ethanol gas

[seabum]

What are the percautions when useing ethanol gas in my 1998 208 with a 175 yamaha. I have heard a lot of diffrent things any good advice.

[striped bass]

Change the fuel filters frequently and often. Adding 10 micron fuel filter is helpful but it may over restrict the gas flow to the engine and impact performance negatively. There are two filters already: one on board and another in the engine which may be adequate. Check with your Yamaha dealer first. Be sure to use gas stabilizer in the winter. That should cover you.

[Reel Soon]

Install a 10-micron, water-separating fuel filter, and use fuel stabilizer in every tank.


Check out this link, some good infomation on this issue.
http://www.boats.com/news-reviews/artic ... rt-ethanol

[TunaT]

seabum.....the gas around OC does not contain ethanol yet. Delaware everything is ethanol. I still changed filters to 10 micron and changed every 30 hours +/-....I also carry spare filters and a filter wrench to change on the water if something crazy happens

[BobP]

Run down your non ethanol fuel supply as far as possible before ethanol fuel fillup. I understand the two do not mix well. I would add a bottle of the gas conditioner I believe MDR makes to collects water from the regular gas.

The ethanol has a cleaning characteristic and may scrub the tank of debris and scale, so be sure the 10 micron racor or equal is in place prior and keep a spare. And the ethanol will pick up any water that normally seperates from regular gas and sits at the bottom of the tank. so monitor the water seperator, or just drain a half pint out periodically. I use an empty small poland spring bottle.

[seabum]

Thanks for the help. I will be putting on some new fillters
Thanks

[Grog]

To be honest I think it was more hype than actual problems with the ethanol. Use good 10 micron filters and have fun. It does eat at the fuel pumps so plan on changing them.

[Boats Rock]

Which fuel pumps? The supply pumps or the engine pumps.

[Grog]

Which fuel pumps? The supply pumps or the engine pumps.

The supply pumps.

[eppem]

be ready to change your primer bulbs also...the change to e10 fuel in ct a few back caused a lot of headaches...all the crap in the fuel will need to work its way thru the system...supplier, to gas dock to your boat...change filters, check for water, pull your sender and look for stuff in your fuel..be proactive and you should be ok.

[gradyfish22]

I've been running gas with ethanol for 2 seasons now, have not have issues with either of my boats. Carry a spare filter for sure. Switch to 10 micron filters. I have been changing my filters every 100 hours without any issues so far. I add Ring Free and Star Tron to my fuel, the Ring Free goes in with every fill up and my star tron goes in anytime I put in more then 30gal at a time or my fuel will be sitting for more then a week without use. If I am running offshore and using my full tank that day or the next I only put in the ring free. Not many boats with issues, the few in my marina that did wear earlier Opi's and some of the merc filter's had flow issues, but they have fixed that. Only real problem is with guys who do not condition the fuel, star tron or similar products will allow water in the tank to pass through the engine and not harm it, as well as prevent water from forming, which ethanol in fuel will do if it sits. It really is more hype then the actual problem is, but the fact is if we had done nothing, there would be problems. The onyl way to get most boaters to actually start using products to eliminate problems and more importantly change over their filters was to over hype it and scare people. If they had not done so, most boaters would say eh I'll run my current filters till it is time to change them, and they would ahve ran into issues.

[striped bass]

eppem and Gradyfish22:
My engine mechanic stated that using ring free and a gas stabilizer is adequate. He feels that the 10 micron will be over restrictive on the gas flow and starve the engine. I have a Yamaha 225 two stroke, 1998. I am not convinced, yet. Any thoughts?

[Seahunter]

eppem and Gradyfish22:
My engine mechanic stated that using ring free and a gas stabilizer is adequate. He feels that the 10 micron will be over restrictive on the gas flow and starve the engine. I have a Yamaha 225 two stroke, 1998. I am not convinced, yet. Any thoughts?

I would ask your mechanic why then does Yamaha market and recommend a 10 um filter?

Yamaha Genuine Power Matched to Yamaha outboard engines

Strict manufacturing process controls assure absolute conformance to Yamaha's stringent requirements and standards

Meets or exceeds all US Coast Guard and American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) requirements for marine applications

True 10-micron filtration - highly recommended for all two-stroke and four-stroke EFI outboards and two stroke HPDI's (also excellent for carbureted engines)

High-performance 90 GPH flow rate and extra-large filtering surface

[Sean O'Grady]

This link should give you the lowdown on some the problems being experienced with ethanol, or try a google search for ethanol gas problems in boats.

[gradyfish22]

I have not experienced any issues with flow, I think most issues have been where two motors draw from one filter, I have a 10 micron filter going to each engine, and my engine is far from starved. I also had a 10 micron filter on my single engine 200HPDI and had no issues with that either, I get 100 hours per filter and have had no issues, and like I've said, I've had ethanol in my tank for two seasons now. I would atleast get a second opinion from another near by Yamaha mechanic, see what he thinks. Very rarely does a Yamaha tech go against what Yamaha implements, unless they have a strong reason and proof for that, or is just thick headed and has not had much experience with the issue yet. Best bet is get another opinion, but most on the forum here seem to have no issues so far.