On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:43:39 -0500, HK wrote:

I haven't had any ethanol-related fuel problems *yet* on either outboard
boat, but I keep running into tales of boaters who have. I'm not doing
anything special to avoid ethanol problems, aside from pouring some
mystery stuff into the tank when I buy gas, but I know lots of guys who
don't do that, either, and aren't having problems.

So...have you had any ethanol-related problems? If so, what? How did you
resolve them?

No problems so far.

The only problems I've seen, witnessed or been told about are usually
older boats with older tanks, in particular steel/fiberglass, fuel
line upgrades to resistant rubber, carbed engines or lack of
stabilizers or E-Zorb. A lot of that is related to crap in the tank.
Usually a good running with one or two filter changes does the trick.
One fellow at my boat/engine dealer went through six filters before he
got it all out.

I do know that there have been problems, supposedly, with phase
separation in the Upper Mid-West, but they have QC problems with their
ethanol levels - sometimes up to 30% ethanol depending on the fuel
load delivery and where it came from. BoatUS is reporting a whole,
forgive me, boat load of ethanol problems, but I'm not sure if this is
hearsay or accurate reporting - I know we're not seeing the same level
of problems that others are seeing. With respect to water absorption
and phase separation, it's not existent in this area.

Finally, I do know one guy at my old marina who was having trouble
with his two E-TECs. Concurrently, some Optimax owners were having
problems and those who were still operating carbed engines were
screaming bloody murder. Finally the head mechanic had a brain fart
and had the fuel tested - it was contaminated and the fuel tested out
at 40% ethanol. Apparently it was a screw up at the distribution
center. Drain the tank, clean it, seal it, new fuel and the problems
went away.

So that's it for what it's worth.