Never bought ethanol free gas in my life. But have had a couple electric fuel pumps stick at the start of the summer after winter layup.

The only 93 octane I can get my hands has ethanol, It's a tier one gas and I've been running it for 11 years. I also use Amsoil gas stabilizer as I've had bad luck with Sta-Bil. So far no issues, I've pulled the bowls in the spring to check them for build up and they are like new.

Honestly, this is getting more varying positions than I thought it would. Maybe I stick with Chevron 87, less quantity per station visit so im going through what I buy in say two or three play days on the water, keep using the Chevron Marine Techron additional additive that I like, but now also add Stabil 360 for that ethanol protection component (which I have not been using in the past).

Thinking this might be the win win all the way around...🤔

This would be a nice option on the water with a different tune.





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Most people don't have access to ethanol free fuel. I'd never seen it living in Ohio. Moved to Tenn and it's in some stations. Ethanol really shouldn't be an issue if you use the boat on a regular basis or store it away from the water. There are several additives available that make long term storage of fuel ok too. Just make sure you get one for needs. Some will preserve it up to two years. Most only one year.
If your gonna up the the octane you might want to bump the timing a pinch to take advantage of it. Depending on being carbed or on a computer how you'd go about that.

there are simply NO 'cons' to running ethanol free fuel, to simply answer the question from a mechanical point of view. Costs more, the marinas at the lakes I boat at have 91 octane ethanol free @ $4.39 a gallon.
Service stations (for cars) have regular 10% ethanol 87 octane for about $2.89, ethanol free 87 octane for about $.40 more, and 91 - 93 octane with 10% ethanol content for the same price as ethanol free 87 octane. So a 'con' might be the cost if you worry more about your pocketbook instead of your boat, or power equipment. Marine vessels, lawnmowers, ATVs...all should use ethanol free. Yes, the modern era vehicles may have the more robust, designed-for-ethanol fuel lines, but you still are at risk from phase separation, which can happen fairly quickly and without warning; this is where the alcohol in the fuel separates and is heavier than gasoline so it goes into the bottom of the tank, and the fuel pickup snarfs this and your engine(s) go "BOOM" as they were never meant to operate on pure alcohol. Note: there ARE some service stations that have alcohol free 91 or 93 octane, usually you will find these places close to larger lakes. Price will be about $1.00 less per gallon that marina equivalent.

Like stated, the downside is more costly.

I'll go out on a limb here and say I only used ethanol fuel in my boat for the 9 years I owned it. I put marine stabil in every gallon I put in. I also stored the boat for the winter with a full tank with twice the marine stabil (long term-says lasts up to 2 years). When the spring came I just turned the key and went boating. Changed fuel filter once a year and always cut the old one open to inspect. Never any dirt or water. Always just good fuel.

I never had a fuel problem. Maybe I was one of the lucky ones.

Thanks all. The only ethanol free i have access to is 91 octane. So, given the manual says and like many others, my 525 EFIs were tuned to run off 87. Think that's still a good option, just treat it and use it within the month or so I get it.

Just a few more trips to station, but should be using fresh fuel more often...

Thx!

ethanol free if you can get it is the best for all engines.
1st thing we have to do with any older sea-doo is replace the fuel lines. ethanol gunks them all up and starves the engines for fuel and they run lean... until they don't run anymore.

I run real gas in my mower since it doesn't burn much, and isn't used all winter.
I use only free range electrons in my Tesla.


Boat gets whatever the marina sells because we burn.. a lot of gas.

rant on/ Ethanol is crap. let's take diesel, clear a ton of land, use more to plant something that could be a food, then use dozens of chemicals and more water and more resources, then more diesel to harvest the corn, then a metric ton of energy to make it into an inferior fuel that destroys engines... yeah, no thanks. It was never about saving the planet, it was only to get votes from farmers. /rant.

How about if your fuel system components were designed prior to ethanol being added to fuel? That's my reason for non-ethanol.