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This section is dedicated to providing information sources, re the topic, while the middle column provides product information.
Marine Engine is dedicated to engines and has a vast supply of information plus a discussion board where you can ask fuel related questions.
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Leonard Voyagers Handbook |
Fuel News
Gasoline & E -10 Gasoline The RNLI, Sea Tow, USCG and many organizations will tell you that the most calls they get for assistance start by being engine related. They will also tell you that 90% of engine failures are due to Fuel issues. Bad Fuel is not a inconvenience issue it is a safety issue. Most gasoline users are owners of sport fishing and center console boats that use outboard engines. Article overview and quick links Steps to take to help your engine get good fuel
Additional information What is E-10 gasoline and what are the issues. Increasingly you will find gasoline labeled E-10. This is government mandated to decrease US dependence on foreign oil, and reduce carbon monoxide emissions by 20 %. There is a move afoot to further increase Ethanol levels to 15% which would not be good for the boating industry and boaters as engines are not designed for more than 10% Ethanol. Use this link to find out more E10, Is a gasoline blended with up to 10 % ethanol alcohol and is now in widespread use in the U.S. Ethanol, ethyl alcohol, is made from corn, sugar and other grains E-10's use in boats is State dependant. Here is the American coalition for Ethanol site. On the East Coast, MD and VA and points north use E-10 while NC uses pure gasoline. On the West Coast. Hawaii, uses E-10 while the Midwest has been using E-10 for over a decade. The main issues with E-10 are :
Florida boater sues oil companies over ethanol with eye to class action suit
Inspect your tank and if you have any doubts clean it. This will get rid of any water and contaminates before you fill up with good fuel. Mobile services are available to clean your tanks. They are commonly know as Fuel polishing services. They come and pump the fuel in your tanks through a filtration system. This can give you clean Fuel at the beginning of the season. Quality Yacht Services Marine Fuel System is a company based in Florida covering the Florida Keys, that is an example of a tank cleaning service. They will clean gasoline as well as Diesel tanks. Check your local area for a similar service. Petro scrub offers Fuel tank filtering and cleaning on the east Coast US.
Buy Fuel from a reliable source, that you can be confident in. If you have an source unknown to you check the fuel. Pour some fuel in a container and let it settle. Water and dirt will settle to the bottom. If you see either, filter the fuel before it goes into the tank, or better yet, buy your fuel somewhere else. Or use one of these filters. This is your first defense. West Marine West Marine Filter available here;
Fuel Filter Funnels Medium Funnel - 3.5GPM, 8-3/4 inchH x 5-1/2 inchDia., 100 Micron
Disposable funnel for spill free fueling or oil fill. The above filters can remove
water and solids down to .005 inch but cannot remove emulsified water. For
the you will need a turbine type water separator (like the Racor spin on
). Because Ethanol is a great solvent is going to dissolve many of the contaminants in your tank, maybe even the tank itself. These small particles are going to find their way into your fuel system. Have spare filters. Its recommended that you install a 10 micron fuel filter. When using E-10 to begin with you may go thru a few filters as the contaminants go thru the system. At some point the tanks will end up clean and you should then be OK.
Yamaha designed your outboard, and we know what it takes to protect it. Our new 10-Micron Fuel Filters filter out contaminants and separate water from the fuel, ahead of the onboard filters and injectors. They have a high-performance flow rate and a much larger filtering surface than other filters on the market, and they’re manufactured to strict Yamaha standards.
Suzuki, Mercury Marine mercury say all their new outboard engines have the required filters, Evinrude
Fuel filter water separator
Fuel filters are not enough these days and it best to look at a Fuel filter water separator.
Spin-On Series Gasoline Fuel Filter/Water Separators
Racor's famous Aquabloc® filter media separates water into the bottom of the drain bowl and ensures virtually 100% removal of water and solid contaminants. Filters come in different sizes for gasoline engines and any rate of fuel flow. Designed for use on the suction side of pump. All filters feature a die-cast aluminum head which is anodized and painted. See-thru bowls allow easy visual inspection for water; metal bowls are recommended for use in areas of high heat and are required by the US Coast Guard on gas inboards. Standard filter size is 10 micron. Standard pipe-to-hose barbs are used for installation.
Fuel Stabilizers slow phase separation, but will not stop it. If you are in season and are regularly using fuel and refilling your tanks you will not suffer phase separation. Phase separation occurs when fuel sits unused. Fuel Stabilizers provide stabilizing chemistry and are needed when fuel sits for extended periods. Phase separation (when water separates from the fuel and drags the ethanol with it) typically occurs when tanks are 1/4-1/2 full. So keep the tanks 90-95% full and stabilize.Check your engine manufacturer for their recommendations. Here is Mercury Marine from the Mercury marine site. What should be done when storing boats with ethanol-blended fuels for extended periods? Mercury Marine Fuel System Treatment & Stabilizer can help maintain fuel systems in storage. It contains oxidation inhibitors to reduce oxidation and gum formation, metal chelating agents to protect metal components from corrosion, water absorbing agents to reduce the presence of free water, and dispersants to help suspend and disperse debris. Mercury Marine fuel system treatment & stabilizer
Specially formulated to prevent ethanol and non-ethanol gasoline related
problems. ValvTect Marine Gasoline Ethanol Treatment is designed to
stabilize fuel up to one year, prevent octane loss, control moisture,
prevent phase separation, prevent corrosion, clean up carbon deposits
and reduce fuel consumption. 12oz. bottle treats 120 gallons.
StarTron
Star*Tron
is an enzyme-based additive for gas or diesel fuels that solves a host of
fuel-related problems. Stabilizes gas for short and long term periods of
inactivity (up to one year) while preventing the formation of varnish.
Eliminates carbon buildup in fuel delivery system and exhaust
components. Increases octane and removes water from the fuel, making it
the perfect solution to prevent and eliminate ethanol (E-10) fuel
problems. Eight ounces treats 128 gallons of gas.
Your boat or RV sits. The
fuel goes bad. And you're facing major expenses getting things back in
shape. Protect your treasured investment and your pocketbook against the
costly effects of fuel system gum and varnish. Fuel stabilizer keeps fuel fresh for quick, easy starts after storage. Removes water to prevent corrosion and cleans carburetors and fuel injectors STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer is safe to use in all gasoline's, including gasoline/oil mixtures and ethanol blends (including gasoline with up to 10% ethanol)
Water separation or phase separation As we have seen Phase separation occurs when water separates from the fuel and drags the ethanol with it to the bottom of the tank. This typically happens when the water in the fuel gets to be 0.5% or more. If you have fuel that has sat for 60-90 days and it contains more than the above level of water then the fuel should probably get discarded. To stop this happening keep tanks full, add stabilizers and keep water out or well below that 0.5% level.. If you have suspect Fuell. Pour some fuel in a container and let it settle, the water and contaminants will settle
Alternate ways of Removing Water
CQip wins innovation award for its new Super Soaker a device bag type device that sinks to the bottom of the Fuel tank and soaks up water. The super soaker absorbs water from beneath the fuel. Tie off the
Driving Ethanol Boating tips BOATUS "we have found that once the transition to E-10 is complete and the first few tanks of ethanol enriched fuel are run through the system, the issues with E-10 are manageable" says Bob Adriance, Technical advisor with BoatUS. "we also seen that owners who use their boats frequently and cycle through fuel have less problems than those that are only occasionally used" BoatUS article on E-10 Autobloggreen How to avoid hassles when using E10 in marine motors.
Most manufacturers will warrant the use of E-10 fuel, but not more than E-10 fuel. It is therefore important to know if the ethanol fuel you are using it truly E-10.
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