toneeees
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[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]The introduction of ethanol into the U.S. gasoline supply was the result of an EPA regulation called the Renewable Fuel Standard, and it caused a lot of costly headaches for boaters at the 10 percent level. Now, the EPA is doubling down under intense pressure from the agri-industry's ethanol lobby in Washington, increasing the mandated amount of ethanol in gasoline to 15 percent, a move dreaded by boaters and marine engine manufacturers alike.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Ethanol initially found its way into the nation's fuel supply as a replacement for a chemical additive called MTBE, which was used to increase octane and reduce emissions. However, the use of ethanol in fuel came with a host of problems for marine engines and fuel systems.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Not long after the introduction of E10 gasoline, boats using it began experiencing problems. Almost immediately mysterious substances began clogging fuel filters. Ethanol is a form of alcohol and alcohol is a highly efficient solvent. Ethanol-blended fuel can also be responsible for the decomposition of rubber gaskets and fuel lines that heretofore had been approved for use in gasoline fuel systems. Fuel lines approved for gasoline engines on boats reacted badly with the ethanol additive and started breaking down causing clogged filters; and in cases where the problem was not identified quickly, possible fuel leaks were the result. Any sludge deposits in older fuel tanks began dissolving and were pumped into the fuel system, damaging components and making a mess of filters. Boats with fiberglass fuel tanks were subject to the added nightmare of ethanol actually eating away the resin, which required replacement of the tank and in many cases, serious damage to expensive engine components like valves, carburetors and injectors.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Boat and engine manufacturers took on the challenge of upgrading their products to avoid these problems going forward, and have done an admirable job. Yamaha Marine was an early leader in identifying these problems and correcting them in their popular lineup of outboard engines. They upgraded fuel systems with hoses and gaskets that are resistant to ethanol's solvent properties. The company also developed injection systems and revised ignition modules so that Yamaha outboards can run efficiently with E10, which has a lower combustion temperature and therefore a slightly lower power output than gasoline without ethanol. Even though most of the problems with E10-blended fuels have been accounted for by outboard manufacturers, there are still some issues that are inherent to the product that continue to plague boaters.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Ethanol is hygroscopic, which means it absorbs water from the air. While this is rarely a problem in automobiles that live on dry land and have sealed fuel systems, marine applications are another story altogether. Boats live in a moisture- and humidity-rich environment, and boat fuel systems are vented to the atmosphere. Without venting, an outboard's fuel pump would not be able to draw fuel from the tank. Venting allows outside air to enter the tank along with moisture and humidity where it contacts the ethanol in the gas.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]"Water can and will collect in your fuel, and when the concentration of water molecules reaches just one half of one percent, those molecules will bond with the ethanol in the gasoline and sink to the bottom of the tank where the fuel pick up is located," said David Meeler, Product Information Manager, Yamaha Marine Group. "This is called 'phase separation' and depending on the amount of water ingested into your outboard, it can result in everything from rough running to catastrophic engine damage."[/FONT]
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Yamaha offers the following recommendations for avoiding the potentially damaging effects of burning ethanol fuel in your outboard engine.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]1. Be sure to use a 10-micron fuel/water separating filter - with proper flow rating for the engine - is installed in the fuel line between the tank and the outboard. This will filter out any debris that ethanol might loosen in the tank, and it will separate out and collect any water from the fuel. (Yamaha offers high-quality canister filters with large water collecting reservoirs for their outboards.) Filters should be replaced every 100 hours of operation or checked/replaced more frequently if the presence of significant water is found.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]2. Add a high-quality, marine specific fuel stabilizer and conditioner to every tank of fuel. They caution boaters about claims from some additive manufacturers stating unequivocally that, "no additive will restore stale fuel, remove water or cure ethanol-related issues."[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]3. Buy your gas where they sell a lot of it! Purchasing gas at a high volume retailer helps insure you are buying the freshest gas. Then be sure to add stabilizer and engine cleaner at the time of purchase. This will go a long way in helping protect your investment in your outboard engine from ethanol problems.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]
Keep your fuel tank level at 7/8 full with properly stabilized, fresh fuel. Keeping your tank at that level helps prevent condensation build up in the tank while the boat is not in use. Condensation occurs when any moisture in the air in the tank condenses with changing temperatures. It is another source of water entering the fuel and bonding with the ethanol.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]The EPA is mandating a 50 percent increase in the use of E15 gasoline, which will further exacerbate the problems associated with ethanol in marine engines. In an interview with Martin Peters, Manager, Government Relations for Yamaha Marine in Kennesaw, Ga.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]"The marine industry has determined through research and testing that E15 harms outboards by doing internal damage to moving parts such as valves and pistons - devastating, irreparable damage," said Peters. "There are more than 10 million outboards currently in service that would be destroyed by the damaging effects of E15. As an industry, we cannot allow this to happen to consumers.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]"We strongly urge consumers and members of the marine industry to make their voices heard and stop the EPA from going forward with a plan to increase the amount of ethanol in the fuel supply. They can do so by contacting the EPA - or their Congressman/Senator - directly over concerns that higher ethanol blends will have on their products or by accessing a number of marine advocacy websites such as the National Marine Manufacturers Association? (www.nmma.org)."
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[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Ethanol initially found its way into the nation's fuel supply as a replacement for a chemical additive called MTBE, which was used to increase octane and reduce emissions. However, the use of ethanol in fuel came with a host of problems for marine engines and fuel systems.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Not long after the introduction of E10 gasoline, boats using it began experiencing problems. Almost immediately mysterious substances began clogging fuel filters. Ethanol is a form of alcohol and alcohol is a highly efficient solvent. Ethanol-blended fuel can also be responsible for the decomposition of rubber gaskets and fuel lines that heretofore had been approved for use in gasoline fuel systems. Fuel lines approved for gasoline engines on boats reacted badly with the ethanol additive and started breaking down causing clogged filters; and in cases where the problem was not identified quickly, possible fuel leaks were the result. Any sludge deposits in older fuel tanks began dissolving and were pumped into the fuel system, damaging components and making a mess of filters. Boats with fiberglass fuel tanks were subject to the added nightmare of ethanol actually eating away the resin, which required replacement of the tank and in many cases, serious damage to expensive engine components like valves, carburetors and injectors.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Boat and engine manufacturers took on the challenge of upgrading their products to avoid these problems going forward, and have done an admirable job. Yamaha Marine was an early leader in identifying these problems and correcting them in their popular lineup of outboard engines. They upgraded fuel systems with hoses and gaskets that are resistant to ethanol's solvent properties. The company also developed injection systems and revised ignition modules so that Yamaha outboards can run efficiently with E10, which has a lower combustion temperature and therefore a slightly lower power output than gasoline without ethanol. Even though most of the problems with E10-blended fuels have been accounted for by outboard manufacturers, there are still some issues that are inherent to the product that continue to plague boaters.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Ethanol is hygroscopic, which means it absorbs water from the air. While this is rarely a problem in automobiles that live on dry land and have sealed fuel systems, marine applications are another story altogether. Boats live in a moisture- and humidity-rich environment, and boat fuel systems are vented to the atmosphere. Without venting, an outboard's fuel pump would not be able to draw fuel from the tank. Venting allows outside air to enter the tank along with moisture and humidity where it contacts the ethanol in the gas.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]"Water can and will collect in your fuel, and when the concentration of water molecules reaches just one half of one percent, those molecules will bond with the ethanol in the gasoline and sink to the bottom of the tank where the fuel pick up is located," said David Meeler, Product Information Manager, Yamaha Marine Group. "This is called 'phase separation' and depending on the amount of water ingested into your outboard, it can result in everything from rough running to catastrophic engine damage."[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]
Yamaha offers the following recommendations for avoiding the potentially damaging effects of burning ethanol fuel in your outboard engine.[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]1. Be sure to use a 10-micron fuel/water separating filter - with proper flow rating for the engine - is installed in the fuel line between the tank and the outboard. This will filter out any debris that ethanol might loosen in the tank, and it will separate out and collect any water from the fuel. (Yamaha offers high-quality canister filters with large water collecting reservoirs for their outboards.) Filters should be replaced every 100 hours of operation or checked/replaced more frequently if the presence of significant water is found.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]2. Add a high-quality, marine specific fuel stabilizer and conditioner to every tank of fuel. They caution boaters about claims from some additive manufacturers stating unequivocally that, "no additive will restore stale fuel, remove water or cure ethanol-related issues."[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]3. Buy your gas where they sell a lot of it! Purchasing gas at a high volume retailer helps insure you are buying the freshest gas. Then be sure to add stabilizer and engine cleaner at the time of purchase. This will go a long way in helping protect your investment in your outboard engine from ethanol problems.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]
Keep your fuel tank level at 7/8 full with properly stabilized, fresh fuel. Keeping your tank at that level helps prevent condensation build up in the tank while the boat is not in use. Condensation occurs when any moisture in the air in the tank condenses with changing temperatures. It is another source of water entering the fuel and bonding with the ethanol.[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]The EPA is mandating a 50 percent increase in the use of E15 gasoline, which will further exacerbate the problems associated with ethanol in marine engines. In an interview with Martin Peters, Manager, Government Relations for Yamaha Marine in Kennesaw, Ga.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]"The marine industry has determined through research and testing that E15 harms outboards by doing internal damage to moving parts such as valves and pistons - devastating, irreparable damage," said Peters. "There are more than 10 million outboards currently in service that would be destroyed by the damaging effects of E15. As an industry, we cannot allow this to happen to consumers.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]"We strongly urge consumers and members of the marine industry to make their voices heard and stop the EPA from going forward with a plan to increase the amount of ethanol in the fuel supply. They can do so by contacting the EPA - or their Congressman/Senator - directly over concerns that higher ethanol blends will have on their products or by accessing a number of marine advocacy websites such as the National Marine Manufacturers Association? (www.nmma.org)."
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