Ethanol ???
05-03-2006, 08:16 PM
#22
Re: Ethanol ???
Originally Posted by t500hps
After more research I've decided I will avoid ethanol when possible, but not go out of my way to do so.
I've become less concerned about water in my tank than I have about the gum/gunk particles breaking loose inside my 9 year old fuel tank. Apparently ethanol will dislodge old deposits in there and these particles will get picked up by the fuel supply line. I WILL be replacing my normal NAPA fuel/water separating filters with a 10 micron Racor model that will also catch small particles in the fuel. If anyone is interested the model for Mercruiser BBC's I am ordering is:
B32020mam and the replacement filter element is S3220UL.
This may be overkill, but I spent sometime off the water last year due to a blown motor and don't want to chance something on <$100.00 in filters. Besides I probably should have been running this type in the past anyway.
I've become less concerned about water in my tank than I have about the gum/gunk particles breaking loose inside my 9 year old fuel tank. Apparently ethanol will dislodge old deposits in there and these particles will get picked up by the fuel supply line. I WILL be replacing my normal NAPA fuel/water separating filters with a 10 micron Racor model that will also catch small particles in the fuel. If anyone is interested the model for Mercruiser BBC's I am ordering is:
B32020mam and the replacement filter element is S3220UL.
This may be overkill, but I spent sometime off the water last year due to a blown motor and don't want to chance something on <$100.00 in filters. Besides I probably should have been running this type in the past anyway.
Seirra has a 10 micon spin on filter they came out with this year. I will get you the number tommorrow if interested.
05-03-2006, 09:06 PM
#23
Registered
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lanoka Harbor, NJ
Posts: 3,354
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Ethanol ???
Originally Posted by TomFTM
Fiberglass tanks. I personally now of at least 8 boat owners who are currently changing there fuel tanks due to the problems with the ethanol eating the resin in the tanks.
Nice 
And that resin is burnin thru those Sterling motors 
Only a matter of time 
05-03-2006, 09:11 PM
#24
Registered
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lanoka Harbor, NJ
Posts: 3,354
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Ethanol ???
Originally Posted by Linster
I agree. if you think are rolling the dice at all, I would suggest you call the manufacturer of the product to get a warm fuzzy first hand.
All ethanol is is corn grain liquor. You can drink it if it is distilled pure enough. I think too much is being made of all this.
All ethanol is is corn grain liquor. You can drink it if it is distilled pure enough. I think too much is being made of all this.
I think a lot more research better be done before folks assume this stuff is safe to burn thru our $$$$ boats
Last edited by NJgr8ful; 05-03-2006 at 09:13 PM.
05-03-2006, 09:32 PM
#25
21 and 42 footers
Platinum MemberThread Starter
Re: Ethanol ???
Originally Posted by TomFTM
Seirra has a 10 micon spin on filter they came out with this year. I will get you the number tommorrow if interested.
05-04-2006, 05:01 AM
#26
Off the Radar
Platinum Member
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Short Pump or Colonial Beach, VA
Posts: 1,097
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Re: Ethanol ???
The Mercury service manual adresses the issue of the fuel filter. They warn Not to add or change any fuel filters from Mercury marine products has they have been designed to operate with the total fuel system. Guessing on a better filter is rolling the dice in my opinion if you have nothing wrong currently.
As far as the tanks made of fiberglass, it must be some cheap take off or poorly manufactureded tank to have those problems. Why would a boat builder even do that? Can't afford a real tank in a 400K boat? Sounds dumb to me. I would be calling the boat builder for warranty, especially if I paid for 1200 Sterlings.
There was not a secret, that alternative fuels was not on the horizon. Ethanol, as compared to other additives, is relative mild. It is a great cleanser.
Filters that are Hydrosorb will not have drains. The material inside the filter reacts and melts to absorb the water. That is why there is not a drain. A fliter with a drain will not stop water, only allow it to collect in the bottom of the filter.
At gas stations, there are 2 concerns of dispensing ethanol gas. The #1 problem is to get all the water out of the tanks, 100%. Most tanks only pumped water off the bottom when it got 2" or greater. Now the rule is 0% or it will pull the ethanol out of the gas and turn to a black gel on the bottom of the tank.
The second concern is keeping the filters changed regularly. At the gas dispensers, under the lower doors are filters that filter the gas before it leaves the hose. They are Hydosorb style, collects any small water particles or any tank trash that got picked up. We ( VA ) have been as everyone else in the areas using ethanol gas since 4-17-06. Gas stations are changing there filters almost every day, they clog and then dispenser fuels very slow. It was advised that all gas stations have there tanks cleaned prior to recieving the first loads of ethanol gas. Many did not clean the tanks and choose to let the filters do the work. After a few weeks or more depending on how dirty the tanks were, the filters will have cleaned up the mess that was in the tanks. We are starting to see a slow down in filter changes now from the newer stations.
As far as the tanks made of fiberglass, it must be some cheap take off or poorly manufactureded tank to have those problems. Why would a boat builder even do that? Can't afford a real tank in a 400K boat? Sounds dumb to me. I would be calling the boat builder for warranty, especially if I paid for 1200 Sterlings.
There was not a secret, that alternative fuels was not on the horizon. Ethanol, as compared to other additives, is relative mild. It is a great cleanser.
Filters that are Hydrosorb will not have drains. The material inside the filter reacts and melts to absorb the water. That is why there is not a drain. A fliter with a drain will not stop water, only allow it to collect in the bottom of the filter.
At gas stations, there are 2 concerns of dispensing ethanol gas. The #1 problem is to get all the water out of the tanks, 100%. Most tanks only pumped water off the bottom when it got 2" or greater. Now the rule is 0% or it will pull the ethanol out of the gas and turn to a black gel on the bottom of the tank.
The second concern is keeping the filters changed regularly. At the gas dispensers, under the lower doors are filters that filter the gas before it leaves the hose. They are Hydosorb style, collects any small water particles or any tank trash that got picked up. We ( VA ) have been as everyone else in the areas using ethanol gas since 4-17-06. Gas stations are changing there filters almost every day, they clog and then dispenser fuels very slow. It was advised that all gas stations have there tanks cleaned prior to recieving the first loads of ethanol gas. Many did not clean the tanks and choose to let the filters do the work. After a few weeks or more depending on how dirty the tanks were, the filters will have cleaned up the mess that was in the tanks. We are starting to see a slow down in filter changes now from the newer stations.
05-04-2006, 07:15 AM
#28
Registered
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: carolina shores
Posts: 707
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Ethanol ???
Originally Posted by Linster
The Mercury service manual adresses the issue of the fuel filter. They warn Not to add or change any fuel filters from Mercury marine products has they have been designed to operate with the total fuel system. Guessing on a better filter is rolling the dice in my opinion if you have nothing wrong currently.
As far as the tanks made of fiberglass, it must be some cheap take off or poorly manufactureded tank to have those problems. Why would a boat builder even do that? Can't afford a real tank in a 400K boat? Sounds dumb to me. I would be calling the boat builder for warranty, especially if I paid for 1200 Sterlings.
There was not a secret, that alternative fuels was not on the horizon. Ethanol, as compared to other additives, is relative mild. It is a great cleanser.
Filters that are Hydrosorb will not have drains. The material inside the filter reacts and melts to absorb the water. That is why there is not a drain. A fliter with a drain will not stop water, only allow it to collect in the bottom of the filter.
At gas stations, there are 2 concerns of dispensing ethanol gas. The #1 problem is to get all the water out of the tanks, 100%. Most tanks only pumped water off the bottom when it got 2" or greater. Now the rule is 0% or it will pull the ethanol out of the gas and turn to a black gel on the bottom of the tank.
The second concern is keeping the filters changed regularly. At the gas dispensers, under the lower doors are filters that filter the gas before it leaves the hose. They are Hydosorb style, collects any small water particles or any tank trash that got picked up. We ( VA ) have been as everyone else in the areas using ethanol gas since 4-17-06. Gas stations are changing there filters almost every day, they clog and then dispenser fuels very slow. It was advised that all gas stations have there tanks cleaned prior to recieving the first loads of ethanol gas. Many did not clean the tanks and choose to let the filters do the work. After a few weeks or more depending on how dirty the tanks were, the filters will have cleaned up the mess that was in the tanks. We are starting to see a slow down in filter changes now from the newer stations.
As far as the tanks made of fiberglass, it must be some cheap take off or poorly manufactureded tank to have those problems. Why would a boat builder even do that? Can't afford a real tank in a 400K boat? Sounds dumb to me. I would be calling the boat builder for warranty, especially if I paid for 1200 Sterlings.
There was not a secret, that alternative fuels was not on the horizon. Ethanol, as compared to other additives, is relative mild. It is a great cleanser.
Filters that are Hydrosorb will not have drains. The material inside the filter reacts and melts to absorb the water. That is why there is not a drain. A fliter with a drain will not stop water, only allow it to collect in the bottom of the filter.
At gas stations, there are 2 concerns of dispensing ethanol gas. The #1 problem is to get all the water out of the tanks, 100%. Most tanks only pumped water off the bottom when it got 2" or greater. Now the rule is 0% or it will pull the ethanol out of the gas and turn to a black gel on the bottom of the tank.
The second concern is keeping the filters changed regularly. At the gas dispensers, under the lower doors are filters that filter the gas before it leaves the hose. They are Hydosorb style, collects any small water particles or any tank trash that got picked up. We ( VA ) have been as everyone else in the areas using ethanol gas since 4-17-06. Gas stations are changing there filters almost every day, they clog and then dispenser fuels very slow. It was advised that all gas stations have there tanks cleaned prior to recieving the first loads of ethanol gas. Many did not clean the tanks and choose to let the filters do the work. After a few weeks or more depending on how dirty the tanks were, the filters will have cleaned up the mess that was in the tanks. We are starting to see a slow down in filter changes now from the newer stations.
05-04-2006, 01:37 PM
#29
Re: Ethanol ???
Originally Posted by Linster
T
As far as the tanks made of fiberglass, it must be some cheap take off or poorly manufactureded tank to have those problems. Why would a boat builder even do that? Can't afford a real tank in a 400K boat? Sounds dumb to me. I would be calling the boat builder for warranty, especially if I paid for 1200 Sterlings.
.
As far as the tanks made of fiberglass, it must be some cheap take off or poorly manufactureded tank to have those problems. Why would a boat builder even do that? Can't afford a real tank in a 400K boat? Sounds dumb to me. I would be calling the boat builder for warranty, especially if I paid for 1200 Sterlings.
.
05-04-2006, 04:31 PM
#30
Allergic to Nonsense
Platinum Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Granite Quarry, NC
Posts: 5,011
Likes: 0
Received 17 Likes
on
17 Posts
Re: Ethanol ???
Originally Posted by TomFTM
I wouldn't actually call Skater,Hatteras,or Bertram cheap or poorly manufactured . Boat builders have been putting fiberglass tanks in boats for years with great success. The problem is with the fuel and not the boat builder. At the time these builders manufactured there boats we did not have issues with the fuel . I just feel that not enough research was done by the people in charge of putting this stuff in the fuel.
Linster........ This is a serious problem and I speak from first person knowledge in my own boat..... (recently relaminated at the builder). In addition the in line fuel filter in a friend's Chevy Tahoe is filling repeatedly with a black substance..... since the gas stations in his area changed to 15% ethanol..... The only black item in his fuel system......back up the line....is the black plastic fuel tank....... This isn't just about boats anymore.....think about "gas leaks" in your Escalade.
The point about fibreglass tanks in gas stations is very simple. The government forced all stations with old metal tanks to replace them with fibreglass over the past 25 years or so...because the metal rusted through and leaked.....That was before they realised that Ethanol was coming. In the past 5 years or so a new ethanol resistan resin was developed to solve the problem...and that is why "old" fibreglass tanks in gas stations are being replaced by "new" ones.......
Sadfly, if you've been reading the paper.....they don't have a quick fix for the transcontinental pipelines which also spring leaks at joints and valves when ethanol is introduced into the fuel at origin....so....... the pipelines are currently carrying unblended oil products....and the ethanol is traveling by railcar, barge, and truck....right along side....
Boy! don't you just love politicians?........Unfortunately every time we have an election.......one of them wins.
T2x
