Heads up-Gas with Ethanol-Is this a Problem?

[Skip Smith]

They have signs on the pumps that even say "No Ethanol"

(954) 785-4737 Taha Marine

[DORADOsteve]

My Crusader has not had a problem with ethanol yet. My oversized Racor has pulled a few drops of water, possibly condensation??? But otherwise, I have not noticed any issues.

Any of the other inboard (gas) guys having issues?

Richard,
Are your tanks fiberglass?

[bajakian]

Steve

My tanks are aluminum but they are 12 years old and most likely pretty well gummed up. The ethanol supposedly loosens that gum to the detriment of your fuel filters and motors. WE may eventually have no choice but until we don't Id recommend trying to get Gas without ethanol

[WhItEoUt 23]

If you have E-Tecs they make a kit now for your motors that is ethanol friendly.

[TTesterman]

The 28 bert fuel tanks were made from fiberglass and very well built also. They made them sorta like a wedge in the aft cockpit and they tied into the inboard stringers and used as deck supports even. The baffles were made from plate aluminum and rivetted into place in the first cpl layers. They used up every bit of space they could to get volume. The new fuel attacks the inside of the tank and actually makes it soft and viod of resin. in turn makes the deck flex, adds gremlins to your fuel system. even the aluminum tanks better watch out .. the pic below is of the baffle seems that it starts pitting it also. The scarriest thing I am seeing though is when you break the low side fuel chambers open the screws that hold the floats up and the metal pieces in your engine are getting eaten up by 'something'.. scary anyway add a fuel pressure gauge to your fuel kit and if your a 4 stroke yama the best way to tell if you need service is to take the u shaped filter off between the low and high pressure (its located up above them and easy to get off) and try to blow through it..(not with a airhose either..) . seems the Sea Foam works great on cleaning some for me .. just take a small 1 gallon tank and mix it and run it to your filters.. you can play 'smoke screen' boat for a short time.. then also use star tron fuel additive. Inboards do not have such a problem because of the jets are bigger and you dont have all the screens and filters. Seems i am going back n forth to sunshine tanks more than I want even though they are great people.. new tank 119 gallons $900.00 but you can smile.. I hate the smell of cruise ships and gas also!

[DonK]

Anyone out there using "Star Tron" from Starbite? It is advertised to alleviate the ethanol/water/crud problem.

I am just curious if anyone uses it and if it really helps?

I am finally getting some good runtime on the boat, and last time out I started getting "Water in Fuel" warnings. (Optimax) Sure enough, the Racor's sight bowl was full of milky crud water, and I also had to drain the mixing chamber on the motor in order to stop the motor from throwing the error warnings.

I fuel up at LHP too.

[Skip Smith]

I asked PBMC and BOW about a stabilizer and they said they do not have any yet. They expect to get some soon.

[TTesterman]

clear glass jar , contents of spin on filter... the mid layer stuff I do believe is filter material, 37 hours / 1 month old...makes ya wonder what way we went on fuel.