It’s a slow day, so I thought – ‘What the heck.’ – start a conversation that will get wildly different opinions about a subject that every adult with knowledge of fossil fuel will have an opinion about. So let me start with a question. Do you use recreational fuel (rec gas) in your boat engines?
My answer is no. I have never used it to run any gas fueled motor I’ve owned, to include boat motors, cars, trucks, lawn mowers, ice augers, weed whackers, etc. And in all the years I have run these engines with regular fuel & ethanol, I have yet to have an engine quit due to a disintegrated fuel line or gummed up fuel system. Kind of goes counter to what all the experts have been telling me for almost 50 years that regular fuel/ethanol is ‘baaaaaad’ for my engines.
So, if you’re also having a slow day, what is your story/opinion of this issue? Is using ethanol in small engines fact or fiction?
If you run pure fuel, you are at least getting the BTU’s you paid for!
With ethanol in your fuel, you are only getting half the BTU’s in that ethanol, which in turn is less MPG’s/gallon.
And now the government wants to go to 15% ethanol which will lower your MPG’s that much more.
I always run ethonal free in everything I own. When it first came out I thought the same o there is no difference. I learned real fast that it is not good for me I had to replace fuel lines on my boat out board. Now I refuse to use anything else losing one season of fishing is not going to happen to me again. I also use dual fuel water separators and are changed every year. Just my opinion.
Lee, of Lee’s Marine, told me that gas containing ethanol was fine to fun in my boats as long as I ran mid-grade gasoline. I followed his advice for years and also added a stabilizer and regularly added Seafoam. A couple of years ago, I decided to start using ethanol free in my boat and in my lawnmower. At the time, I was noticing that I was having more difficulty starting my outboard and I am hoping that this is my last outboard. I still run Seafoam; however, not as regularly as I use to and I still add stabilizer for the winter.
My late model Mercury Pro XS225 calls for unleaded with up to 10% ethanol and at least 89 octane. Mercury has a warranty on their motors and I go with their recommendation. As Kent stated, regular 85 octane is probably not enough but mid grade or supreme is best. I buy my fuel at Costco and they only sell 85 or 91 so I use the higher grade. Age of motor may be a factor as well since older motors may have more rubber gaskets, o-rings, seals and fuel lines. However, the newer motors are build with the Viton o-rings seals and fuel lines that are impervious to ethanol.
I run non-ethanol gas in all yard power equipment, boat, but occasionally I’ll run ethanol gas in a couple of my vehicles with a higher-octane rating. Boats have an open vented system which in tests indicate a moisture buildup in the tank.
The most important rule to follow if you do put un-treated ethanol laced fuel in your boat, is to not let it sit for more than a month or two.
Burn up that ‘fun juice’ by going fishing!!
As long as I’m doing like Shane says and keep it burned up I’ve been okay with regular fuel, but when I let something sit over the winter or longer, I’ve had gummed up carbs with regular fuel, and if I’m using the blue non ethanol fuel it seems to not have as many issues, so I run regular most of the year, but before stuff will sit, I make sure to use the blue… J
I’ve definitely had fuel issues in my trailer generator due to ethanol fuel. I don’t put that garbage in my boat. I only use the 88 octane at Maverik now.
The only treatment I use is Lucas marine fuel treatment, 3oz per10gal. With my boat garaged when not in use I’ve never had issues with fuel. My boat tank is a 62gal capacity. Whenever it get down 1/4-1/2 tank is when I put fresh gas in. Only run clear gas 88 octane rated mostly from Maverik. Once in a while will pump clear gas 92 in.
I use Seafoam in all fuel used for all of my small engine devices year round except my Mercury Outboard. On Lee’s advice about 7 or 8 years ago, I switched from Seafoam to Starbrite Star Tron Enzyme Formula in my boat. Keeping the fuel stabilized year round with these products has provided me with 100% liability in all of my small engines. And I use 87 octane in all my engines. Hey - it works for me.
Star Tron enzymes minimize the surface tension between fuel and water, reducing the size of molecular H2O clusters and dispersing the water throughout the fuel as sub-micron sized droplets that can be safely eliminated as the engine operates.
If you use Seafoam in all those things that sit idle all winter long, you will eliminate that problem. I buy it in the gallon size and add it to every 5 gallon fuel jug that I use for refueling all those home devices. It’s been working for me for over 20 years. Lawn mower starts and runs fine every spring after sitting for 6 to 7 months.
Dealer told me fine to run the 10% I always use Lucas treatments gas additive. As others mentioned, with older engines there were lots of problems with hoses fuel lines etc. the newer ones were designed to work with newer ethanol blends.
Atv mechanic and rental place in Moab told me if using it regularly running them a lot it’s ok. If it sits even a couple/three weeks he told me there WILL BE lots of issues so during busy season they run it in rentals as things slowed down, they would use ethanol free and or add stabilizers treatments etc!! he said off season when put away use a quality gas stabilizer for sure and it fill with ethanol free.
He said ethanol has been great for repair biz cause it can cause lots of issues!! Gummed up carbs etc..,
