Is Ethanol fee gas still available?

[captpierre]

Not sure if this has been discussed already. 
I’m hearing Shell, Esso and Costco premium fuels are no longer ethanol free 😳

[dave524]

Costco yesterday at Winona the high test said up to 10%

[OhioFisherman]

https://www.pure-gas.org/

no idea of the accuracy?

 

[jordyn1976]

Yes, it's true that Shell, Esso, and Costco premium fuels now contain ethanol. However, there are still some gas stations offering ethanol-free gas, like Pioneer and some independent stations.

[RickOnt]

I can confirm ESSO regular, mid grade and premium are all

up to 10% ethanol.  As of today

[CrowMan]

The premium at the Tyendinaga First Nation's stations is ethanol free. At least that was stated on the sign at the pump 2 days ago. Not sure about other FN locations around the Province, but I believe they all get it from the same refinery. 

[akaShag]

Say it ain't true!!!!!  I have burned Shell Hi-test in all my outboards, generators, chain saws, etc etc for decades!

Doug

[porkpie]

Word on this street is yeah.  I called both shells near to me, one said no ethanol in hi test, the other one said yes ethanol.  I don’t know who to believe.

[Terry]

The following gasoline brands in Canada are ethanol-free:

• Shell 91.
• Esso 91.
• Chevron Supreme Plus 94 (in some locations)
• Ultramar Ultra 91.
• Husky 91.
• Petro-Canada 91.

Apr 4, 2023

found on Google 

[captpierre]

30 minutes ago, Terry said:

The following gasoline brands in Canada are ethanol-free:

• Shell 91.
• Esso 91.
• Chevron Supreme Plus 94 (in some locations)
• Ultramar Ultra 91.
• Husky 91.
• Petro-Canada 91.

Apr 4, 2023

found on Google 

Not anymore apparently 

[Terry]

It was posted on April 4 2023 

but it’s on the internet and I sure people don’t lie on the interweb 

[CrowMan]

From the horse's mouth:

Enquiry: Ethanol content in V-Power gasoline
Response:
Good morning, Starting in 2022, all gasoline grades sold in Canada will be blended with ethanol, including premium gasoline (V-Power 91 and 93) according to proposed regulations (10% ethanol Federal Clean Fuel Regulation for 2022, Low Carbon Fuel Requirements and need to reduce the carbon intensity of fossil fuels, which ethanol is one mechanism to reduce carbon intensity).
All the provinces are switching slowly, and If you see the label at the pump, “Gasoline may contain up to 10% Ethanol” is already happening.

Regards, Sylvie Martin Shell Canada,
Technical Support Email: [email protected]

[AKRISONER]

Lol these guys really want to kill the ICB, even funnier is they are trying to kill our motors when electric options aren’t even on the market yet. 

[kickingfrog]

Well that's disappointing. I've only used Shell premium for my boat and mower. What additives do you guys use for your boats and lawnmowers? I use STP fuel stabilizer and marine stabilizer even with the high test fuel.

[John Bacon]

I have read that ethanol is now mandatory for all gasoline.  There may be an exception for marine fuels, but even if that's true, I am not the refineries would bother for such a small market.

I have also read that there are additives that can alleviate some of the problems with ethanol fuels.

 

[Weeds]

Tru-Fuel still ethanol free but not like you’d want to fill up anything other than a small tank with it. 

[irishfield]

Well... I made certain my 8 cans of Premium from CTC Midland were corn free on Friday before putting them in my cars !

It's as easy as putting an inch of water in a jar, marking the level and topping with gas. If the "water line" moves up it has ethanol in it.

 

[Spiel]

My 2006 Merc EFI 75~4 stroke clearly states in the owners manual not to run anything over 87 octane, given that ethanol free is not an option in that grade I had my marine mechanic install a fuel/water separator on the gas line just ahead of the engine, many years ago. That along with always using stabilizer I've never had an issue and last year I was running on 3 year old gas without a hiccup for a better part of the summer. I believe it was money well spent.




 

[CrowMan]

On 5/13/2023 at 3:41 PM, kickingfrog said:

 What additives do you guys use for your boats and lawnmowers? 

I like either StarTron or SeaFoam.

[BillM]

Good call Chris, I run a water/fuel separator on my Yami's.   Give me a little bit peace of mind.  Change it at the start of each season is cheap insurance.

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by BillM

[Rattletrap2]

On 5/13/2023 at 10:52 PM, irishfield said:

Well... I made certain my 8 cans of Premium from CTC Midland were corn free on Friday before putting them in my cars !

It's as easy as putting an inch of water in a jar, marking the level and topping with gas. If the "water line" moves up it has ethanol in it.

 

I tested the last Shell Premium 91 that I bought this past winter and it was ethanol free still, but I am afraid this will change. Canadian government made it mandatory that all grades must contain ethanol. What a pain!

[Rattletrap2]

On 5/14/2023 at 12:27 PM, Spiel said:

My 2006 Merc EFI 75~4 stroke clearly states in the owners manual not to run anything over 87 octane, given that ethanol free is not an option in that grade I had my marine mechanic install a fuel/water separator on the gas line just ahead of the engine, many years ago. That along with always using stabilizer I've never had an issue and last year I was running on 3 year old gas without a hiccup for a better part of the summer. I believe it was money well spent.




 

Spiel, I am with you on this! When I bought my new Yamaha 4 stroke back in 2017, the Dealer made it very clear that i should not use anything above 87 octane. He explained the reasoning and it made perfect sense, but I am old now and cannot remember it well enough to repeat! LOL I was told by a very good marine mechanic that worked on my old 1987 Mercury 2 stroke, that i should run premium non-ethanol gas in my last tank of the year. That reason was just to keep the ethanol out of the carbs over the winter.

[AKRISONER]

19 hours ago, Rattletrap2 said:

Spiel, I am with you on this! When I bought my new Yamaha 4 stroke back in 2017, the Dealer made it very clear that i should not use anything above 87 octane. He explained the reasoning and it made perfect sense, but I am old now and cannot remember it well enough to repeat! LOL I was told by a very good marine mechanic that worked on my old 1987 Mercury 2 stroke, that i should run premium non-ethanol gas in my last tank of the year. That reason was just to keep the ethanol out of the carbs over the winter.

Id you’ve ever had the pleasure of rebuilding/cleaning a carb you’d be blown away at how bad ethanol sitting in the float chamber can corrode and destroy your carb. 
 

I always wondered if it was just hearsay or preventative to a point, and then I learned to take a carb apart on my old Suzuki and I was blown away at the damage done by ethanol

[CrowMan]

Just Google images of "carburetors damaged by ethanol"....jeez just nasty

[akaShag]

OK guys, I used up all my testosterone making babies, growing hair all over my body, and learning how to hunt, fish, and shoot.  I did not have any left over for learning how to fix stuff.  Like, I might be able to check the oil in my outboard, but right now I don't think I have ever removed the cover.............

SO>>>>>what can a non-technical boat owner do to protect their outboard from the ravages of ethanol?  I did have a fuel/water separator in my big water boat, for the stern drive motor.  Should I have one installed on this one?  The motor is a fairly new (2020) Yamaha 40 hp 4-stroke with very low hours.  And is there an additive I should be using, all the time, to every tank of Shell High Test?

Advice would be appreciated.

Doug