Best ethonol additive?

[mike rousseau]

Didn't wanna high jack Billy Bob's thread...

 

 

 

I'm buying a new outboard in the next 2 weeks and was wondering if/what everyone adds to their fuel to combat the effects of ethanol... I wanna make sure this motor lasts as long as possible with minimum issues...

 

 

Also... Are there certain parts that should just be changed every so many years just in case...? Like some kind of ethanol rebuild kit... Kinda like preventative maintenance.... I'd rather spend a bit of $$ here and there during slow times to avoid failure on the water during busy times...

 

 

 

Any other advice is more then welcome....

[GbayGiant]

Part wise, all outboards are made ethanol friendly. The only issues you may have is with water and only if you let it sit for a month with out use at the dock. Sta-bil Marine or sea foam will help with that.

Edited August 5, 2012 by GbayGiant

[Beans]

What about this Phase Four stuff ??? any good ?

[mike rousseau]

I talked to a mechanic that said Canadian tire had a good ethonol additive.... He wasn't very specific tho...

[davey buoy]

I talked to a mechanic that said Canadian tire had a good ethonol additive.... He wasn't very specific tho...

 

Mike I used the CT blue marine one last fall. A little more pricey than the red. No carb clean out in the spring required ,and all the garden toys used the same and not one problem starting or running this spring. Can't be too bad.

[mike rousseau]

Thnx...

 

My Honda is gone now... Working on a new motor right now....

[Wolf 3]

I talked to a mechanic that said Canadian tire had a good ethonol additive.... He wasn't very specific tho...

 

marine sta-bil

 

Cheap insurance...

[davey buoy]

marine sta-bil

 

Cheap insurance...

 

That's it!!!!!!!

[smally21]

i use the stablilizer as well. its likely ill never know if it helped or not. your new motor will be able to handle ethanol with no issues - been built this way for years. its not the ethanol thats the problem its the introduction of water..do your best to keep the water out!

 

enjoy the new motor.

[UglyBug]

I only use Bio-bore and Seafoam. I use the Seafoam all season long as I fill up,and the Bio-Bore last tank of the year. Works like a charm

 

 

Thnx...

 

My Honda is gone now... Working on a new motor right now....

[UglyBug]

Actually it is the ethanol that's the problem. Even on the new motors ethanol kills the fuel hose thru out the motor so it has to be dealt with. A water separator will deal with water in the fuel that leads to performance issues but not the fact that ethanol is bad for the engine.

 

i use the stablilizer as well. its likely ill never know if it helped or not. your new motor will be able to handle ethanol with no issues - been built this way for years. its not the ethanol thats the problem its the introduction of water..do your best to keep the water out!

 

enjoy the new motor.

Edited August 5, 2012 by UglyBug

[bucktail]

Its easy, Shell Gold 0% ethanol, then you dont have to worry.

[jeffw]

the ethanol issue has most people misinformed. Ethanol will increase performance and doeso't cause damage to internal parts or hoses. Ethanol becomes corrosive when mixed with water and that is when people start having issues with there motors. Most people don't read the stickers on the pumps clearly. The stickers state may contain up to not does contain. All super gas is ethanol free and as long as no water or condensation gets in your fuel you will not have any problems. Cheers Jeff

Edited August 6, 2012 by jeffw

[smally21]

thank you jeffw that was my point as well. modern fuel lines are built with ethanol in mind. the corrosive qualities are a result of mixing with water.

 

the reason to eliminate water is twofold, one for its performance robbing qualites and second for its harmful collaboration with ethanol.

 

with the difficulties it has caused people (when combined with water, or on an older system) i do understand why one would take steps to eliminate water or choose to use ethanol free fuel.

Edited August 6, 2012 by smally21

[bigbuck]

Ethanol is here to stay and you'll see it everywhere over the next couple of years. All new engines and fuel systems are built with ethanol resistant hoses and seals. As for additives, run stabil in your last tank of fuel for the year and don't worry. Ethanol is a solvent and will keep the fuel system clean. It only becomes a problem when it gets old. That means 6+ months. If treated for the winter, no worries.

[bigbuck]

Ethanol is here to stay and you'll see it everywhere over the next couple of years. All new engines and fuel systems are built with ethanol resistant hoses and seals. As for additives, run stabil in your last tank of fuel for the year and don't worry. Ethanol is a solvent and will keep the fuel system clean. It only becomes a problem when it gets old. That means 6+ months. If treated for the winter, no worries.

[SirCranksalot]

All super gas is ethanol free and as long as no water or condensation gets in your fuel you will not have any problems. Cheers Jeff

 

Apparently not true. My understanding is that PetroCan Ultra 94 has ethanol.

 

From their website:

 

 

• Ethanol-blended gasoline

 

Ethanol-blended gasoline is a fuel that typically contains up to 10% ethanol in unleaded gasoline. We use ethanol in our gasoline where legislation requires its use and where conditions warrant. The Federal Government has regulated that motor gasoline sold in Canada after Sept. 1, 2010 must contain an annual pool average of 5% ethanol. Different provincial mandates also exist, some with higher ethanol pool requirements.

Because of these mandates, most grades of Petro-Canada fuel may now contain up to 10% ethanol. This represents a change from the previous state, where premium fuel was ethanol-free at Petro-Canada. To find out if ethanol-blended gasoline is sold at a station look for the yellow labels in the pump area indicating that the fuel may contain a maximum of 10% ethanol.

Edited August 6, 2012 by Knuguy

[jeffw]

i work for a petrocanada marketer and have spoken with several people from the head office and have been told that the only grades that have ethanol are regular and mid grade. Also ethanol is blot more expensive and is usually under 3%. Cheers Jeff

[Raf]

jeffw you info is outdated or incorrect and if you work for a petrocanada marketer then you are out of work.

 

suncor owns petrocanada now and all grades of their (sunoco) fuel contain ethanol. only shell premium is ethanol free.

[SirCranksalot]

i work for a petrocanada marketer and have spoken with several people from the head office and have been told that the only grades that have ethanol are regular and mid grade. Also ethanol is blot more expensive and is usually under 3%. Cheers Jeff

 

Yeah, well, what I posted above is directly quoted from their official website---'nuff sed?

[Another Canadian]

I had problems with my boat last year on vacation. I use Esso regular grade gas as it is typically convenient for me. My motor was surging and could not get up on plane. Called my mechanic and he immediately said water in the gas from the ethanol. I went to the local marina and got a medium sized bottle of the Startron and dumped the entire bottle in.

http://mystarbrite.com/startron//content/view/14/37/lang,en/

 

Ran it for about 15 minutes and it started to clear up the problems, not immediate but got much better and eventually cleared up.

 

This year, the Shell station by me was under renovation so I could not get the "No ethanol" Shell gas. (I switched over last year after my problems). I have though been dutifully adding the Startron to the Esso regular gas and have not had any problems.

 

I am not sure one method is cheaper than another, but the Startron appears to work. It is available at most marina's and Canadian Tire in the boating section.

 

Bill

[bare foot wader]

I had problems with my boat last year on vacation. I use Esso regular grade gas as it is typically convenient for me. My motor was surging and could not get up on plane. Called my mechanic and he immediately said water in the gas from the ethanol. I went to the local marina and got a medium sized bottle of the Startron and dumped the entire bottle in.

http://mystarbrite.com/startron//content/view/14/37/lang,en/

 

Ran it for about 15 minutes and it started to clear up the problems, not immediate but got much better and eventually cleared up.

 

This year, the Shell station by me was under renovation so I could not get the "No ethanol" Shell gas. (I switched over last year after my problems). I have though been dutifully adding the Startron to the Esso regular gas and have not had any problems.

 

I am not sure one method is cheaper than another, but the Startron appears to work. It is available at most marina's and Canadian Tire in the boating section.

 

Bill

 

 

 

Thanks for that reply, very interesting, I'm experiencing a similar thing right now...local shell is closed for reno's and paving the lot, I try to run shell 91 or chevron 91 and top speed is 41-43 on gps and dash guage

 

past few weeks(3 tanks @ 20 gallons) i've been running gas with ethanol, my top speed has dropped to 36/37...would 3 tanks of ethanol cause that result? I'll be buying some seafoam regardless now

[hirk]

The drop in speed would be due to air temps, load, water condtitions but not your gas.High temps/humidity will kill your performance.

[bare foot wader]

boat load, water conditions, wind, temperature have all been relatively the same....boat load unchanged, exact same in the boat every trip....weather has been stable, maybe a few degrees difference but not drastic....it seems like every trip i drop a tiny bit of mph

 

a month ago i could hit low 40 no problem in chop, last night on glass i was only just breaking 35

 

not a speed demon by any means, just making sure there's not another problem

[hirk]

Boat are faster in chop, there is less drag on the hull (water has more resistance than air) so you answered your question right there.