Gas Pains

Written by Snook Foundation | 02 December 2008

Ethanol Gasoline Harming Boat Engines

Capt Jim Bandy, SW Florida Regional Manager of Port Supply a Division of West Marine estimates based on reports from his marine industry customers that 80% of new marine engine problems are fuel related and are due to ethanol additives

Because many boaters use older engines which were not designed to run on blended fuels, they may wish to avoid any gasoline blends with ethanol. Gas alcohol levels above 10 percent can cause major damage to most engines. However, there is at least one sure fire remedy.

(Article excerpt NaplesNews.com)

There's an ailment afflicting boats in Florida and elsewhere with symptoms of poor performance and clogged fuel systems.

The problems may be staved off by preventive measures, but boat owners caught off guard may face repairs that can cost hundreds of dollars -- or even thousands.

The culprit is ethanol in gasoline, required in Florida following passage of a law this past spring that gasoline contain 10 percent ethanol, which is called E10 fuel, by the end of 2010. A half-dozen other states have similar laws.

By early summer, gas stations statewide began receiving E10 fuel. Notices on pumps say the gas can contain 10 percent ethanol or less.

Marinas and airports are exempt and can sell ethanol-free gas. But since spring until recently, many marinas had no choice but to accept E10 fuel. Apart from that, many people with boats on trailers pull up at the gas station or fill portable gas tanks for cheaper fuel, unwittingly setting themselves up for potential disaster.

Ethanol is alcohol, and one characteristic of alcohol is that it attracts water, and therefore pulls moisture into vented fuel tanks in boats. If the E10 fuel sits long enough, the water and ethanol separate from the gas, and can cause poor engine performance and damage the fuel system.

A second and equally damaging trait of alcohol for boats is that it is a solvent. The ethanol loosens fuel varnish build-up and rust in the fuel tank and that gunk gets carried into the fuel system, potentially clogging and damaging parts, such as carburetors and fuel injectors. Read Full Article by Liz Freeman, Naples Daily News

Prevent Costly Repairs

Jim Bandy, of Port Supply-West Marine, speaking to the Gulf Cove Fishing Club last night about preventing problems from ethanol gasoline in marine engines, gave these tips:

• Replace gas lines with new lines marked 'alcohol',
• Empty gas tanks after each trip.
• Keep extra filters available and check filters frequently to see if they are getting clogged (ethanol gasoline 'cleans' your tanks, lines and engine and the debris will quickly clog most filters)
• The fuel additive StarTron has been reported effective for reducing harmful effects of ethanol gasoline on marine engines. (product available online and at West Marine stores)

"We're seeing one or two people a day come in," said Glen Harris, parts manager at Naples Boat Mart on Airport-Pulling Road. "And a lot of the local people."

Ethanol-blended gas hit service stations in the spring and early summer, so local boaters were the first to fill up portable gas tanks from gas stations with E10. They were the first to experience problems, he said.

"It hit me and I do everything I was supposed to do right but ethanol got to me," Harris said. "A lot of people don't believe you at first." He anticipates winter residents returning now and getting boats out of storage will be the next group to experience problems.

"I expect it's going to cause some problems to all boaters," said Scott Rush, with San Carlos Marine near downtown Fort Myers. "It's 30 percent of the repair work we have right now."

When E10 gas sits in a boat's fuel tank for a while, the ethanol attracts water into the vented fuel tank. The ethanol and water sinks to the bottom and the gasoline sits on top, called phase separation.

When fuel is picked up from the bottom of the tank, the fuel system gets water and ethanol first, said Dillon Kaestner, general manager of Matanzas Marine on Fort Myers Beach.

"You get poor performance and start burning spark plugs," he said. "You might pull just enough gas in to idle and run but when you go to throttle, it won 't run."

There is less chance of phase separation occurring in car gas tanks because people drive their cars frequently and use up the gas. Just as boats may sit and the separation of the gas and ethanol in the tanks can lead to problems, there are reports that homeowners are facing similar problems with their lawn equipment.

Fuel Testing

• Gas alcohol levels above 10 percent can cause major damage to most engines. Inexpensive portable Ethanol Alcohol Fuel Test Kits are now available for public and can be purchased online.
• Take a gas sample to your local marine mechanic for testing.
• Try this Simple Test for Ethanol in Gasoline
  

Homemade testkit for ethanol alcohol in gasoline. see link to right. Link and photo credit: James W. Hebert