Ethanol gas problems

[Broadhorizons]

Since I saw the other post for a treatment for ethanol fuel, it got me thinking.....

Will ethanol fuel harm a Mercruiser motor from the mid 90's? I know it plays havoc on the chainsaws and other equipment until we change the rubber hoses. I'm working on the purchase of an I/O and would be trailering it mostly. I can not think of a gas station within 20 miles of home that does not have ethanol fuel. I also assume that Marion Manor and Snug Harbor both also have ethanol fuel at the dock too (they are Oneida Indian Enterprises and all the Sav-on gas stations have ethanol).

Is this something to be concerned with? Is there any treatment I could use if I have to use ethanol fuel?

Thanks, Andy

[Rocky Maxwell]

Ask them how much ethanol is in the gas. I used to fuel my old boat, 1987 merc alpha 1 130hp at the Sav-on near Marion Manor with no problems. With my new boat, 150hp evinrude, dealer told me to stay away from Fastrac due to ethanol, which is 10%. I have fueled my new boat at the San-on with no issues.

Gas stations are suppose to indicate on the pump how much ethanol is in the gas, but can't tell you if the Oneida Indians stations show this information.

[jimski2]

Check the owner's manual to see if 89 Octane rating fuel is needed, if it is, then 87 Octane will cause damage.

[rolmops]

The ethanol may dry up some hoses,but that is not the main problem.Ethanol loosens up the dirt in your fuel tank and you will have to check your filters regularly.If you do not have filters,the dirt that is loosened up will clog your jets. If you have a fiber glass fuel tank you are in trouble.

[jimski2]

I filled two six gallon plastic tanks with e-10 gasoline last September. Tha vents were closed and I did not add any stabilizer. My boat ran well with the old gasoline this year. I think the sealing of the vents preventing the exchange of moist air and the condensation of water with the fuel. Tthe plastic tanks have the ability to flex with pressure from the air temperature changes. One time last summer, I forgot to open the vent and the motor stopped. The plastic tank shrank down to half its size, but when I opened the vent, it quickly popped back to its original shape. Another thing is to only put 6 gallons of gasoline in the empty tank because you need room for expansion due to temperature change. Do not "top them off" as this is bad and you will argue with the gas station attendant that their pumps are wrong and you are being cheated because you put 7 gallons of gas in a 6 gallon tank.

[skipper19]

Tank in the bilge where it gets cold from lake then warm from out of the lake and back and forth will cause condensation and the alcohol sticks to the water and phases out and drops to the bottom of the tank leaving a high concentration of alcohol and water sitting in the bottom of the tank. That off course is where the draw is in the tank...in the bottom. So if you leave the boat sitting for a period of a week or more there's some problems with that association of cold to warm and back again. To combat this and to protect engines especially two strokes I have religiously used Lucas fuel additive as the instructions say and have never had a problem with the pump gas (87 octane) from the stations on the street. Just a precaution and it serves to help lubricate the upper cylinder and clean injectors as well. Good Stuff.

Mark