Full Answer
What is the ethanol content of fuel in Mercury outboard engines?
Fuel system components of Mercury Outboard and Sterndrive Engines can and will withstand up to 10% Ethanol content in gasoline The best advice we have for customers is to empty the fuel tanks for long term storage.
What is the best ethanol treatment for marine engines?
1. STA-BIL 22240 Marine Ethanol Treatment 2. STAR BRITE Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment 3. Sea Foam SF-16 Motor Treatment 4. STA-BIL 22275 Ethanol Treatment 5. Lucas Oil 10576 Ethanol Fuel Conditioner
How to avoid ethanol in your boat fuel?
Here’s how to avoid that scenario. Ethanol remains the leading culprit of fuel issues in gasoline-powered marine engines — ethanol is corrosive, it’s a solvent, and it absorbs moisture. In a boat it’s nothing but trouble. The obvious action is to not fuel your boat with an ethanol-blend gas.
Does ethanol fuel treatment work on 4-stroke motors?
It works great on 4-stroke motors, and if you’ve been having a hard time looking for an ethanol fuel treatment for those types of engines, I highly recommend you give this a try. I’ve tried this fuel treatment out on Mercury 2-stroke outboards, a Yamaha 4-stroke outboard, a riding mower, and an ATV.
Can I use E10 in my Mercruiser?
Answer: Fuels containing up to 10 percent ethanol are considered acceptable for use in Mercury engines. Fuels containing higher levels of ethanol, such as E15 gasoline, are not considered acceptable for use. The use of fuels containing more than 10 percent ethanol can void the warranty.
What is ethanol defender treatment?
BG Ethanol System Defender® protects the fuel system from the harmful effects of ethanol. It keeps intake manifolds, intake ports, intake valves, and combustion chambers free of deposits caused by ethanol. When gasoline is blended with ethanol, it can wreak havoc on engines.
What kind of gas should I use in my Mercury 4 stroke outboard?
98 unleaded gasoline98 unleaded gasoline is the best choice for a Mercury 4-stroke boat engine.
What is ethanol fuel treatment?
These treatments are designed to protect ethanol-blended fuels against water attraction, varnish formation, and corrosion. The ethanol treatments help protect automotive, small engines and marine engines from these issues. Like the Fuel Stabilizer, the Ethanol Treatments protect fuel for up to 12 months.
Does Lucas ethanol treatment work?
0:031:51Lucas Safeguard Ethanol Fuel Conditioner with StabilizersYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe special additives in this product make it the perfect formulation for effectively preventingMoreThe special additives in this product make it the perfect formulation for effectively preventing rust and corrosion as it cleans the injectors valve seats combustion chambers.
Is ethanol treatment necessary?
If you have to run standard E10 or E15 in your classic car, it is a good idea to treat that fuel with an ethanol treatment to help protect the fuel system from ethanol damage. So in this case, yes, you do need an ethanol treatment if you have a classic car.
Should I run premium gas in my 4 stroke outboard?
Putting lower-octane gas in a high-performance motor rated for premium gasoline may cause that motor to knock. Obviously, you don't want that. But putting high-octane gas in a regular outboard won't do a thing except lighten your wallet. It will not give you any more power.
Is premium gas better for outboard motors?
Current recommendations are to use a minimum of 87 octane, 89 octane is preferred. There is no additional benefit from using higher-octane fuels, in fact they may cause hard starting conditions in hot weather.
What is the best gas for outboard motor?
ethanolWhat Type of Gas Should I Use in My Boat? All current outboard, sterndrive and inboard gasoline engines are designed to operate safely on fuel with no more than 10 percent ethanol (known as E10), and under no circumstance should fuel with more than 10 percent ethanol (such as E15 or E85) be used in a marine engine.
What is the best fuel treatment?
Comparison of best fuel injector cleanersBrandPriceBest overall fuel injector cleanerChevron$9Best fuel injector cleaner for diesel enginesLucas$5, $12, $28Best fuel injector cleaner for high-mileage cars/engines/vehiclesGumout$6Best fuel injector cleaner for direct-injection cars/enginesRoyal Purple$91 more row•Feb 10, 2022
Which fuel stabilizer is best?
BEST OVERALL: STA-BIL (22214) Storage Fuel Stabilizer, 32 fl. ... RUNNER-UP: Lucas Oil 10303 Fuel Stabilizer – 1 Quart.BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment Concentrate.BEST FOR YARD EQUIPMENT: Yamaha ACC-FSTAB-PL-32 Fuel Stabilizer & Conditioner.More items...•
Can ethanol damage your engine?
Since the ethanol is hygroscopic, it absorbs water from the air, causing the fuel blend to separate. Ethanol can be extremely damaging to small engines and high-powered sports equipment, leading to corrosion of the engine and fuel system.
What is ethanol fuel treatment?
Essentially, ethanol fuel treatments are types of fuel stabilizers that lean more toward engine performance rather than fuel storage. It’s more about prolonging the engine’s life than keeping fuel at its best. But, that doesn’t mean that they’re entirely devoid of benefits related to fuel longevity.
What are the signs of good ethanol treatment?
Key signs of good ethanol treatments include excellent fuel system cleaning and notable engine performance boosts.
How does ethanol affect fuel?
You don’t need to look further than the term “phase separation” to know how ethanol damages engines and motors. Ethanol tends to absorb the water naturally found in gasoline and diesel. This results in the said separation in the ethanol-water mix.
How many gallons of fuel is a LUCAS treatment?
To me, it’s as simple as getting that much-needed peace of mind with an ounce of this ethanol treatment for every 5 gallons of fuel.
What happens if you phase separate fuel?
If this is the case, the fuel would be unusable and would have to be drained to keep the fuel system running.
When will ethanol be free in 2021?
July 3, 2021 by Anthony. Unless you are granted the rare privilege of having a consistent source of ethanol-free fuel, you always need to be cautious of the possible long-term issues that ethanol will inflict on any vehicle that you own. For many people, especially Americans, it’s unavoidable, like death and taxes as the old saying goes.
Does sea foam work on all engines?
Sea Foam may not work on all engines. Nor can it always deliver some of its powerful advantages. However, many in the automotive and boating industries are without a doubt glad that there’s always this solid additive for small engines to avoid problems with ethanol readily available in the market. 4.
What are Mercury fuel additives?
Mercury Fuel Additives for Performance and Engine Life. Mercury fuel additives care for an often overlooked aspect of your outboard – the fuel system. Fortunately, most boat owners pay very close attention to their engine oil. However, your fuel system should be treated with the same consideration as fuel, like engine oil, ...
What is the second step in Mercury fuel care?
The second step within Mercury’s fuel care system cleans your engine and fuel system. All combustion motors develop carbon deposits and the best way to clean those deposits is to add Quickleen to your fuel tank.
How many gallons of fuel is in a 12 oz bottle of Quickleen?
One ounce of Quickleen treats five gallons of fuel, so a 12-ounce bottle treats 60 gallons. Quickleen does not contain fuel stabilizers, so it must be used in conjunction with Quickare to prevent fuel breakdown and oxidation.
Why add a fuel stabilizer to a boat?
If your boat will be sitting for an extended period of time, you need to add a fuel stabilizer like Quikstor to prevent both regular and ethanol-blended fuels from breaking down, oxidizing, and causing fuel system corrosion. Before storage add a bottle of Quickstor to your fuel tank, then run the engine so that the treated fuel circulates ...
How long does Quickare keep fuel fresh?
A bottle of Quickare keeps fuel fresh between fill-ups for up to three months. It also cleans existing varnish and gum deposits within fuel lines, tanks, carburetors and fuel injectors, intake valves, and spark plugs; as these deposits can significantly impede engine performance.
Does fuel damage an outboard engine?
However, your fuel system should be treated with the same consideration as fuel, like engine oil, circulates throughout your outboard engine, and degraded fuel will leave damaging deposits throughout your fuel system and engine causing excessive wear and tear that reduces engine performance and fuel efficiency.
What are the problems with E-10 fuel?
Two of the most serious concerns were: The fuel acts as a powerful solvent, even dissolving some fiberglass tanks; and phase separation, when water in the fuel separates out of the fuel mix and drops to the bottom of the tank, where it can be sucked into the pickup feed or promote corrosion within the tank.
What are some examples of fuel storage additives?
They do not explicitly claim to prevent separation. Sta-bil Marine Formula Ethanol and Techron are examples of this type of product.
Why is gasoline refined?
Fuel oxidation and detergency to prevent gum and varnish formation. Unlike lube oil, refined gasoline is inherently unstable and wants to polymerize, so the refiner applies more additives to stabilize gasoline. These additives also add detergency, reducing engine and fuel tank deposits. They are not intended to clean tanks or emulsify water, but can help prevent dirt and water from attaching in the first place.
How much Sta-Bil is good for fuel storage?
Its Marine Ethanol treatment is a medium-green liquid that mixes easily with gasoline. It recommends 1 ounce per 5 gallons of fuel for storage protection, or 1 ounce per 10 gallons of fuel during the season. The high levels of additives in this product suggest that Sta-bils recommended doses are conservative. The product comes in 16- or 32-ounce bottles with built-in measuring dispensers. This product delivered exceptionally clean fuel/water separation.
How does phase separation affect octane?
A side effect of phase separation is that it lowers octane by removing ethanol. However, because the octane stripping is incomplete, the fuels octane level has been documented to drop only 1-1.5 units. (About 2.8 units of the E-10 octane rating is due to 10-percent ethanol addition.)
How long does it take for a half full tank to become saturated?
A half-full tank will become moisture saturated within 30 to 90 days, depending upon the temperature range and humidity. (Unless there is a leak, MTBE can collect water only from condensation, which is usually caught by a fuel/water separator.)
What is the solubility of water in E-10?
In E-10, the solubility of water decreases with temperature-0.6 percent is soluble at 85 degrees, but only 0.4 percent at 32 degrees-and when the solubility drops due to cooling, a portion of the water drops out of suspension, along with six times its volume in ethanol.
What is the maximum ethanol content for Mercury engines?
“ Fuels containing up to 10 percent ethanol are considered acceptable for use in Mercury engines. Fuels containing higher levels of ethanol are not considered acceptable for use, and the use of fuels containing ethanol higher than 10 percent can void the warranty.”
How long does fuel last in a carburetor?
“ Modern fuels have a shelf life of only a few months, especially when mixed with two-stroke oil, with the fuel leaving a black varnish or gum on the inside of the carburetor when it evaporates. A build-up of this will gradually restrict the size of the carb’s main jet, which means the motor won’t receive all the fuel as it needs. The classic symptom of this problem is a motor that misfires and runs roughly, with loss of power even when warm, but improving when given choke. Even with choke it will not be capable of delivering full power, but it should serve to get you home… Adding fuel stabilizer will prolong the life of the fuel, and reduce the tendency to produce varnish.”
Can you replace ethanol fuel injectors?
“ Outboard fuel injectors commonly foul, and must be replaced if contaminated with water or debris from ethanol fuel. Once you have an ethanol-fuel problem in a motor or boat, it can be very difficult solving it for good. It’s very common during the warm-weather fishing season to spend many weeks getting a boat and motor back to running to peak efficiency once ethanol problems have occurred.”
What is Yamaha's fuel stabilizer?
Yamaha says its proprietary stabilizer formula features anti-corrosive components that protect exposed copper, solder and other metals from the nasty sodium sulfate present in ethanol.
How much filtration does a Yamaha filter have?
Yamaha's big filter flows 90 gph; its smaller filter flows 60 gph and is for outboards less than 115 hp. Yamaha says its filters achieve 95 percent filtration, almost double the 51 percent filtration rate required for the 10-micron rating.
Can you use ethanol in a boat?
Let’s assume the adventure you have been planning does not include the episode where your boat is bobbing dead in the water while you troubleshoot a tank full of crappy gas. Here’s how to avoid that scenario. Ethanol remains the leading culprit of fuel issues in gasoline-powered marine engines — ethanol is corrosive, it’s a solvent, and it absorbs moisture. In a boat it’s nothing but trouble. The obvious action is to not fuel your boat with an ethanol-blend gas. When that’s not an option, you need an ethanol defense strategy, like these tips we’ve gleaned from Yamaha Marine.