Do you Use Premiun Fuel in the Outboard

[Fisherman]

Sounds like someone grabbed the wrong pair of underwear and things are a little tight and sweaty.

[John]

When I bought my Princecraft and 4st Mercury a couple of years ago I talked to Mercury and they said that they recommend Regular octane gas with quality marine stabilizer. They also said that there were no advantages with using todays Premium (commercially available).

My neighbour runs at least 100 hours a season and has used Regular gas in a 90hp 4st Merc for over 10 years with no hiccups.

[aplumma]

Garnet

 

Actually he did not edit your post he edited a copy of your post the original one was still their for all to read. We have a system were the original can only be modified by a Moderator so do not fret your written word (that follows the rules) will be seen by all. While you are almost correct in your statements and your knowledge is valuable don't take it to heart if people chose not to listen. Debate is encouraged so all views can be seen right or wrong and then people can evaluate the opinions of each and use the info. accordingly. It after all is they who pay the consequences of their actions.

 

Cheers

 

Art

[Raf]

 

What happens is your piston are getting close to TDC (top dead center) and the compression ignites the gas. So your piston is going up when the explosion happens. This breaks valves, burns holes in piston spins bearings and ultimately blows holes in your cylinder walls. Very expensive lessons.

 

Back to running 94 octane in 89 octane motors. Hot Rodders do this stuff by retarding time changing fuel flow and messing with other stuff.

 

Make sure you know what you are doing.

 

Make sure you know what you're saying.

 

In today's motors, running 87 in an engine designed for 91 or higher will not blow it up, melt pistons etc. The ECUs will idiot timing in order for the engine to run safely without pre-ignition/detonation. This comes at the cost of performance when running crap gas. It is a safeguard from poor gas or your wife pouring 87 in your hot rod.

 

Hot rodders advance timing to take advantage of higher test on motors designed to run 87.

[Garnet]

Raf you right. Was just trying to keep it simpler for non gear heads.

 

Unless you want a basket of broken parts just run what the manufacture suggests.

[BFSC Kevin]

So high octane is no good.....

So ethanol is no good........

So best choice is....... 87(my engine's recommendation) octane with sta-bil!

Edited July 6, 2011 by kevin

[davey buoy]

Yes, that is what I gathered to from this interesting debate.

[Fisherman]

The best choice of gas for any particular motor is probably what is written in the manual that comes with the motor when new, or quite often on line for second handers. A quality stabilizer or product that prevents additive(ethanol) separation is also advised. I think as long as you keep your tank(container) sealed from outside air unless underway, will keep out a lot of the moisture. If you use the motor on a regular basis, I don't think there are any worries either. Gas that sits around for any period of time, vent open, etc is more likely to cause you grief. Solution... go fish often.

 

BTW, I wonder how many have really, really have read their motor manual before they flung it in the corner.

Edited July 6, 2011 by Fisherman

[Fish Farmer]

I use what is the cheapest, I just filled for a $1.09 Lt. on the Rezz.. If my gas sits longer than 3 weeks I use Stabilizer.

Why would anyone buy a motor that burns the most expensive gas?

[John]

So high octane is no good.....

So ethanol is no good........

So best choice is....... 87(my engine's recommendation) octane with sta-bil!

 

Ed Zachary

[Billy Bob]

26 years of using premium 91 octane in my 1985 Johnson VRO 50 hp.....and no problems....but wait....several here have told me that Johnson's VRO system is crap and my outboard would seize up without manual mixing my oil.... ....oh well...it just keep purring like new.

[RickOnt]

Ethanol is not an issue if you are using it up! But here in the Great White North we do not have that option! aka. Winter

and in a lot of cases these Marine Motors sit around for some extended periods.

 

So, I am likely gonna use the Mid Grade 89 Octane and 5% Ethanol When its available and if not it will be the Regular with 10% Ethanol.

 

However I am still not sure what I should be using in the Fuel as a Conditioner,Stabilizer,Cleaner?

and should I use it year round or juast at Winterization Time??

 

Rick

[kenzy31]

Hey Rick! Did ya finally pull the trigger on buying a rig? If so good for you!! We should get out for a fish real soon. PM me

[craigdritchie]

This is a real article that Craig Richie should investigate and write.

Thanks - been following it very closely for some time now (among other jobs, I sit on NMMA Canada's board of directors, so it's very much on my personal radar). And, I do write about it. Situation changes on a daily basis though, so it's always a challenge to stay on top of it.

 

Long story short - this won't go away any time soon. And, there's a whole raft of all-new fuel tank legislation coming down the pipe that's indirectly connected. If and when it happens, it will raise the cost of a new boat by $500 to $1,000 right from the get-go. Boat manufacturers are going nuts, and rightly so.

 

Politicians are delighted to hop on the environmental bandwagon right now because they think it's what everyone wants. But there's so much misinformation and just plain bull being spread right now (sorry, mods no problem I fixed it for you ) that some of these politicos are making decisions based on sketchy science and half-truths. E15 gas is just the tip of the iceberg.

[craigdritchie]

All of our mods have a high flash point, low boiling point and 100% use regular unleaded. A few are low maintenance guzzlers.

Gotta love those low maintenance guzzlers, Roy. I have no problem spending more on fluids if it means fewer headaches :-)

[Garnet]

That's great the angle I was thinking was using higher octane than manufacture suggested and how you are wasting money and polluting or water ways more than necessary.

 

Many believe it's a cheap ticket to better performance and better for long term engine life.

 

Find your local speed shop and they will tell lot's.

[misfish]

I run regular in the bayliner. It,s a regular motor after all. I add stabil for piece of mind. Now I have to ask this question,and feel free to call me stupid,it wouldnt be the first time here,but,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

That's great the angle I was thinking was using higher octane than manufacture suggested and how you are wasting money and polluting or water ways more than necessary.

 

 

How is cleaner fuel polluting? Cleaner, is pretty much green to me.

Edited July 7, 2011 by Misfish

[Big Cliff]

Use the grade that your manufacturer reccomends for your motor. Save yourself a lot of money and time trying to out guess the guys that desigined your motor, they might not be the brightest bulbs in the string but they do know what they are talking about when it comes to that motor. (or at least they should)

 

Use a good quality fuel stabilizer. You will stop a lot of problems from ever happening to your entire fuel system. You have a lot of good mechanics on this board, listen to them once in a while!

[aplumma]

I run regular in the bayliner. It,s a regular motor after all. I add stabil for piece of mind. Now I have to ask this question,and feel free to call me stupid,it wouldnt be the first time here,but,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

 

 

How is cleaner fuel polluting? Cleaner, is pretty much green to me.

 

Brian if you have a motor that is out of tune (timing) then it will pollute more due to the fact it is burning the gas at the wrong time and the exhaust port opens and lets raw fuel exit from the exhaust. Now if we increase the octane and make the gas more stable than the manufacturer wants it to be it in effect changes the timing. Now this applies to mainly to the older motors that are not computer regulated which will vary the timing to combat changing conditions and quality of fuel. Now with that said the higher the octane the more you can compress the fuel before it explodes that is why as you modify a engine (raise compression) you need to increase the octane to keep it from knocking. Knocking is were the the explosion happens before the top of the stroke and is actually the motor exploding the piston backwards counter productive to the inertia of the rotational energy of the motor. Stick with the correct octane, add additives that prevent the fuel from breaking down due to contact with air and moisture (marine Sta-bil) and tune the motor when it is not running correctly.

 

Your motor will happy and healthy for many years.

 

Art

[misfish]

Thanks Art.

 

The reason for the sta-bil, is my boat sits for a couple of weeks at a time.Never use to be like that. I was running and gunning fresh fuel every weekend.LOL

[Dutch]

These are not that expensive or hard to install:

 

http://www.marineparts.com/sierra/sierra159.aspx

 

Fuel/water separator.....

[MuskieWannabe]

To continue the thoguhts on Sta-bil, do you guys put it in with each tank or when is everyone adding Sta-bil? I tend to only use it when winterizing but am now just wondering if I should be putting it in on a more regular basis? I usually have the boat out at least once a week so I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are?

 

Thanks

[F7Firecat]

I believe newer motors are built to resist the ethanol in fuels these days, older motors........well i doubt it they are resistant to the ethanol.

 

That being said, use what ever octane the manual says, and use Marine Stabil on EVERY fill up, you will not get fuel separation.

 

This comes right from the guys at Bay City Marine who have sold and serviced a few motors in their day.

[Old Man]

To continue the thoguhts on Sta-bil, do you guys put it in with each tank or when is everyone adding Sta-bil? I tend to only use it when winterizing but am now just wondering if I should be putting it in on a more regular basis? I usually have the boat out at least once a week so I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are?

 

Thanks

 

I use the recommend amount of Marine Grade Stabil with every fill.

[Raf]

To continue the thoguhts on Sta-bil, do you guys put it in with each tank or when is everyone adding Sta-bil? I tend to only use it when winterizing but am now just wondering if I should be putting it in on a more regular basis? I usually have the boat out at least once a week so I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are?

 

Thanks

 

you don't need it if you're going through fuel that quickly. use stabil if you think the fuel will sit for 3-4+ weeks.