Avoiding Ethanol`

[hakr]

Subject line says it all.

Are there any "branded" gasoline stations that simply do not sell ethanol-laced gasoline?

It's in the gas at WaWa and at Safeway's stations. I'd sure like to avoid it entirely when filling up the tank of my new Yamaha.

 

[TonyAmalfitano]

I'm not 100%, but I think it's a Federal Mandate.

 

[DaleH]

State by State, as Maine has not switched over and says it has no plans to ... but 'maybe' there is a cut-off date or the other State's get more Fed tax $$.

 

[susqking]

I don't know if most people know this.

In Maryland it is hard to avoid. Where I live gas tanks leaked the MTBE gas and got into wells of nearby homes less than 2 miles from my house. Everyone had to have their water tested and homes that tested positive with high levels of MTBE and to have special water treatment filters installed in their house. MTBE is supposed to be cancer causing and these people had know idea how long they were drinking the water.

 

[Megabyte]

Not sure where you are in the Chessie, but the two fuel docks at Knapps Narrows still sell MTBE fuel.

I bit the bullet and started using E10 last year. No issues thus far. 8)

 

[Sow&Pigs]

My local Mercury mechanics (a Premier facility btw) told me that the fastest way to have problems is if you mix MTBE gas with 10% ethanol. I live in CT which only has ethanol. I'm taking my 2520 MVSC up to the Cape in a week, and actually called the marina in Stonington I usually stop at to top off the tank, and the marina on the Cape where I'll be keeping the boat, to ask whether they had MTBE or ethanol. Both said only ethanol, but it might be a good idea for any one else heading away from home ports to do the same research.

 

[andertonm]

I'm a gasoline retailer and my understanding is that gas is no longer coming through any of the pipelines or from any of the refineries with MTBE. You don't get a choice about this stuff. Ethanol is being added at the terminals. If there is a regional supply of MTBE gas, I'd be interested to hear about it. I think it's an incredibly bad decision, but ethanol is our present and future. Millions of cars are out there running on it daily. It's a great solvent - change filters frequently.

 

[johnsw]

Here in Jersey, that's all that they sell. The state switched over last summer, and for stations to continue to sell MTBE fuel wasn't an option. With precautions, I made the switch and so far (as I knock on the fake wood on my desk) I have not had any issues with ethanol. Mine is an '04, so the tank was new and clean (or so I think), and water in the tank wasn't an issue. For winter storage, I kept the tank full as depending on who I'd talk to I'd hear either 'store it empty' or 'store it full'. Spring startup was normal, but I did add the StarTron treatment in addition to the usual stablizer in the fall. As I've got the 2-stroke, I always add RingFree every time I fill up.

John

 

[dave-j]

Is your tank new, or old? did you recently re-power an old boat?

If so, then you will need to be careful with your filters and use Startron religiously. I swear, this stuff works! When MA switched over in '06, lots of us had issues until the crap worked its way out of our tanks (four Racors in one season) and we started using Startron to handle the water issue.

If a new boat, then use ethanol gas with no worries about crap being dissolved. Just use Startron and have a sparkling clean fuel system!

 

[Porkchunker]

I keep hearing a lot of positive things about Startron. Guess I'll have to check it out.

 

[Megabyte]

Dave... Some believe it is overkill, but at every fill-up I treat my fuel with StaBil, StarTron, and Ringfree.

My (ancient) '97 Yammie OX66 has never run better. :wink:

 

[Themis]

I have been using E10 with no issues (except for poor fuel economy!) I did change my fuel water seperator twice to be safe (I have only 65 hours on my engine), and I did get the MTBE gas down near empty before I filled up with E10 to avoid mixing, and I use Startron in every fill. No issues, but I don't know if I am doing smart things or am just lucky.

A man ran through the streets screaming wildly and waving his arms in big circles frantically. When asked why he was doing this, he replied that it kept the blue elephants away. When told that there were no blue elephants anywhere, he rejoiced, " See it works!!!!!" , and off he ran again....

ba dum dum

 

[Megabyte]

 

[Themis]

ok. dang. i'll check my filter again.........

 

[dave-j]

What Megabyte said...

I do the same thing. I have no idea if this is the reason, but several SWS II OX66 owners have approached me saying their SWS doesn't run as smooth or as quiet.

Again, STARTRON and RINGFREE (sometimes STABIL) are the cheapest investment you can make to keeping your engine running smooth and reliably in this E-10 world we now live in!