sit for that same period as they have since 1997 when we started using corn squeezings. The REAL issue is that people with older boats have neglected the fuel systems over the years and when switching to E10 the product does them a service by cleaning up the gunk and debris from years of neglect. Of course this junk collects in fuel filters, some makes it way through to the carbs and the already partially blocked passages become more plugged and the engine begins to run funny, goes lean, burns pistons, and ethanol gets the blame. Coastal areas apparently see more of the moisture issue than those of us on inland waters partially because of the location and partially because boats tend to have much larger tanks. So believe half of what you are told or read, go ahead and prepare accordingly and then go boating. E10 is not an evil fuel but failure to prepare for it will make you think that.

 

[float2]

Re: un-informed question about ethanol enriched fuel

As a general rule if its something that sits frequently I don't run ethanol blended fuel in it. Its not a case of me neglecting my fuel systems on my machinery. I run my machinery the way it was initially designed to run which in my case is mostly before ethanol blended fuels were introduced. Old stuff is mostly what I can afford and I know how to work on most of it myself rather than send it to a $100/hr shop. I invite you to check out my stuff its far from neglected I take great care to maintain the efficiency and performance of what I run. However, if I use a piece of machinery frequently and burn the fuel right away I feel comfortable using ethanol blended fuel. Its when it sits for long periods of time that it turns varnish like and gums and clogs things up.

In an aside I remember back in the late 80s and early 90s when ethanol blended fuel was being touted as a huge benefit to the American corn farming economy. I have also heard on good authority that early on some of the larger companies that had a part in the ethanol market figured out a way to get around paying American farmers a certain percentage per bushel of corn that they were told they would get. These larger companies bypassed the American farmer and imported cheaper corn from Brazil and other foreign lands in order to maximize their own profits. This left the American corn farmer back where they began at square one looking for a way to make a good living in our ever difficult farm economy.

Imo the ethanol thing has been a huge scam on the American public. It has not benefited the American farmer as was initially promised, it has not helped ween us off foreign oil dependency, and it burns much less efficient ie: worse mpg, than non ethanol blended fuel. Oh yeah, and if you had the misfortune of living within blocks of an ethanol producing plant (like we did here in St. Paul several years ago) you can attest to the fact that the ethanol production process is equally, if not more taxing on our environment than a tradition oil/gas refinery.

I am not for getting rid of ethanol blended fuels as they do indeed have their role in fueling internal combustion engines. But please don't take away our ability to purchase non ethanol blended fuels and please don't charge us up to 50 cents extra per gallon for non ethanol fuel. Leave the choice up to the American consumer as to what type he/she wants or needs.