Ethanol Problems - How to deal with E10 blended fuel for our boats and small engines

Ethanol myths and and ethanol problems. I share the truth about ethanol blended fuels and ethanol gasoline myths. If you're wondering about ethanol in petrol and how E10 petrol could negatively impact your classic car, older boat, lawn mower, gas-powered generator or other big and small engines, this video clears up some of the misconceptions and myths about ethanol blended gasoline and whether ethanol fuel damage is real. If it is E5, E10, E15 or even E85, I share what we know about ethanol and what to do to help prevent serious problems. I also go over how to protect your engine from the dangers of ethanol in your gas tank when preparing for long-term storage or winterization.

If you want to know the differences between gasoline with ethanol (like E10 gas) and gasoline without ethanol this video helps explain what we are dealing with as ethanol continues to be added to our engine fuels, gasoline and petrol.

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#ethanol #E10 #ethanolblendedfuel

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:52 Ethanol is a solvent
01:31 Phase separation and water in the fuel system from ethanol
02:40 Fuel additives and ethanol blended fuel
04:24 Dangers of using E15 and higher percentages of ethanol fuel
05:29 Tips for winter storage or long term storage with E10 fuel
06:44 Will E10 fuel be a problem for cars?

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[autoboatguy]

This video is so informative. Thanks Wayne

[harrisji]

Thanks Wayne. I'm getting my first boat this week and have been learning a lot from you thanks.

[Revviews]

Great video Wayne, I can see how much work went into this. Really well put together. 👏

[stanleybest]

Dynamite. My favorite alcohol protection is pour all the gas back and run the carburetor dry.

[MrDEREKMYERS]

Do they not sell rec fuel everywhere? Here in Michigan it's easy to find.

[JimFe-jf]

You recommend filling the tank with stabilizer added for winter storage. What are your thoughts of storing with minimal gas /stabilizer and filling with fresh gas before starting? This is what I’ve been doing with no problem so far.

[nwwoodsman]

@ 7:30 when the trailer is on the boat ramp it looks like you ran the video in reverse. trailer doesn't look wet, dragging lines in front of the tire, water isn't disturbed.
overall this is a great video and I enjoy your content.
I just thought I'd point out that I was paying attention to the details.

[PapaMav]

Always had good luck adding an enzyme (blue bottle from Star-Tron) to each tank of 2 cycle gas I mix. I also never keep gas from one season to the other. It goes into the Taco to use up.

[choppergirl]

Consumers have only themselves to blame.
The burned through gasoline like it was going out of style in the 30's, 40's, 50's... and kept right at it.
And when cars got more fuel efficient, they started driving huge monster trucks and SUV's.
On top of that the government burned up tons of fuel needlessly in jetfighters and tanks.

[Northlandermn]

This one of, if not the best video explaining the issues of ethanol for 99% of people to understand. Use an engineered premixed fuel in cans for small 2 strokes that are seldom used like chainsaws or trimmers. That way you’ll never have an ethanol problem. Your equipment is much, much more likely to start when you need it and no frustrations.

[karlfridrik]

what about 2 stroke? does ethanol have any effect on 2 stroke tools and bikes for example.

[abeabe]

I’ve been running 87 on my 1988 evinrude 2 stroke.
Can I switch to none ethanol? Can I mix was left in my gas container?

[TopBananaMan]

Hey Wayne,

Just came across your video. I recently bought myself a new Tohatsu 9.8 outboard. A nice little upgrade from my 1975 6hp Evinrude. (which I still love)

I live up in Canada and all of our gas is now at least E10.

My outboard motors only get about a month or 2 of use each year and I have been stressing about the issues this could potentially cause on my new motor. So much so that it has lead me down a youtube rabbit hole on how to separate ethanol from fuel. I don't really want to do this as my boating time each year is already limited. However, I don't want to have issue with my motor either.

My plan is to essential do what you mentioned in your video. Run the carb dry and drain it before long term storage.

I never use old gas. If I have some in my Jerry can before the season I will empty it out and use it as a fire starter. I am always filling up with the highest octane possible (usually Shell V power as its the closest to me).

A few questions for you.

I have always been told to run premium/highest octane available for small engines. Is this still the case even with E10 fuels?

I plan to add a stabilizer each time I fill up my outboard tank, Is there a specific one you would recommend? (there are so many to choose from)

Thanks Wayne. I have watched several of your videos over the years and I love em !

[simonvancoevorden]

Great easy to follow vid ! I had one of my classic cars off the road for a few months doing a rewire & in that time the fuel tank & sender was rusted out . ( this was before all this knowledge was published) !
Two questions: 1 does pre mixed two stroke fuel suffer in the same way ( oil in the fuel) . 2 how do you find out ( in Australia) what petrol does not have ethanol in it ? The oil companies are really cagey about giving information here in OZ !
I now run 91 octane fuel with a dose of Metholated spirits & fuel stabilizer with an octane booster to stop pinging. Cheers Simon

[LBscouter]

T Mike. Great subject. Question. Would you add fuel stabilizer to ethanol gas?

[johnhicks]

Yes it cost more although it takes less to treat with to Wayne the boat Guy.

[fauxque]

I always use ethanol free gas in my small engines. If I don't have any, I extract the alcohol from normal <E10 Premium and use that. Simple process anyone can do.

[TheAutoChannel]

Guess what else is a solvent: Gasoline and its aromatic components (benzene, toluene, xylene, naphtha to name a few). The detergents added by gasoline companies are also solvents. So why single out ethanol as a SOLVENT, as if it's something bad?

Gunk forms because of gasoline. It builds up, it causes problems. Ethanol is a better solvent and helps to clean the gunk away. If you didn't rely on the ethanol to do this, you would have to find another solution, such as engine additives that can cost as much as 3 or 4 gallons of gasoline. Ethanol that's included in ethanol-gasoline blends is included in the reduced price for the blends versus ethanol-free gasoline.

Water forms in fuel tanks because of natural condensation. The exact same natural condensation, in the exact same quantity occurs in gasoline that has NO ethanol in it. This means that if there is phase separation, the phase separation will occur in either situation. The corrosive layer you refer to would still exist. The good thing about having ethanol in the fuel tank is that the ethanol absorbs the water and when the ethanol-gasoline blend combusts, it vaporizes the water. Could there be an over-saturation of water in a tank that the ethanol in E10 can't absorb? Sure, so then the answer is to use E15 or E20 or E40. If you don't have ethanol, you would have to add a product like DRY GAS or HEET to get rid of the water. Can you guess what the active ingredient is in DRY GAS and HEET? It's alcohol! It does just what the ethanol does. Why? Because ethanol is an alcohol!

Phase separation does not happen with higher blends. If it did, we would be hearing and reading about this happening in Brazil where the mandated minimum level of ethanol in fuel for all ICE vehicles (cars, boats, motorcycles) is E27.

Why don't you know this, Wayne the Boat Guy?

Fuel additives are meaningless, in many of the additives as I mentioned with DRY GAS and HEET, the active ingredients are just alcohol. They're a waste of money.

Sta-Bil, which is a good product, was invented in America in the 1950s, a half century before the regular use of ethanol-gasoline blends in America. It was the solution to the very same problems that exist today. Nothing about their formula has changed to address any ethanol problems, the only thing that changed was some text on the label that pretends it does something additional.

Your claim that engines have not been engineered for E15 and higher is bullshit. Brazil has the exact same vehicles we have in America. They started mandating E15 in 1978. They've mandated E20 and higher for about 2 decades. When a car rolls off the Ford assembly line in Mexico, or a Kia assembly line in Korea, or a Toyota assembly line in Japan, or a Mercedes-Benz assembly line in Germany the vehicles are the same, regardless of whether they will be shipped to America or Brazil.

In addition, ethanol-gasoline blends higher than E15 were regularly in European countries starting in the 1920s.

And, furthermore, even the testing done in America proves that gasoline blends higher than E10 causes no problems other than whatever normal wear and tear problems caused by any ethanol-free gasoline.

And did I forget to mention that the same boat motors, small engines, and power equipment we have in America are also sold and used in Brazil, where the minimum fuel is E27. A lwan mower that can run on E27 in Brazil can also run on E27 in America!

Why don't you know this, Wayne the Boat Guy?

Storing engine for a long time... If you do this, you have to take precautions. But this is just as true for engines that use E85 as it is for E0. That's all there is to it. The use of ethanol-gasoline blends will not result is any greater problem than using E0 (ethanol-free gasoline). The primary problems with storing an idle engine for a long period are caused by gasoline. Ethanol dries as clean as it burns. When ethanol evaporates there is no residue. When gasoline evaporates it leaves a gummy residue. This gum hardens and become a varnish that destroys engines. A filled, sealed tank and system with Sta-Bil is the best solution. The tank and system can be filled with just gasoline with Sta-Bil or an ethanol-gasoline blend with Sta-Bil. Why is the Sta-Bil good for either fuel? Because the problem is the gasoline. Gasoline goes stale. Ethanol never goes stale - but the gasoline of other denaturing agent may go stale.

Running an engine and fuel system dry isn't much better of a solution since condensation can occur even in dry tanks tanks and engines. All that's needed for condensation to occur is air and temperature change.

Time for you to learn the facts about ethanol, Wayne the Boat Guy!

Marc J. Rauch
Author of THE ETHANOL PAPERS and YES, TIN LIZZIE WAS AN ALCOHOLIC
Exec. Vice President/Co-Publisher
THE AUTO CHANNEL

[anthonycarney]

Electric vehicles are not better for the environment than petrol cars. The measure the fumes out of the exhaust as a test😂😂😂 keeping an older reliable cars and running them for years is far better for the environment then the production of a new ev. Every time the warranty runs out.. we should be putting old cars back on the road not crushing them.. and lowering taxes on them.. creating jobs. Keeping people employed. Not for everyone just people who want to keep an old car.. saving the environment

[FisherCatProductions]

This video simply parrots the "theories" about ethanol already being debated on the Internet. #1 Is true--ethanol is a solvent-- but your conclusion lacks proof. Your video still leave the release of damaging residue a theory. #3, fuel stabilizer was objectively tested by others and shown to be useless for protecting metal components when moisture was present in the gas, and relatively useless for long term storage with no moisture present. It also did not protect fuel from serious degradation over long term storage. Non-alcohol fuel did better than ethanol fuel with stabilizer.