Gas alert ! $$$

[Skagitguy]

Greg , I am not saying you had to use the new improved verison. All i'am saying is STA-BIL states the one i'am using has the lastest improvement. It tells you that on the label. Being i now have a 4 Stroke, i feel i should use the lastest formula. Whatever floats your boat. lol Are you working on the boat today ? Back to work. Chuck

[skagit 25]

All that oil (3-4 Billion barrels of recoverable oil) in N.Dakota/Montana and we are still messing about in the Middle East. Really makes you wonder where "our" priorities are.

I'm on my way to Montana with a shovel and a truck!

[hhaynes]

E10 gas

http://www.boatoregon.com/OSMB/news/E10.shtml

this is a great link from the Oregon State Marine board about the use of Ethanol in various types of equipment and boats.

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Oregon State Marine Board Recommendations

Thanks for the link, Howard. Here are some of the recommendations:


PRECAUTIONS FOR BOAT OWNERS USING E-10 GASOLINE

Run a non-alcohol fuel stabilizer in your boat’s fuel system at all times. Recommended for engines that sit for a lengthy period.

The more use the boat gets, the less likely it is to have problems.

*If you winterize your boat and don’t plan on using it for a while, keep your tank 95% FULL to prevent any condensation but allow room for expansion.

It's important to avoid water intrusion into your fuel system. (See below for more detailed information on “why.”)

Install a water-separating fuel filter.

Keep a stock of spare fuel filters handy, and the means for safely changing them.

Replace older weather-faded plastic portable tanks with new tanks.

Make sure you know what your fuel retailer is dispensing.

Rubber fuel lines older than the mid-to-late 1980’s should be inspected and may need to be replaced.

Some older carbureted engines may require special tuning. Consult the engine manufacturer for details.

CLICK HERE to learn more specifics from Mercury Marine.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Water Hazards
Ethanol absorbs water extremely well. Marine fuel systems are very susceptible to water intrusion. E10 has the ability to absorb a certain amount of water into solution and simply allow it to be burned by the engine. Here’s the comparison: MTBE gasoline can hold about 60 ppm (parts per million) of water in solution; E10 can hold 6,000 to 7,000 ppm of water in solution. Meaning, if you have a 100 gallon (378.5 liters) tank, it could hold up to .6 - .7 gallons (2.3 – 2.6 liters) of water in solution.

The biggest problem with ethanol for an alternative is with “phase separation.” That’s what happens when the fuel is saturated beyond it’s capacity to hold water in solution. Water and gasoline actually separate, and the gasoline floats on top of the water. With MTBE you could simply pump the water out from under the gasoline, or let your filters remove the water. With E10, ethanol blends more easily with any water. When phase separation occurs in E10, the ethanol is pulled out of the gas and absorbed by water. This results in two solutions, neither of which is good for the engine or fuel system…not to mention the environment. The gasoline left behind is absent of oxygenate. The water left behind now contains a high concentration of ethanol; this solution is highly corrosive and damages any material it may come in contact with in the fuel system. The only solution for phase-separated fuel is to dispose of the entire fuel load, clean the tank, and start over with a fresh tank of E10.

E10’s ability to absorb water has yet another drawback; it can absorb water directly from the atmosphere through the vent while simply sitting in the tank. In just 100 days at 70% humidity, E10 can absorb enough water to phase-separate. The shelf life of E10 is only 60-90 days if left without treatment.

Another important fact to remember is that gasoline “oxidizes” when exposed to air. That is, it loses its volatility over time. A good non-alcohol fuel stabilizer is highly recommended at all times in your boat’s fuel. *The key is to not leave a boat for long periods of time with a large load of fuel aboard.

For more information and preventative tips, visit http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy.


Helpful Advice

Fuel Stabilizers for Gasoline and other information
Because E-10 gasoline has a much shorter "shelf-life" than blended gasoline, Wayne Bauman, Treasurer for the Beaverton Power Squadron, recommends three different products boaters can use with E-10:

Marine Formula Sta-Bil
Soltron Enzyme Fuel Treatment
Star Tron Gasoline Additive.

These products stabilize the E-10 for up to one year. They also have a petroleum distillate base instead of an isopropyl alcohol and OMC2+4 Fuel Conditioner that are recommended for regular (non-blended) gasoline.


Click here for the latest information about E-10 -Service Bulletin (Mercury Mariner)

Boat U.S. offers more detailed information about E10, winterizing, storage, and trends with ethanol blended gasoline.

Fuel testing kits are also available: http://www.fueltestkit.com/index.html.

[Cosmic Consciousness]

I was thinking maybe it would not be a bad time to go top off the gas tanks ( and add the Sta-Bil ) because of the problems in the Middle East flaring up. Who know what the prices could go up too this spring and summer....Hope not. Chuck

There are problems in the Middle East? That's news to me! Just kidding!

I did manage to top off at my marina last month at $3.25 per gallon. I used Sta-Bil as well. This is my first time using Sta-Bil since I used to just purchase 91 octane fuel at gas stations and walk the jerry cans to my boat and pour them into the tank at my slip (shhhhhh...don't tell the harbormaster).

Yesterday, I managed to pull an 8 oz sample from my gas tank and poured it in a mason jar. A few hours later, a very thin film built up on the bottom. I'm thinking it's water! I have never had that problem with the 91 octane gasoline I've been using thus far. Does anyone know if that thin film at the bottom is a result of Sta-Bil doing its job?...I'm thinking it's water, but the jury is out on this one!

[56glasspar]

Gasoline

I have found that running marine, ethanol free fuel, was made a big differance in perfotmance of my Evenrude 70 hp engines. You can find marine fuel sites from oregon marine web site. I winterise with everude fogger. In the spring with new gas the engine starts fast. If there is problem I use a pint of diesel to a 3 gallons of gas to clean clean the engine. Cheaper than paying a mechanic. just run and and the revs keep increasing as it get cleaner.