Increased ethanol in petrol issues for boats?

HDAV · 21 August 2018, 19:34

Just seen this on another forum for older cars.....

https://www.gov.uk/government/consul...pump-labelling

Cause for concern?

jeffstevens763@g · 21 August 2018, 23:43

Not bothered my self went through leaded to unleaded no probs

HDAV · 22 August 2018, 08:40

The yanks make a big deal about ethanol free gas, the ethanol content doesn’t store well, attracts moisture, can cause other issues. Worse than currently with upto 5% ethanol? Issues with some types of fuel lines seals etc.

jeffstevens763@g · 22 August 2018, 10:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDAV

The yanks make a big deal about ethanol free gas, the ethanol content doesn’t store well, attracts moisture, can cause other issues. Worse than currently with upto 5% ethanol? Issues with some types of fuel lines seals etc.

understand concerns i treat my fuel and also dont leave too much in the tank wife has a petrol motor so easy to get it used up.
i did clean my tanks out recently [not very old] and found a white deposit in them and also in the inline filters not stopping flow or anything but quite surprised it had gone all the way to the engine filter past the water seperator, so guess it might be a byproduct of ethanol.

Ian M · 22 August 2018, 15:16

Ethanol in fuel is a big issue if you have a polyester resin fibreglass tank. The resin goes soft, not great for a fuel tank

Vinylester resin fuel tanks are for all practical purposes impervious to ethanol.

brveagle · 23 August 2018, 20:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDAV

The yanks make a big deal about ethanol free gas, the ethanol content doesn’t store well, attracts moisture, can cause other issues. Worse than currently with upto 5% ethanol? Issues with some types of fuel lines seals etc.

Here in the states, all of our gas has "up to 10%" ethanol, with many people doing the self tests and finding it to be closer to 15%.

There are cell phone apps where people will label which gas stations have ethanol free. Costs more, but i don't have to worry about it breaking down as fast.

Nos4r2 · 23 August 2018, 22:05

None of ours are ethanol free-all the terminals add the 5% as it goes into the road tankers for delivery to garages.
If there's higher than 5%, it'll be because it was present on the ship it came from.

However, I have to wonder if UK terminals actually have the ability to supply E10 at the moment without running out of ethanol.
While the actual unleaded is brought in via pipeline or train, the ethanol is brought in by road tanker. It's not something that could be brought in overnight.

HDAV · 23 August 2018, 23:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

However, I have to wonder if UK terminals actually have the ability to supply E10 at the moment without running out of ethanol.
While the actual unleaded is brought in via pipeline or train, the ethanol is brought in by road tanker. It's not something that could be brought in overnight.

Well it’s a consultation so supply of the constituent parts isn’t an issue yet, presumably there are either ethanol production plants (sugar beat raw material?) or as a by product of other processes?

Other markets (Brazil) have much more evolved ethanol fuel facilities and the US E85 is common in some areas and actually sought as with different engine oil and a remap some motors run very very well on e85.

Adding an alternative fuel is one thing (remember biodiesel?) but messing with normal unleaded is another this isn’t like the leader to unleaded switch. More adding 3star in the days of 4 star... (I can just remember 2star and 5 star...)

Nos4r2 · 23 August 2018, 23:40

Oh, E10 is coming no doubt.
However, the advantage we should have here is that (apart from GRP fuel tanks) most of our kit is mass-market in the USA and should have been able to cope with E10 for a long time.