Outboard fuel?

[TnRiver46]

16 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I do that too. I run my lawn mower completely out of gas when I put it away for the season. Try to do the same with the snow blower in March, but that is a little tougher because I never know when a late winter blizzard is coming.

Hahaha now that you say that I remembered the last time I mowed last year. I duck taped the handle bar so it would just run itself out of gas and went inside. Like an hour later my wife is sitting at the computer editing photos and says “I can still hear that mower running”.   Thing ran forever on a solo cup full of gas 

[gim]

21 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I duck taped the handle bar so it would just run itself out of gas

I use a bungee cord on mine.

[DaubsNU1]

47 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I do that too. I run my lawn mower completely out of gas when I put it away for the season. Try to do the same with the snow blower in March, but that is a little tougher because I never know when a late winter blizzard is coming.

 

With my 40+ year old Lawn Boy push mower, I turn off fuel and run until it stops after every use. Just leave the mixed 2 stroke fuel in the tank...stars up when I need it (which isn't very often now that we moved to acreage). 

 

Always pulled the fuel line on my 1974 Mercury 20hp outboard, and run out of fuel. Again, kept the gas in the tank, mixed...no issues. 

 

[TOXIC]

I run E10 in all my stuff and I’ve never had a fuel related problem.  My 2000 225 efi 2 stroke Mercury never had anything but corn gas run through it.  I even screwed up one time and put a tank of E85 in the old merc’s tank.  It didn’t like it and ran like crap but it didn’t hurt it. I am pretty systematic about changing fuel filters and have had big water separators in line on my boats but even with that, I am going to pump out my gas currently sitting in my Ranger because I haven’t ran it in probably 8 or 9 months.  

[TnRiver46]

54 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

I run E10 in all my stuff and I’ve never had a fuel related problem.  My 2000 225 efi 2 stroke Mercury never had anything but corn gas run through it.  I even screwed up one time and put a tank of E85 in the old merc’s tank.  It didn’t like it and ran like crap but it didn’t hurt it. I am pretty systematic about changing fuel filters and have had big water separators in line on my boats but even with that, I am going to pump out my gas currently sitting in my Ranger because I haven’t ran it in probably 8 or 9 months.  

Just get her out into the Atlantic and hammer down for an hour or 3 

[airshot]

I do the opposite, fill the tanks and add stabile blue, never had an issue since E10 came out !!  I have many toys !!  Watching where you buy your gas is becomning more critical than whether it is E10 or non E fuel.  Many stations do not maintain there tanks and filters as they should !!  

[airshot]

On 10/13/2023 at 9:50 AM, gimruis said:

I use it in my outboard, lawn mower, and snow blower.  They are all seasonal 4-stroke engines.  A lot of the problems associated with ethanol in fuel can be avoided if you...wait for it...avoid using ethanol!

Ethenol is not the issue, it is how it is maintained and stored.  Few gas stations follow storage requirements, most don't care if you get bad fuel, they just blame all the problems on ethenol !   Ethenol is a cleaning agent, if your system is clean to start, there wont be any issues, but, if your system is gunked up to start, then guess what??   Been around small engines for 60 years, was a small engine mechanic for 20 years, long before E fuels came out.  Had far more issues in the old days with varnish buildup than I have ever saw with E10.  In those days we bought gumout by the case for cleaning clogged carbs.  Today, just add some stabile and fill your tank, will start right up in the spring with no issues if you have good fuel to start !!

Getting good fuel is becomming a big issue, stations do not maintain there systems.  Much easier to just blame ethenol for everything....

[gim]

28 minutes ago, airshot said:

if your system is clean to start, there wont be any issues, but, if your system is gunked up to start, then guess what??

All my seasonal engines are clean to start.  I bought them brand new and have used nothing but ethanol free premium gasoline in them.  No reason for sta-bil or or other fuel stabilizer.

 

I am not in the fuel station business, so I can't comment on how well or how poorly their tanks are maintained.  If I am buying fuel, I am trusting that its the fuel I am getting, in the grade I've purchased.  I don't have any other way of operating.  Presumption of regularity.

[TnRiver46]

I have used the 87 plus corn squeezings , but I added star tron enzyme when I did. Now that fuel has come back down some I can afford the pure gas, there was a time when it was over $5/gallon and I kind of couldn’t 

[airshot]

In my area the non E is about 60 cents per gallon higher, x 13-14 gallons just to fill my boat, the treatment is far cheaper !!  Plus far less issues, your reg non E gas will cause varnish issues sooner or later,  the Gumout corp has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to show that you will.  However... each to his own, we all have are own ways of dealing with issues. 

At least for rhe time being we still have the freedom to spend our money however we please.....

[Will Ketchum]

There are 1004 gas stations in Wisconsin that sell ethanol free gas.

https://www.pure-gas.org/

[Tennessee Boy]

This guy has a lot of good videos on this topic.

 

Including the effectiveness of fuel stabilizers.

 

 

[airshot]

In both the videos he had to introduce water to get some corrosion....bottom line is, no matter what gas you get, make sure it doesn't have water in it !!  If you keep the tank full, there is no room for condensation !!

So as I have stated...watch where you buy your fuel !!

[newriverfisherman1953]

I always use pure gas in all my small engines. Never had problems so I see no reason to change things.  I don’t mind the small extra expense. 

[Tennessee Boy]

I have a pressure washer that has worked well for me for about 15 years.  It gets used once or twice a year.  I always use pure gas in it.   I loaned it to someone who put E10 in it.  Months later it would not start when I tried to use it.  I took the carburetor off and it was a mess.  I cleaned it and unclogged the jets and it started and has been running great for the last few years.  I agree with others that I could used E10 in it if I took the proper precautions.   I don’t want to fill it up after each use because the fuel would just set there for months getting old.   I could drain the tank after each use.  I guess I could also take the carburetor off and clean it before each use.  Call me lazy but I choose to spend an extra 40 cents per gallon for pure gas so I don’t have to worry about it.  

[TnRiver46]

I saw regular gas for $2.77 moments ago

[MN Fisher]

53 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I saw regular gas for $2.77 moments ago

Send those prices up here - regular is hovering around $3.59 in my neighborhood.

[TnRiver46]

7 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Send those prices up here - regular is hovering around $3.59 in my neighborhood.

Across town it’s $3.29 haha

[gim]

12 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Send those prices up here - regular is hovering around $3.59 in my neighborhood.

I saw $3.25 in Rogers last week.  That was easily a good 30 cents cheaper than everywhere else near me too.

[airshot]

8 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

I have a pressure washer that has worked well for me for about 15 years.  It gets used once or twice a year.  I always use pure gas in it.   I loaned it to someone who put E10 in it.  Months later it would not start when I tried to use it.  I took the carburetor off and it was a mess.  I cleaned it and unclogged the jets and it started and has been running great for the last few years.  I agree with others that I could used E10 in it if I took the proper precautions.   I don’t want to fill it up after each use because the fuel would just set there for months getting old.   I could drain the tank after each use.  I guess I could also take the carburetor off and clean it before each use.  Call me lazy but I choose to spend an extra 40 cents per gallon for pure gas so I don’t have to worry about it.  

After running straight gas for all that time, it caused a varnish buildup, when the E gas was put in, it cleaned all the varnish and clogged things up !!  Ask any fuel engineer.  Nascar has proven many times over that corn fuel is cleaner, more powerfull, and far less problems than straight gas for years.

[gim]

27 minutes ago, airshot said:

Nascar has proven many times over that corn fuel is cleaner, more powerfull, and far less problems than straight gas for years.

Not sure that comparing a seasonally used pressure washer to a nascar engine is a great analogy here. A car engine is used almost daily. A small pressure washer engine gets used, sits, gets used, and then sits again for a long period. Engines sitting around with ethanol in them clog his carburetor. That’s why he avoids it. Not because he wants his pressure washer to run like a racing engine.

[Woody B]

Ethanol and carburetors aren't friends.   Ethanol isn't good in something that sits a bunch.  My recommendation is use ethanol free on anything with a carburetor.   I also recommend using an additive like Sta-bil, sea foam ect if you aren't going to use the capacity of the tank in a month.   

 

[Tennessee Boy]

37 minutes ago, airshot said:

After running straight gas for all that time, it caused a varnish buildup,

I cleaned the carburetor.  It didn’t have varnish buildup.  It had ethanol goo in it,  like in the video I posted.  I cleaned a carburetor in a generator for a family member.   Same thing.  It  sat with E10 in the carburetor for months and it was a gooey mess.   
 

The manual for my Mercury outboard is another example of why I use pure gas.  It says the engine is designed to handle E10 then goes on to list reasons why you should avoid it.   It also says using E15 will void the warranty.
 

My Ranger manual does the same thing concerning the gas tank and hoses.  It says they are designed to be compatible with E10 but says you should inspect them more often if you use ethanol gas because the corrosion can cause leaks.   
 

I know people that use E10 in their boats without problems but I’m willing to spend a little more for peace of mind.

 

Concerning buildup in the engine.  That might have been a concern years ago but modern gas burns cleaner and has additives to help.  You can also add products like Seafoam to keep the engine clean.

[airshot]

When varnish is put in contact with ethenol, the E fuel creates the goo by trying to dissolve it !!  This is why for years, they tell you to clean your engine/ carbs before switching to E10 !!  But most people don' t follow those recomendations, much easier to just complain about E fuels ..   Neighbor collects old cars, has for 30 years, has about a dozen or more, Superbees, Dodge Daytona, 440 sixpac, Camaro and many more.  He uses nothing but E10, has since it came out....all carbed engines, each gets driven only in summer, sits the rest of the year with partial tanks of fuel.  But...he changed all the hoses, give each a thorough cleaning before switching to E fuels.  Not one issue in 22 years of being my neighbor from E fuels !!  Just adds a small blue stabile each tank. Proper care means no issues....

[TnRiver46]

The gas cap on my boat motor says “do not use ethanol fuel”

Almost like they are trying to send me some sort of message……