5 Tips for Avoiding Ethanol Problems in Boat Engines | BoatUS

[@martinschulz9381]

Fuel stabilizer really works. I used Ethanol gas in all my small engines for years before I learned that non ethanol was available in my area. I used Sta bil stabilizer (any name brand is fine) and not once had a problem. I stored all my carburetor engines over winter full of fuel and they started up and ran just fine in the spring. I would often run one tank in the spring treated with techron fuel system cleaner, but I'm not certain that that was even necessary.

[@supportyourtroopsathletes6460]

I will always use ethanol free fuel regardless of the price to avoid problems. Luckily I will be running my boat in fresh water More so no unless I get down to the keys to go diving again or just get a charter. Ethanol free gas is the way to go and lucky it is available local to me.

[@boatus]

You are super lucky, and your motor (and filters) will thank you for it!

[@FYMM69]

Here in Canada they eliminated all stations selling ethanol free gasoline because I’d drive well outta my way to get it and run in all my small engines, sadly no more. Just cost me almost $600 to have my Etec 115 torn apart and water removed. So now I need to find a quality fuel additive to add to this horrible fuel

[@obscur156]

Been using gas with up to 10% ethanol in all my motors since it came out here in Canada. Outboards mowers snowblower chainsaw,you name it and never had a fuel related problem... Just run your toys and forget it lol.

[@Captdal]

Nice Boat

[@boatus]

Thanks, Dal. Happy holidays to you and yours!

[@mrzif0013]

you recommend not using reg.88. is reg 87,89 or 90 a better choices? r

[@boatus]

It depends on your engine, MrZif. Bottom line: Go with what the manufacturer recommends. Most boat engines CAN run on 87, but you may not be getting the best performance from that gasoline if your engine was designed to use a higher test. If you don't have an owner's manual, you can usually find it online, or reach out to the manufacturer's customer service department to ask. They're generally very helpful. The important thing we want to get across here is that Reg 88 contains more than 10% ethanol, which is illegal for use in marine engines. There are some exciting new sustainable gasolines that are gaining traction. You'll read about them in the September/October issue of BoatUS Magazine if you're a BoatUS Member.

[@LayAnn]

So I can use ethenol Free gas for my boat from a local gas station? I have a place I can get it near me. it's 91 ethenold free. Is that ok?

[@mattwaters6987]

Absolutely. That's what I run with. Stabilizer too.😊

[@LayAnn]

@@mattwaters6987 hey, thanks for the info😃

[@markgavitt994]

I run Rec90 in my outboards and lawn mower. My outboards have never tasted ethanol...

[@boatus]

Your engines thank you for that! Thanks for watching, Mark!

[@cantbuyrespect]

5 tips.... 1. Use non-ethanol gas. 2. Use non-ethanol gas. 3. Use non-ethanol gas. 4.Use non-ethanol gas. 5. If you only have ethanol fuel near you separate out the ethanol and use the non-ethanol portion of the gas.

[@boatus]

Pretty much, Derrick. Except No. 5. Once ethanol is in gasoline, there's no way to remove it unless phase separation has occurred. Modern four-stroke engines are able to handle ethanol much better than older ones,. The biggest thing is not using anything higher than 10% ethanol, which not only could be problematic for your engine, but it's also illegal for use in boat engines. Biobutanol is starting to become available in a few locations as a viable alternative to ethanol-blended fuels. It's currently being tested and has not been shown to have any negative effects on engines while also burning cleaner. You can learn more here: www.boatus.com/expert-advice/expert-advice-archive/2023/august/alternative-marine-fuels

[@cantbuyrespect]

@@boatus you add water to the gas and it separates to the bottom. then you drain out the water ethanol mix and have strait gas.

[@boatus]

After further research, we do see that it's possible as long as the correct water-to-gas ratio is used. HOWEVER, removing ethanol apparently changes the octane of the gasoline, so you'll have to take that into account for your individual engine. Using incorrect fuel could affect the performance of your engine or even void your engine's warranty, if it has one, so check your owner's manual. We would NOT recommend removing ethanol yourself unless you ABSOLUTELY know what you're doing. It sounds inefficient and could create more problems for your boat than 10% ethanol in the fuel. If you do the separation, please dispose of the ethanol/water properly.

[@cantbuyrespect]

@@boatus It is ok if you are scared. It is a pretty easy process though. If you start with 93 octane you will end up around 88 octane or so when done. Also fuel water separators have been removing condensate that develops in the tanks for decades so if a tiny bit of the water remains the separator will get it. Doing this is hardly something to be so scared of. In the long run, the corrosive effects of the ethanol on the fuel system of the boat will make it worthwhile. Ethanol is not really much different than rubbing alcohol so disposal will be similar :) You should really do much more research before making assumptions and recommending these assumptions to your viewers. Look at Projects Farms ethanol fuel test videos. His test clearly shows the effects of ethanol fuel on components and his test also shows that fuel stabilizers are not an effective way of preventing this corrosion from happening.

[@warren6172]

I’m in California and it’s costing me $15 a gallon to get Non Ethanol gas. Is there anywhere in southern Cali I can find it? Thanks

[@boatus]

That's crazy, Warren! You can find a list of locations in California that sell E0 at www.pure-gas.org/ but confirm that they still have it before you go. In your case, it may be more cost effective to settle for regular E10 and add a good marine fuel stabilizer, like STA-BIL 360, according to the directions.

[@relic31583]

My boat required 91 octane. If I use less than 91, the computer will "de-tune" the engine and it wont run as well as it could. The only non ethanal gas I have available is 90 octane. During the summer we use our boat a lot. Gas never sits in the tank for more than a few days. I use regular 93 octane pump gas as that is the highest octane I have available.

[@seant242]

When it de tuned itself were you able to solve the issue? I put 87 not knowing it was bad for boats. Was thinking of throwing octane booster and topping it off with 91

[@brians.4488]

Yamaha spent u bunch of money along with some other companies researching alternatives to E 10 fuel and found an alternative that is WAY better for engines and would be considerably cheaper to make. Unfortunately we're so deep into ethanol production it will never be brought to market!!! Why can't the outboard manufacturers put the ethanol friendly hoses and plastic parts in the engines like automobiles have?!?!?!?!

[@boatus]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Brian. As you might imagine, the blending of ethanol into our fuel supply is a complex topic. BoatUS's Government Affairs team stays up-to-date on the latest policy changes. If you would like to reach out to them for more information or with comments, the team can be reached at [e-mail]

[@Me_Tom]

Tip #6 get a good noise canceling mic

[@boatus]

Hey, Tom. Yeah, we have a really good mic but it malfunctioned that day and we were left with ambient audio only. Definitely not one I'm proud of. If you subscribe to our videos, you'll see that we've upgraded our game significantly since then. We schedule our video shoots months in advance, and we were in the midst of Covid with a lot of restrictions, so reshooting wasn't feasible. Perhaps we'll put it on the list to revisit in the future.

[@davidpartridge2]

Dad! Dad! I heard it. 😄

[@boatus]

😂🤣😂🤣

[@htownsfinest87]

So the theory of leaving it full because of condensation build up with ethanol fuel why wouldn't that be true for non ethanol fuel as well? So wether ethanol or non the theory is to leave it full, i would imagine a full tank of regular fuel would already contain more ethanol and the fuel separation would be worse for the outboard if you just left it on E.

[@boatus]

Good question, htownsfinest. Condensation in a fuel tank is always a possibility and can always lead to contaminated fuel, regardless of whether it's ethanol or not, so topping off the tank is the right move regardless. However, it's doubly important with ethanol fuel since phase separation is already a problem and a partially full tank of ethanol fuel which sits for more than a couple of weeks is sort of like hitting your fuel system with a double-whammy. Serious problems become more and more likely. FYI - 99 times out of 100 these problems build and the user never knows it, so through the course of the season the fuel/water separator may well be doing its job. But at some point it simply fills up. Generally speaking, the first time people realize it needs to be replaced is when the engine shuts down... and of course by then it's too late!!

[@FYMM69]

Exactly what happened to me, my remote fuel/water filter between in floor fuel tank and outboard was full of water and so was my under cowl separator. I’ll be changing filters throughout the spring to fall and nod to find a decent fuel additive to hopefully keep fuel from separating

[@axscdvfb]

$2.07 per gallon!

[@boatus]

Those were the days, right?!

[@FlyMeAirplane]

All good info BUT... there is no independent test of any additive that shows they work. There is lots of wives tales and fancy advertising by these snake oil salesmen tho.

[@boatus]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment, FlyMe. Yes, there are a lot of fuel additives out there that are way more anecdotal than scientific. I was curious, though, and did take a look at fuel stabilizers to find out if there is any data out there. A few years ago, Boating Mag did an independent test of these products to find out at what point they prevent fuel separation. Obviously not done in a lab, but the methods seem pretty legit for a layman's test. The comparison among the common products available is very interesting--all pretty much perform equally, though the price and mix ratio seem to be the only points that differ. www.boatingmag.com/gear/boatinglab-tests-fuel-stabilizers/ Any other claims the products make? Can't say for sure and would love to see some independent research, too.

[@johnboylong40]

I know this is late but all I can say is my high compress evinrude outboard absolutely ran outstanding when I found out about stabilizers. STAHL was what I used and man it was awesome.

[@wilfredolizano8100]

Q gasolina usa el motor mercury4 stroke hp5

[@boatus]

According to the owner's manual (www.defender.com/pdf/Mercury_4,5&6hp_Owner's_Manual.pdf), on p. 15 the manufacturer recommends the following: *USA and Canada ‑* A posted pump octane rating of 87 (R+M)/2, minimum, for most models. Premium gasoline 91 (R+M)/2 octane is also acceptable for most models. Do not use leaded gasoline. *Outside USA and Canada* ‑ A posted pump octane rating of 91 RON, minimum, for most models. Premium gasoline (95 RON) is also acceptable for all models. Do not use leaded gasoline Thanks for watching and hope this helps!

[@Boaters_hub]

CAUTION HEADPHONE WEARERS! The beep from him turning the key will make your ears bleed.

[@boatus]

Sorry about that, Anthony. Thanks for the heads up.

[@p3teytran]

How come my dealer told me to leave gas tank close to empty as possible?!

[@kodiak536kodiak536]

Because dealer WANT your business come spring time, when your boat's engine won't start.🤔

[@p3teytran]

@@kodiak536kodiak536 man thats so messed up. Boating is expensive enough as it is without needless maintenanc

[@kodiak536kodiak536]

@@p3teytran agree, I have a 24' boat with inboard/outboard. I know ALL about how much they cost. You consult your boat manufacturer before doing what you saw on youtube, is what I'm saying. I do most all maintenance on my own boat if I an capable. Boat repair mechanic in our area of N.C charge MINIMUM of $99/hr for just the troubleshooting. I work for free on my own boat😁. That $99/hr can go towards parts that I CAN replace myself.

[@p3teytran]

@@kodiak536kodiak536 i completely agree. After paying $800 for a 300 hr service thst included impeller change, I knew I couldn't keep up with the cost of boating if I didn't learn how to do basic maintenance myself. Ive been learning for thr past 2 years and its saved me tons of money. Thanks to videos on KZbin and boating forums.

[@kodiak536kodiak536]

@@p3teytran Join the crowd. I worked on cars and bikes for years on my own, old fashioned "learn as you go" deal. No difference in boating. Yes, youtube did help quite a bit and there are MANY home grown mechanics with old school know how from doing it themselves. All that being said, I do consult my manual first then, find a video here for the "how to" and see how it's done, sometimes several times, before attempting them myself to even decide if I'm capable of doing that particular job. I know my own skill levels. If I even have any doubts, I'll look for a professional to do them for me. Cheaper to pay them than to screw it up and pay A LOT MORE to fix my mistakes, which my add up in the hundreds if not thousands in boating.

[@alexgordon8581]

voice record noisy and unclear

[@boatus]

Thanks for your feedback, Alex. We had an issue with the mic picking up, so we were stuck with ambient audio. Not ideal for sure, especially with the road noise over the bridge. We're still working out the bugs with the new equipment and hopefully will be better in 2021! Appreciate you watching and taking the time to post your thoughts.

[@TheAutoChannel]

My 3 Tips for Avoiding Ethanol Problems in Any Vehicle 1. Don't listen to any negative comments about ethanol, they're all false. 2. Don't use engine additives that supposedly cure problems caused by ethanol - the active ingredient in most of these products is alcohol. Ethanol is alcohol. 3. Use the highest ethanol levels blends you can find. The only problem with ethanol-gasoline blends is that there's gasoline in them Higher lever ethanol reduces the amount of problems caused by gasoline and aromatics.

[@boatus]

We appreciate your comments but you're absolutely incorrect! Your tips may be valid for car engines, but NOT for boat engines. Using fuel that contains more than 10% ethanol in boat engines can damage your engine and is ILLEGAL. Roadside gas station pumps are poorly marked, and with the rise in gas prices, some folks may be tempted to put the lower priced but higher ethanol content gasoline in their boats' gas tanks, not understanding the harm it can cause. (And breaking down on the water is generally way more dangerous than breaking down on the roadside.) In addition, ethanol isn't as big of a deal in cars because cars driven a lot more than boats, so you're refreshing gasoline way more often and it doesn't have a chance to phase separate. Phase separation is way more likely in boats, especially because of the environment they're in (WATER) and the greater potential for condensation in the gas tank. Newer outboards tend to handle ethanol way better than older 2-strokes, but it's still a serious issue boaters need to be aware of.

[@TheAutoChannel]

@@boatus Do boats in Brazil operate on different physics? No, they don't, yet they are perfectly capable of using E27. Phase separation occurs because gasoline cannot absorb the excess water created by natural condensation. Phase separation occurs regardless of whether ethanol is present or not, and ethanol does not increase the amount of condensation that occurs. If you're going to post information you should know what you are talking about, and you don't. If anyone in your organization has the courage to publicly debate me let's do it.

[@boatus]

No debate needed. Gasoline that contains more than 10% ethanol is ILLEGAL for use in marine engines in the U.S.

[@marcrauch8213]

@@boatus Legal and illegal is a different issue than you guys lying about the effects of ethanol. And if there are "laws" against the use of more than 10% ethanol it is largely because of the misinformation disseminated about ethanol. Therefore, public debate is very needed.

[@michaelphinney9294]

Much outdated info in this video. It needs to be replaced with newer info from manufacturers.

[@boatus]

We pride ourselves on promoting what's in the best interests of our members, not gasoline manufacturers or the corn lobby, Michael. There's no dispute that ethanol in fuel remains a problem for marine engines. It's ILLEGAL to use fuel containing ethanol in excess of 10% in marine engines. AND labeling of higher ethanol fuels at highway gas stations is STILL potentially confusing to those filling up their boats at the pump -- I almost made that mistake in my own car just yesterday. BoatUS will continue to recommend ethanol-free fuels for marine engines whenever possible. That said, we are excited about the potential of some BIOFUELS that have been extensively TESTED in marine engines and deemed safe. And they're finally becoming more available at marinas. We've been reporting on these developments in BoatUS Magazine and will continue to update as there's new info. But in the meantime, ethanol-free gas is a boat owner's best choice.

[@usmcraid5332]

I use 90 ethanol free on my MERCURY outboard 2023 from circle k

[@boatus]

You're going to make the rest of us jealous that you can get ethanol-free!

[@usmcraid5332]

@@boatus it’s an investment in my family I need to be sure that they get the best I can get of everything

[@congsan3528]

The fuel additive is for performance, not a fuel stabilizer.

[@boatus]

We recommend a fuel stabilizer if nonethanol fuel is not available.