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Thread: Ethanol in Gas

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    Fort Wayne, IN
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    14

    Default Ethanol in Gas

    I recently was having problems with my 2003 Polaris PWC. I took it in, and the marina said that I had high ethanol gas in the system and it completely warped my fuel pump. $800 later, they said to try to buy pure gasoline (no ethanol). The marina said this is becoming a huge problem - especiall in boats older than 10 years. I have a 2006 Outback LSV. I plan on running the pure gasoline from now own, but does anyone know if the tank and other components in this boat were made with materials resistant to ethanol gas? I am concerned, because I am sure I have fuel in my boat from the same station. Probably not purchased at the same time, but definately from the same station. I hope the tank and other plastic components do not start deterioating.
    - Bob

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Belton, Texas
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    2,607

    Default Ethanol in Gas

    I've not had any issues with my 09 but I am religious about putting stabil in my tank every time I fuel up. I don't have any non ethanol stations around my neck of woods so that's not an option for me personally


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    Jason

    Go Hard or Go Home.......it's MOOMBA time!!

    2009 Moomba Mobius LSV

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
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    Lake Amistad, TX
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    636

    Default Ethanol in Gas

    Quote Originally Posted by jpetty3023 View Post
    I've not had any issues with my 09 but I am religious about putting stabil in my tank every time I fuel up. I don't have any non ethanol stations around my neck of woods so that's not an option for me personally


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
    ^ This x2! I put a can of SeaFoam in mine every other time I get gas! We've been doing that in our boats since I was knee high to a grasshopper.
    2004 Outback Blue on White *Sold
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    I'm no expert, I just read up on the Moomba Forum...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Lake Houston
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    656

    Default Re: Ethanol in Gas

    Blue stabil ftw!
    2013 LSV
    2005 LSV - SOLD

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Henderson, NV
    Posts
    7,020

    Default

    the ethanol content in gas currently(10%) is not enough to eat through the components of your fuel system. there are thousands of vehicles and small machinery operating with ethanol fuel in them prior to ethanol based fuel being sold that have been running for years with no issues. now if you missed the signs and ended up putting e-85 in the machine, that will, over the long haul, cause some parts of a fuel system not designed for that fuel to degrade and start leaking. I know lots of guys with turbo'ed cars that swap out part of the fuel systems and change the computer mapping to run e-85 as it's got a much higher octane rating.

    now what ethanol is known for is having a lower boiling point so it vapor locks easier and separates much quicker into fuel and water within the tank. possibly your polaris had this happen?
    '06 Supra Launch 20SSV-gone but never forgotten

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Posts
    14

    Default

    Found this online:http://bluedotmarine.weebly.com/etha...formation.html. My neighbor just had $1,000 in damage to a one year old E-Tec outboard because of ethanol in the gas.
    Quote Originally Posted by sandm View Post
    the ethanol content in gas currently(10%) is not enough to eat through the components of your fuel system. there are thousands of vehicles and small machinery operating with ethanol fuel in them prior to ethanol based fuel being sold that have been running for years with no issues. now if you missed the signs and ended up putting e-85 in the machine, that will, over the long haul, cause some parts of a fuel system not designed for that fuel to degrade and start leaking. I know lots of guys with turbo'ed cars that swap out part of the fuel systems and change the computer mapping to run e-85 as it's got a much higher octane rating.

    now what ethanol is known for is having a lower boiling point so it vapor locks easier and separates much quicker into fuel and water within the tank. possibly your polaris had this happen?
    - Bob

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Skiatook Lake Oklahoma
    Posts
    545

    Default Ethanol in Gas

    Quote Originally Posted by sandm View Post
    separates much quicker into fuel and water within the tank. possibly your polaris had this happen?

    This is exactly why I do not let gas sit long in the tanks of any of my stuff. It is a pain to fuel more frequently but I try to keep the gas gauge as close to empty as possible. I keep a large bottle of Sta-bil in my truck and put just a little in after each use.



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    Todd
    2017 SUPRA SA450

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
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    Lake Wylie NC Area
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    2,467

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jpetty3023 View Post
    I've not had any issues with my 09 but I am religious about putting stabil in my tank every time I fuel up. I don't have any non ethanol stations around my neck of woods so that's not an option for me personally


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
    The components in your 09 should be comprised of materials to hold up to ethanol, but just so others with older boats do not get a false sense of security, the Sta-Bil ethanol formula will do little to counter ethanol's attack on the plastics and rubbers in older systems. They can still deteriorate due to the ethanol.

    All boats can suffer from the side effects of ethanol, like moisture absorption and phase separation, but older boat fuel system can fail from the inside out due to the corrosiveness of ethanol blended fuels.

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