Anybody know of problems with running 10% ethanol in an outboard.
Ethanol and fuel economy?
Ethanol and Small Engines Fact Sheet Q#1: Can I use ethanol in my ATV and chainsaw? Yes. A 10% ethanol blend may be used anywhere that unleaded gasoline is used. Q#2: If ethanol can be used in outboard motors, why do some of the owners manuals say not to use it? When these cautionary statements were first put in the owners manuals, there was confusion with methanol, and also a concern about the quality control of ethanol, which was produced by a brand-new and rapidly growing industry. Since boats are usually in close proximity to water and often stored outside, there was concern about "phase separation" if the fuel was contaminated with excessive water. Marine motor manufacturers now approve the use of 10% ethanol blend for outboard motors. Q#3: What testing has been done with ethanol in small engines?
A number of tests have been done. One of them was done at the Lake Area Vo-Tech at Watertown, South Dakota; where they put a lifetime of use on seven different models of small utility equipment. They acquired matched sets of each of the seven models, and ran one on an ethanol blend and the other on an unleaded gasoline. After each test, each motor was torn down for laboratory analysis. The most significant difference was that the ethanol blend engines had slightly fewer carbon deposits. The Detroit Lakes Technical College at Detroit Lakes, Minnesota studied the "Hydroscopic effects of a marine environment on ethanol blended gasoline", and concluded that the amount of water an ethanol blended gasoline will absorb from the atmosphere is minimal, and should not be a concern. Q#4: What is phase separation? When a 10% ethanol blend is contaminated with over 0.5% water, the ethanol and water mixture will separate from the gasoline and fall to the bottom of the gas tank. This is an inconvenience, because the fuel system must then be drained and new fuel added. Before using ethanol-blended fuel for the first time in an older small engine, it is recommended that all water be removed from the tank. Since many outboard motor carburetor problems result from water in the fuel system, continuous use of an ethanol blend can prevent water accumulation and unnecessary maintenance. Q#5: Will two-cycle oil separate from an ethanol-blended gasoline? No, once properly mixed, all approved two-cycle oils will remain in solution with an ethanol-blended gasoline. Q#6: Does ethanol make gasoline go bad in storage? No! Storage problems are primarily caused by the storage conditions and the chemical composition of the gasoline itself. Whether you use ethanol blends or not, avoid carrying gasoline over from one season to the next. Dont fill a storage tank at the end of the season. Try to run the tank dry in your seasonal equipment before it is time for storage. Phone Manitoba Ethanol Office at 945-EGAS or toll free at 800-945-8299 ext. 3427 for more information. You can also reach us by email at ethanol@gov.mb.ca
I had heard of the water concern Q#2 but it sounds like they address it in Q#4 and even say that continued use is good because it keeps water from accumulating. With automobiles I've been told that mpg will decrease by about 10% using ethanol compared to non-ethanol gasoline.
With automobiles I've been told that mpg will decrease by about 10% using ethanol compared to non-ethanol gasoline.
Though I'm not a proponent of ethanol, there's no way a 10% ethanol blend will cause a 10% mileage penalty. A 10% penalty could only occur if you removed 10% of the gasoline and substituted - nothing.
There's a pretty decent penalty for vehicles burning E85 (85% ethanol); 20-25%. The penalty for 10% ethanol ought to be about 2-3%.
I think you're right Chip. It was my mechanic that said it but now that I think of it, he actually said that oxygenated fuels in Colorado reduce the mileage by 10%. I'm not sure that this is correct; my mpg seems to be fine in the winter when they switch over.
The penalty for 10% ethanol ought to be about 2-3%.
making a measurement of a difference in mpg this small is tough to do ....see posts on the mileage thread in Trailers and Towing for example
Boy, I need to go sailing soon...65F in upstate NY this weekend, and Im itching to get the boats out. Did get the Seagulls out and fired up this morning and got an early start on killing all the bugs...
Edit - cleaned up formatting error
Last edited by Catigale on Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Anything's better than MTBE. I wonder if the industry has finally gotten rid of that stuff. I see ethanol added now on the little pump signs, instead of MTBE?
The only time Id add ethanol to my fuel would be for questionable water contamination in my fuel tank or supply lines. The ethanol mixes with the water, and aids in its ability to burn it. (see fuel additives like HEET etc.) Im assuming that ethanol & methanol are similar, which if true, can damage aluminum parts. When I raced, we ran straight methanol. Great performance, but anything aluminum had to be flushed with straight gasoline to preserve the parts (fuel pumps, carbs, manifolds). If parts were left un-flushed or purged, they would develop powdery coatings on all the aluminum by morning, and the rubber gaskets and seals would harden up. Carbs and fuel pumps had a reduced life, as the fuel was slowly eating the metal and rubber components. Now keep in mind that this was using 100% methanol. I cant see much damage in 10% quantities.
In my manual for the Honda 50 it tells you not to use ethanol fuels. I am not sure what is there reasoning but that would put me off using them at all unless I am just trying to clear water out of the fuel lines, etc.
In Wisconsin, the legistlature voted on a bill mandating 10% ethanol in all gasoline sold in the state. The bill failed but I wouldn't be surprised to see it pass someday. Also, the local Kwik Trip only sells fuel with 10% ethanol.
