Need solution for Ethanol problem

[guylogan]

I'd like to start a thread to find out what are the best practices for dealing with the problem we all face, that most of the gasoline has ethanol in it and the recomendation from some that we should not use it beyond two or three months. I have a 30 gal tank on my Columbia 36 and I have always added 5 gal every time it gets to the 3/4 mark. I allways add stablizer along with MMO. But now I've been doing this for over two years but now I'm thinking mabey I should drain the whole thing and start over. What are the rest of you doing.


Guy Logan
Columbia 36 "No Tanks"
San Diego

[Rbyham]

Hopefully I understand the question. If you are adding gas in 5 gallon amounts, why not just purchase ethanol free 5 gallons each time? I put only ethanol free in my tank. Ever. What am I missing here?

[guylogan]

If you notice I live in California, the land of fruits and nuts and all fuel is E10.
I do have a source for 0 ethanol here, they call it racing fuel and charge about twice the price for it.

[Roadking Larry]

I use the same ethanol treatment as Rbyham, I don't put in my boat or any of my small engines. Unfortunately, not everyone has that option. You can do a web search and see if you can find locations selling the good stuff in your area

http://pure-gas.org/

other than that keep it as fresh as you can and keep it treated.

[old-sailer]

Guy, I have an old A4 and I pour in whatever.. I buy it cheapest I can. The A4 is such low compression it doesn't appear to care. Ethanol, no Ethanol.. super.. I've done it for years and compression is still in 100 range. I think you're worrying for nothing.

You're using stabilizer and that's fine...just keep doing what you're doing.

Originally Posted by guylogan

I'd like to start a thread to find out what are the best practices for dealing with the problem we all face, that most of the gasoline has ethanol in it and the recomendation from some that we should not use it beyond two or three months. I have a 30 gal tank on my Columbia 36 and I have always added 5 gal every time it gets to the 3/4 mark. I allways add stablizer along with MMO. But now I've been doing this for over two years but now I'm thinking mabey I should drain the whole thing and start over. What are the rest of you doing.


Guy Logan
Columbia 36 "No Tanks"
San Diego

[Mo]

It it absolutely ludicrous that boat operators are subject to being forced to use ethanol fuel. Ethanol fuel in a boat / marine environment is a safety hazard...bottom line.

We don't have ethanol issue in Nova Scotia because power boats were breaking down on the Atlantic and Search and Rescue were picking up the tab....common sense prevailed.

Sometimes you should be allowed to take a few of these idiots out and shoot them. Stupid is as stupid does...and those that stand by silently and allow special interest groups to run the country are just as bad as the scam artists. Just calling it like it is.

[Dave Neptune]

I'm with old sailer! I run in So Cal and have run the boat for over 30 years now. I do use it a lot and it is parked late Oct til March unless we do some whale watching. I do not change my filters unless plugged and the Racor is on it's 8th year with the original element still in it!!!! I use up all old fuels I have at the start of the season and did the same this year. I dumped in 6 gallons of "old fuel" on top of 12 this year, 2 of those were really old OB fuel with oil. I ran to Catalina and back motoring for just over 10 hours and all is well!!!!!

The thing I have noticed most on this forum is that those who have the most fuel trouble use the most additives and least amount of fuel. Those with water issues usually find an "o-ring" on the fill cap is missing.

Before the ethanol was added I always added some stove fuel (alcohol) to gas to absorb any moisture if it condensed inside the tank. I did this until the ethanol was forced upon us. These old A-4's don't care and have no gaskets or parts that can be harmed by the ethanol. This is not true of the more modern injected engines and outboards.

The only real downside is that the ethanol fuel does have a shorter "shelf/starage" life so do more boating and less worrying.

Dave Neptune

[67c&ccorv]

Not another ethanol gasoline thread!!!

Been going on since 1936!

http://books.google.ca/books?id=p_I1...o%20ny&f=false

[romantic comedy]

What about the taxes? I have heard that we are still paying "road taxes" on the gas we buy at a marina. is this true?

[guylogan]

Of course we are..This is California were the ya-hoos that run this state never pass up the chance to tax us. Of course the gas tax use to pay for roads and freeways but now they use it for anything they llke. (buses,trollys ect.) Now they are proposing to improve the I-5 from san diego to ocenside by biilding a 4 lane TOLL road (HOV) in the middle of of the Freeway. Just like they did on the 1-15 from san diego to escondido....Of course we put up with it because the weather is nice....Thanks for the feedback I think I will stop worring about it and just go sailing...Dave I'll look for the "Valador" the next time I get to Avalon, do you have a ball over there?

[marthur]

I'm with old sailer!

And I am with Dave and Old Sailor! Maybe that makes us fuel heretics, but I have no problem with ethanol fuel

I don't haven't had a problem storing ethanol gas and like some of the others, I find that old gas also burns just fine in the low compression atomic 4. I have even burned gas so old it didn't even smell the same and the motor ran just fine.

Like Dave, I also use my old outboard gas in the big boat tank. I put it in during the fall layup and I think the two stroke oil does a good job with the valves and rings. It burns a little cleaner than MMO as well.

[joe_db]

You can avoid most of the issues if:
1. Your fuel fill cap does not leak water into the tank
2. You use a fuel stabilizer/treatment
3. You buy gas from the local gas station

Marina gas is variable. If I bought gas right now I am buying gas purchased by the marina in September or October.

[Dave Neptune]

guy, nope I am seldom in Avalon. I get there once every few years and it is usually just for the day on a day trip from the "west end". I do have a mooring on the island but at the other end in Emerald Bay. I like the isolation and piece the bay offers. I have been going to Emerald now since 1968 in my own boat. I get there about every other weekend or more. I was in the Isthmus for the Easter festivities that our club the "Corsairs" has done for over 40 years now~good fun for the kids!!! I will be in Emerald for most of the weekends for the rest of the season.

If you get there I'm on A-2, next to the Harbor Master a good friend.

Dave Neptune