Fuel Type for a Yamaha 150HP 4 stroke?
- Thread starter Slainte71
- Start date
I have a 2010cc with a Mercury Optimax 225. (Yes, I know the boat is rated for a max HP of 200, but that is how I bought the boat.) Mercury says that Ethanol will not hurt the engine. I trailered the boat and always filed it up at the local gas station. Recently, it sat for a while. A couple of weeks ago, I finally got it into the water and everything was fine. Last week, I made it about halfway down the canal before the engine quit on me. I had to be towed back. Turns out the problem is Ethanol separation, or, as I call it, Ethanol Poisoning. Not that big a deal. New filters, clean the plugs, etc., but I did lose the day on the water and the additional expense of the mechanic. My advice to either use the expensive gas without Ethanol or, if you fill up at the local gas station, buy an additive.
Push&Pull
Recognized Leader Triumph 210 / 215 Forum
- City
- Florida City
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- Florida
First, while the advice to use non-ethanol fuel is good advice........and additives can sometimes provide a benefit.......additives will not correct phase separation of ethanol. Additives provide no benefit what-so-ever when using ethanol fuel.
Here is all you can do. If you use ethanol fuel. 1. Use it up quickly. Do not leave it in your tank for long periods. 2. If if phase separates....(causes problems with your engine) Remove it from your tank and don't use it again. Nuf said.
Oh, and there is no such thing as expensive marine fuel. It's just the oil companies ripping us off for the same "non-ethanol" fuel we have always used, while they make millions on adding ethanol (poison) to perfectly good fuel and costing us millions. So what else is new.
BTW, I use non-ethanol fuel in my boat, motorcycles, ATV's, Jet skis, chain saws, pressure cleaner, generators, etc etc. If I happen to refuel one of those on the road with ethanol fuel.......then I drain it when I get home. Save yourself headaches.
Push&Pull
Recognized Leader Triumph 210 / 215 Forum
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- Florida City
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- Florida
This time dk. If that phase separated, water laden fuel hits the cylinders while your running WOT, it could destroy your engine.
Push&Pull
Recognized Leader Triumph 210 / 215 Forum
- City
- Florida City
- State
- Florida
Here's a start. http://www.pure-gas.org/ And many marinas sell Non-ethanol fuel as well.
Gas stations are allowed to sell non-ethanol fuel for use in boats. So of course, they usually sell the mid or higher octane that is a slow seller and add on even more and claim it's special for boats. Nothing special about it. Just ripping off the consumer as usual.
You can sometimes find a seperate pump at the back of stations labeled "for boats only".
Be careful though. I have a ethanol test kit and I check it always to be sure it is Non-Ethanol fuel. There are scams everywhere.
Sea-Vu-Play
Participating Member
- City
- Bay St. Louis
- State
- MS
Bill I sent you a pm
Finally have a resolution to my Ethanol issue and thought I would post it. Turns out that the Ethanol had separated in my gas tank. The water had gotten into the engine. 4 of the six injectors were stuck, but the shop was able to get them working. Then they looked at the tank. It was full of water. The tank had to be drained, but it was full of a white gunk, as were the fuel lines, which was apparently a mix of water and ethanol. Very hard to get out. At one point, it looked like the gas tank would have be taken out, which would have been a major hassle, as it would have required taking out the console and t-top. The shop kept on rinsing out the tank with ethanol free gasoline, and they believe they got it out. Cleaned all of the lines, etc. Tomorrow, we are taking it out where they will check the filters every thirty minutes to ensure there is no more water. I have not yet seen the bill.
eddie-of great bay
Participating Member
- City
- Kearny
@dk2943 How long was the gas sitting in the tank before separation ?
eddie-of great bay
Participating Member
- City
- Kearny
Sorry you had togo thru that
Push&Pull
Recognized Leader Triumph 210 / 215 Forum
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- Florida City
- State
- Florida
This topic has been beat to death. And even the mechanics don't get it.
Ethanol ABSORBS the water in the fuel and when it is saturated it separates from the gasoline. The WATER DOES NOT SEPARATE. Phase separated fuel is "gasoline" and "ethanol w/water" . BOTH will pass thru a 'water separating filter and not trap any water. Soooooooo, the water separating filters will not cure your problem. The only water the filter will remove is the excess that the ethanol cannot hold. The ethanol will still travel to your engine fully laden with water. Only using Non-ethanol fuel will prevent it. Water cannot mix with gasoline and when any moisture enters the tank with regular (non-ethanol) gasoline....... it remains separate from the gasoline and will be trapped as it tries to pass thru a water separating filter.
But hey, you can all keep trying to change chemistry.........maybe you'll get lucky, have plenty of moola or you don't venture far from shore.
