Ethanol has been around for over 100 years today, more than 97 percent of the gasoline in the USA contains ethanol. The most common in the dorm of E10 a blend that contains 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent ethanol.
This form of alcohol is produced from the fermentation of natural products, like sugarcane and corn. Simply put, ethanol is a glorified version of moonshine, pure alcohol 200 proof. Think about this for a second it is alcohol so strong that they can mix it with gasoline and fuel your engine with it. It is mass-produced and used mainly in the USA and brazil.
Resent ethanol industry began in the ’70s when there were concerns about the impact on the environment by leaded gasoline, and also the price of petroleum-based fuel became very expensive. Fast-forward to today it is now very hard to find ethanol-free fuel. You can usually see it labeled as E10 witch means 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline and most recently E15 witch means 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline.
This is not a problem for the car industry since they have adapted their engines, materials, and method of manufacturing, but it is a little more complicated for the boat industry. I’m going to share what I have learned the hard way and some trough asking friends and doing my research
Reasons To Say No To Ethanol
1- Ethanol is a powerful solvent that has been mixed with your fuel. Ethanol can slowly but surely dissolve your fiberglass tank, and the small particles go into your engine and damage it. It can also cause the fuel tank to start leaking. Even if the boat companies no longer manufacture fiberglass fuel tanks, there are still tons of them left, especially boats built before the 80s.
2- It can dissolve more than fiberglass. It can damage rubber fuel lines and plastic connectors and other parts of your fuel system. This is really bad and can result in some serious problems and even leave you stranded in the middle of the water.
3- Ethanol naturally likes to attract water. Which is why it has the scientific name of hygroscopic, simply put means that ethanol is a magnet for water and that water comes from condensation or rain or other sources. Because we are talking about a boat that remains in the water for long periods, that water will eventually be mix with the fuel and damage your engine.
For the past 10 years or more, the marine industry has designed engines to run on E10, which gives you a little peace of mind. However, you should never fill your tank up with E15. Mercury marine says that “the fuel that contains higher proportions of ethanol is not compatible with many fuel systems and engine components. If mistakenly used, will cause irreversible damage to these components that will lead to engine failure and potential safety risksâ€.
Preventing or reducing the damage of ethanol in your engine
1- Use the fuel fast
Do not let ethanol fuel sit in your tank for more than 90 days. Phase separation can occur, which is when ethanol and water separate from the gasoline and sit at the bottom of the fuel tank. Depending on many factors, this water can get into the engine causing irreparable damages. If you have to use E10 on your boat, make sure to get what you need if that’s the last time you take your boat out for the season.
2- Routine inspection
You should visually check all of your fuel components regularly. Inspect houses fittings connections, fuel tank for any leaks or for any signs of deterioration on any of your components. Also, look for any signs of water in your fuel tank. Keeping everything properly inspected will ensure you have a fun day on the water doing what you love. At the end of the day, you’ll have a bigger chance to make back safe and happy.
3- Inspect, clean or replace the fuel filter
The fuel filter is your last defense against any residue that can be mixed with your fuel. You want to make sure that the filter is in excellent condition and do its job, which prevents anything unwanted from getting into your engine and cause you problems.
4- Add a fuel treatment
There is a lot of fuel stabilizers on the market that claims to help prevent the deterioration of fuel. Do your research there are too many different fuel treatment, and there are even more types of fuel. Make sure that you get the right treatment for the right fuel. And even then this is only a temporary solution because the fuel is going to break down eventually. Do your research and use at your own risk.
In conclusion, I know that sometimes it is hard maybe an inconvenience because you have to go out of your way to go to that gas station that offers ethanol-free fuel. I also know that this fuel is more expensive than the regular E10 fuel. But believe me, the price of fuel is nothing compared to the cost of a weekend ruined because you wanted to save a few dollars on fuel. My advice to you is save yourself the headache and if possible, run only ethanol-free fuel on your boat. This way you don’t have to worry about this fuel ruining your engine or having to add additives to the fuel. Nor do you have to worry about the amount of fuel that you put in your boat so at the end of the day there is not too much fuel left in the tank. Or all of the complications that come with ethanol fuel.