Ethanol - Can screw up boat motors/carbs

[robwbright]

Getting Corned by the Ethanol Lobby
(Personal Story)
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig7/bothwell1.html

Ethanol may leave boaters high and dry; Report says fuel blends
(News Report)
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_20060826/ai_n16698830

Fiberglass fuel tanks, when filled with gasoline formulated with ethanol, might fail or cause engine damage, according to a report from Boat U.S., the Boat Owners Association of the United States.

Other reported problems include erratic engine performance from water and contaminants trapped in boat fuel systems.

As a fuel additive, ethanol "loves water and willingly sucks up moisture" from the air, said Charles Plueddeman, editor at large of Boating Magazine and a boating enthusiast from Oshkosh.

In some cases, rubber hoses and gaskets on old outboards are broken down by the fuel additive. Pieces flake off and cause carburetor problems.

"We have seen a lot of cracked fuel lines, which isn't a good thing in a boat," Payleitner said.

"You will find little black pieces of rubber inside the carburetors," said Doug Strandt, service manager at M-W Marine in Hales Corners.

 

[MikeT]

Wonderful! Lets keep this in mind when we read/hear about stranded boaters floating for weeks because their boats shut down due to ethanol.

 

[76GMC1500]

Only fuel related problem I've ever had was the float bowl gasket swelling on my TT225. I had to buy a new gasket every time I dropped the bowl. If you've ever bought parts for this bike, you know they're expensive.

California has had ethanol in their fuel for years.

 

[XRpredator]

 

[VintageDirt]

I don't remember who said it but it's a quote worth quoitng, "gas is for cleaning parts, alcohol is for drinkin', and nitromethane is for racing!"

 

[loudandproud]

edit; never mind