HighTechMarine
August 19th, 2010, 11:56 PM
Hull Truth @ High Tech Marine
By Keith Hinze Yamaha Certified Technician
Editor’s note: Keith is a Bayou Vista “Ex-Patriot”, Owner of High Tech Marine, a Yamaha Certified Technician and has his college degree in Welding Technology. He has over 30 years local experience in the boating business. He is owner/operator of High Tech Marine a mobile dockside marine repair & service business. High Tech Marine is excited to announce that our customer #500 is from Bayou Vista. Thanks to the warm welcome and reception in Bayou Vista, our company has grown from a customer list of 5 to 500. Thanks to everyone again.
The effects of ethanol on your boat motor
Simply put, ethanol is an excellent SOLVENT (dissolves plastic, rubber, fiberglass and more), and unlike MTBE (the current gas additive), ethanol will ABSORB WATER, which can cause serious problems to many marine gas engines (inboards and outboards).This most interesting topic is about the ethanol that is in all the gasoline and fuel that all boaters use and the potential damaging effects that ethanol can have on boat engines as ethanol attracts water and moisture. Add that problem with the humidity that we all live in here on the Gulf coast and we have double trouble. The ethanol draws in the humidity and can foul the fuel which equals engine problems and certainly effects top end performance. The 10 micron fuel filter needs to be changed every 100 gallons and some type of marine stabilizer added with every fill-up. The following information is shared from an unknown internet source.
Read what the National Marine Manufacturers Association recommends in this article on the current Lawsuit over Ethanol Fuel and its effects on your motor.
“The characteristics of ethanol, even when blended in ratios of as little as 10 percent, are:
Attracts and absorbs moisture from the air. Boaters will likely face more fuel contamination issues from water absorbed through their fuel tank vents.
Dissolves some solid materials (and can loosen any corrosion), varnish or cause oxidation in steel and aluminum tanks - commonly found in fuel tanks, thereby contaminating the fuel.
Ethanol has been known to dissolve components of the fuel system itself. Modern fuel hoses are made to withstand the effects of ethanol exposure.
Can react chemically with MTBE fuel blends, causing additional contamination.
Fuel blends using as much as 10 percent ethanol are appropriate for use in all of Yamaha's current outboard models. Yamaha does not recommend the use of fuels with higher concentrations of ethanol (E85, which contains 85 percent ethanol) or any other fuel blend that contains more than 10 percent ethanol.”
http://www.hightechmarine.blogspot.com for more information.
By Keith Hinze Yamaha Certified Technician
Editor’s note: Keith is a Bayou Vista “Ex-Patriot”, Owner of High Tech Marine, a Yamaha Certified Technician and has his college degree in Welding Technology. He has over 30 years local experience in the boating business. He is owner/operator of High Tech Marine a mobile dockside marine repair & service business. High Tech Marine is excited to announce that our customer #500 is from Bayou Vista. Thanks to the warm welcome and reception in Bayou Vista, our company has grown from a customer list of 5 to 500. Thanks to everyone again.
The effects of ethanol on your boat motor
Simply put, ethanol is an excellent SOLVENT (dissolves plastic, rubber, fiberglass and more), and unlike MTBE (the current gas additive), ethanol will ABSORB WATER, which can cause serious problems to many marine gas engines (inboards and outboards).This most interesting topic is about the ethanol that is in all the gasoline and fuel that all boaters use and the potential damaging effects that ethanol can have on boat engines as ethanol attracts water and moisture. Add that problem with the humidity that we all live in here on the Gulf coast and we have double trouble. The ethanol draws in the humidity and can foul the fuel which equals engine problems and certainly effects top end performance. The 10 micron fuel filter needs to be changed every 100 gallons and some type of marine stabilizer added with every fill-up. The following information is shared from an unknown internet source.
Read what the National Marine Manufacturers Association recommends in this article on the current Lawsuit over Ethanol Fuel and its effects on your motor.
“The characteristics of ethanol, even when blended in ratios of as little as 10 percent, are:
Attracts and absorbs moisture from the air. Boaters will likely face more fuel contamination issues from water absorbed through their fuel tank vents.
Dissolves some solid materials (and can loosen any corrosion), varnish or cause oxidation in steel and aluminum tanks - commonly found in fuel tanks, thereby contaminating the fuel.
Ethanol has been known to dissolve components of the fuel system itself. Modern fuel hoses are made to withstand the effects of ethanol exposure.
Can react chemically with MTBE fuel blends, causing additional contamination.
Fuel blends using as much as 10 percent ethanol are appropriate for use in all of Yamaha's current outboard models. Yamaha does not recommend the use of fuels with higher concentrations of ethanol (E85, which contains 85 percent ethanol) or any other fuel blend that contains more than 10 percent ethanol.”
http://www.hightechmarine.blogspot.com for more information.