Gas/Ethanol Separation

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Don't desire to have ethanol in my gasoline.

I use the ethanol gas every Spring that I have in my tanks from the previous year.

I bought the gas this past year in late October and had the boat pulled on 1 November.

I started my outboard two days ago with that same gas.

I have about 2 gallons left which I will use in the Spring and for a couple more starts while on land.

I treat my 10% ethanol gas with Stabil if I know I won't be using it for a month or more.

I've done this every year since 2011

https://www.grainger.com/product/2AE...g!438380054085!

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Dymaxion

Hi-test gas in Canada is ethanol free. Gov't memo when still working for them came out stating not to use anything but hi-test if gas was to be stored more than 2 weeks, due to water attraction by ethanol in reg and mid grades.

I'm certain this is true for Shell, because the pumps are labeled as such, with their premium brand Gold (or V-Power or whatever) having 0% ethanol. So this is all I buy for our outboard and small motors. I don't know for certain about the other gas brands, but it wouldn't surprise me if that was so.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

I'm certain this is true for Shell, because the pumps are labeled as such, with their premium brand Gold (or V-Power or whatever) having 0% ethanol. So this is all I buy for our outboard and small motors. I don't know for certain about the other gas brands, but it wouldn't surprise me if that was so.

I had 10% ethanol fuel in a weed eater from the summer of 2017.

I started it a month ago with no problems. I had added 1/2 oz of Stabil

[Lepke]

Todays gas is just as bad as todays diesel. The stabilizers that come in it from the refiner only last a few months. If you use a good stabilizer the fuel lasts much longer without breaking down into various elements.

Marinas that have low fuel sales usually already have the fuel separating/water problems before you get it. High volume fuel sellers usually have fuel less than a month old and the better ones add their own stabilizer, and filter it.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Lepke

Todays gas is just as bad as todays diesel. The stabilizers that come in it from the refiner only last a few months. If you use a good stabilizer the fuel lasts much longer without breaking down into various elements....

Not really true.


Take a sample--gas or diesel--and seal it in a glass bottle, keep it in the dark, and look at it 2 years from now. You will find zero deterioration, 98% of the time. Not guessing, I have done this in the lab many many times (we keep old samples).


Fuel becomes unstable due to poor storage conditions. Exposure to:

• Water.
• Copper or zinc fittings. Both catalyze polymerization. They are forbidden in standby generator installations (look in the manuals).
• Salt. Accelerates corrosion and polymerization. A few ppm will do it.
• UV. Portable tanks in the sun are a problem. Same with integral tanks.

I've studied this a good bit. If you keep the tank sealed, out of the sun, and always treated with A good additive (in case you goof a little), like Biobor EB or Merc Quick Stor, it will last a good long time. But you need to be diligent about keeping it sealed.


Can't keep it sealed (installed tank)? Use a silica gel vent filter.
Sail Delmarva: Gasoline and Fuel Tank Vent Filters

[RaymondR]

Most hydrocarbon fuels are already millions of years old when they come out of the oil well, unless you get hydrocarbon eating microbes in it it's not going to go bad in a sealed container for a few years.

If you dilute the ethyl alcohol with enough water you could probably use it to water your garden, there's bound to be microbes that eat the stuff. Ethyl alcohol is not that harmful, I know folks who drink gallons of it every year.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I had 10% ethanol fuel in a weed eater from the summer of 2017.

I started it a month ago with no problems. I had added 1/2 oz of Stabil

I like and use stabilizers too, and really like Seafoam as a treatment... but I've never relied on a weedeater to get me home , so I still seek out ethanol-free gas for our outboard when I can, and add some stabilizer. At end of season, any remaining boat gas goes into the truck's tank, and I start with fresh gas in the spring. This has kept our old outboard dependable and smooth-running for 10 seasons now, without requiring service.

[sailorboy1]

I believe I found my problem. Both my gas containers are old and the nozzles are just open to the air. I think when it rains hard that even though they are under cover some water gets in the nozzle and leaks down into the tank and that separates the gas. I noticed that all the new containers have end caps to prevent this. So I got some covers and haven't been having a problem since (knock on fiberglass).