|
| |
The Problem with Ethanol
Fuel: Phase Separation
ALEXANDRIA, VA, Sept. 9, 2008 -- Ethanol-laden
gasoline, dubbed "E-10" for its 10% ethanol content, is now commonplace at
marina fuel docks across the country. However, as winter approaches and boaters
lay up their vessels for the season, Boat Owners Association of The United
States (BoatU.S.) has some recommendations to ensure that spring commissioning
will go smoothly. That's because E-10 can phase separate, or form two separate
solutions in the gas tank - water and fuel - over a long winter storage period.
Once this happens, the engine may not run and internal damage can occur.
BoatU.S. has these recommendations for storing boats fueled with E-10 this
winter:
·
Top Off: For boats with
built-in gas tanks, stop at the fuel dock and top off the tank before you haul
out, leaving it nearly full with just a little room for expansion. A tank that
is almost full limits the flow of air into and out of the vent, which reduces
the chance of fluctuating temperatures adding condensation (water) to the fuel,
inviting phase separation. Anglers who fish over the winter should also top off
their boat's gasoline tanks between outings to prevent condensation. Draining
built-in fuel tanks of E-10 gas, while completely eliminating any chances of
phase separation, is not practical and potentially dangerous.
·
Freshening doesn't work:
Midwest marina owners, who have dealt with E-10 for many years, report that
phase separation typically occurs when boats are stored with tanks only
one-quarter to one-half full, which cannot be remedied by adding fresh gasoline
in the spring. Once E-10 phase separates, the water will remain at the bottom of
the tank.
·
Additive issues: With any fuel
that sits in a tank for a long time, it's important to add a stabilizer. But
stabilizers do not prevent phase separation. Once it occurs, additives and water
separators can't help. The only remedy is to have the gas and ethanol/water
professionally removed from the tank.
·
Fiberglass tanks beware:
Ethanol is known to chemically react with many fiberglass fuel tanks, which can
cause them to deteriorate and potentially fail. Unfortunately, unless your
boat's manufacturer can confirm that your fiberglass tank was built to withstand
ethanol, your only remedy may be to replace the tank with a non-reactive
material such as aluminum.
·
Let it breathe: While ethanol
does attract moisture, never try to plug up a fuel tank vent to prevent moist
air from entering a tank. Without room to expand, the additional pressure could
rupture fuel system components.
·
Portable gas tanks: Any
un-mixed gas (without 2-cycle oil) remaining in portable tanks may be carefully
poured into your automobile gas tank. However, if you do have to store gas over
the winter in a portable tank, keep the tank out of the sun and in a
well-ventilated area away from ignition sources, keeping in mind that gasoline
fumes are heavier than air. Recent BoatU.S. Foundation tests of portable jerry
jugs confirmed that over time, gasoline can evaporate through the walls of some
plastic containers.
·
The good news: Next spring when
you start the boating season you will already have a tank full of last year's
gas, likely saving yourself some money on a fill up.
|
