This is what happens when you don't change your fuel lines

[scrutch]

1999 OEM Mercury fuel line. Lines are getting changed (obviously).

I split the line with a knife and separated it with a toothpic.

Question is: Are there any fuel lines that I can replace this with that won't do this?

[Glenn]

Yes, EBM line.

EBM=Everything Besides Mercury

J/K!

[scrutch]

Interesting, I have a short piece of new merc line and I can see the plastic liner inside it too.  It just isn't separated yet.  Is that from ethanol or what?  You'd think they would learn from this and make something that works.

[Long Mike]

Do I sense bias against Mercury products? I have had the same Mercury fuel lines on my boat for sixty-eight years and have never experienced a problem.  Would I lie? 

[ChrisAW]

I had the same problem with the lines on my Johnson 30 horse. Truth is this can happen with nearly any fuel line, just depends on the conditions they've been exposed to over the years.

[scrutch]

Does your boat run on vegetable oil Mike? 

Is it Merc?

Is it age?

Is it ethanol?

:-/ :-/ :-/

[fishn hard]

It is ethanol that caused that if you go to your auto  parts store and ask for the ethanol resistance fuel line they should have it   

[5bass]

Yes, EBM line.

EBM=Everything Besides Mercury

....said the guy with the new Yamaha    Was there something wrong with the old one? I cant seem to remember.  <----thats Glenn 

[Glenn]

Ha ha!  Good one Scott!  Naw, the problem we had also knocked out 7 Mercs and 2 other Yammi's at the same time in our area --> Ethanol.  I suspect the same issue is at play here, but I'm no mechanic, so I'm just speculating.

[scrutch]

Ha ha! Good one Scott! Naw, the problem we had also knocked out 7 Mercs and 2 other Yammi's at the same time in our area --> Ethanol. I suspect the same issue is at play here, but I'm no mechanic, so I'm just speculating.

Uh Glenn,  whaddya mean "knocked out"? 

[Glenn]

Blown engines.

[Dam Yankee]

I have been reading about this lately. It is the ethanol. If you use a mercury fuel line get the gray line with red lettering on it. It seems there is a lot more ethanol than there used to be.

 

[scrutch]

Been there, read that. 

[Traveler2586]

1999 OEM Mercury fuel line. Lines are getting changed (obviously).

I split the line with a knife and separated it with a toothpic.

Question is: Are there any fuel lines that I can replace this with that won't do this?

I know this is an old thread, but I just encountered the problem, and, just found this thread.

This is the same thing I found in my 2003 Mercury 150 EFI. I thought I was seeing bits of varnish in the fuel system, but it turned out to be plastic

Richard at Mare Inc. in Thurmont, Md. explained it all to me today after I just happened to mention seeing varnish in the fuel line.

And this afternoon I check my email and find BoatUS is reporting on April 2, 2012 EPA has taken the next step to putting E15 on the street

I've got a 2003 Ranger 185VS, am I looking at changing out my plastic fuel tank, and black rubber fuel lines as well??????

[Tony Monticelli]

Blown engines.

yea you can do that quick i would think if the gas went bad?

would the marine formula sta-bil prevent all that?

just asking cuz i use it in all the 4wheelers and snowmobiles... from my experience it been an engine and carb saver year after year.. fill the tanks up.... add the sta-bil... run it for a few mins and then shut it down close the fuel line and a year later that gas has been as good as it was the day it was filled..

before when we didn't use it... year after year if it wasn't one problem it was another,, all having to do with the fuel going bad.

i been using that stuff in everything snow blowers, lawnmower etc etc etc... no problems in anything since i started... before using it my word that snow blower every year the carb would be clogged and since i started useing that stuff not ounce have i need to clean out the carbs or etc and man has it been nice to see the snow blower start on the first couple pulls after hibernation..

[Traveler2586]

Since I got my boat (used) in 09, I've been using the marine formula sta-bil every time I fill up at the end of a fishing day.

I've been reading about the problems with Ethanol and boats, but this is my first encounter with the effects.

[Traveler2586]

Do I sense bias against Mercury products? I have had the same Mercury fuel lines on my boat for sixty-eight years and have never experienced a problem. Would I lie?

First - I think I now understand the name L-o-n-g Mike

Second - Mike, you think Glenn would have a problem with me placing BR stickers on my Mercury??

[Fishing Rhino]

For the Road Trip gang, there's a Citgo station just across the lake on 431 that sells ethanol free gas. Lake Guntersville General Store and Deli.

[Glenn]

yea you can do that quick i would think if the gas went bad?

would the marine formula sta-bil prevent all that?

just asking cuz i use it in all the 4wheelers and snowmobiles... from my experience it been an engine and carb saver year after year.. fill the tanks up.... add the sta-bil... run it for a few mins and then shut it down close the fuel line and a year later that gas has been as good as it was the day it was filled..

before when we didn't use it... year after year if it wasn't one problem it was another,, all having to do with the fuel going bad.

i been using that stuff in everything snow blowers, lawnmower etc etc etc... no problems in anything since i started... before using it my word that snow blower every year the carb would be clogged and since i started useing that stuff not ounce have i need to clean out the carbs or etc and man has it been nice to see the snow blower start on the first couple pulls after hibernation..

No, it wasn't that. The mechanic said there really isn't much you can do to prevent ethanol-related issues. That said, we added a 2nd filter and now use double-dose Stabil and Ring-Free with every fill-up - although bear in mind we were doing this already with every fill-up, only at the recommended dosages....and it still blew.

No, there's not much you can do if you must use ethanol-tainted gas. Ethanol is absolutely the worst for outboards. Period. It's poison.

We now go out of our way to fill up at ethanol-free gas stations. That's really the only way to prevent these issues.

[Tony Monticelli]

thats horrible, what a pain in the neck but those engines are far from cheap..

id wonder if its got more to do with how there put together, tighter fitting sealed better etc etc etc making them more prone to those issues. that's just really for the cost of the engines they should be able to run on tap water.

[Tony Monticelli]

im glad a small craft and a electric motor is all i need. and it still upset me when i smoked the little min kota LOL i was all bummed out for days.

[Traveler2586]

We now go out of our way to fill up at ethanol-free gas stations. That's really the only way to prevent these issues.

Any tips on how to find a station in a given area that sell ethanol-free gas? Is there a web site with listings???

I've looked around my area and can't find any

What is Ring Free Glenn? I haven't heard of it. I've been using ethanol and the recommended amount of stabil for almost three years now, I can't afford to blow an engine

Have you seen the BoatUS news report that EPA has taken the next step toward putting E15 on the streets; EPA announced it on April 2, 2012.

[Long Mike]

Well, all I can say is that I use Star-Tron fuel additive every time I add fuel to my tank. I've never had a problem and don't expect to.

[Tony Monticelli]

Any tips on how to find a station in a given area that sell ethanol-free gas? Is there a web site with listings???

I've looked around my area and can't find any

What is Ring Free Glenn? I haven't heard of it. I've been using ethanol and the recommended amount of stabil for almost three years now, I can't afford to blow an engine

Have you seen the BoatUS news report that EPA has taken the next step toward putting E15 on the streets; EPA announced it on April 2, 2012.

i had no clue they even existed anymore LOL.. i'm still saying to myself ethanol free gas stations exist? that would be like finding Santa clause.

i have though noticed with the sleds from one station to another a difference and have gone out of my way to not fuel up at some of them. i guess that's just nature of the beasts, they want good food.

[Fishing Rhino]

Any tips on how to find a station in a given area that sell ethanol-free gas? Is there a web site with listings???

I've looked around my area and can't find any

What is Ring Free Glenn? I haven't heard of it. I've been using ethanol and the recommended amount of stabil for almost three years now, I can't afford to blow an engine

Have you seen the BoatUS news report that EPA has taken the next step toward putting E15 on the streets; EPA announced it on April 2, 2012.

It's the second pinned thread when the "Bass Boats, Canoes, Kayaks and more" is opened.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/25418-website-for-ethanol-free-gas-locations/page__view__findpost__p__256604