ethanol

[penngrizz]

Probably most everyone lives in an area where 10% ethanol is the only gas sold. Anyone using startron fuel additive to combat this ethanol crisis. For those that are unfamiliar go to www.startron for information.

'09 550

[AKMuddy]

Originally Posted by penngrizz

Anyone using fuel additive to combat this ethanol crisis.

What crisis? I have never heard anyone complain about ethanol fuel in their ATV before...educate me please.


A tank of fuel never lasts very long in my quads because I ride a lot. Is this maybe an issue with fuel sitting in the tank too long?

[AZ08Grizz]

I use it in my high performance boat (762 HP) especially when I know the boat won't be used for a month or more. It seems to work well as I've had no fuel problems at all. I also use in my toy hauler fuel tank and put it in stored cans of gas if it won't be used within a month. I also put it in my Harley over the winter. I highly recommend it. This stuff can rejuvinate old gas and keeps gas good for two years!!!

[penngrizz]

Ethanol is a solvent and when first introduced it strips any gums,varnish or other build ups found in your tank. This debris drops into the fuel thus clogging carbs and injectors. Ethanol attracts water from the atomsphere,bonding wit it to form an ethanol/water molecule, this could be bad especially in cold weather. Ethanol breaks down quickly. Ethanol causes lost power and decreases fuel economy. Hope this helps i use it in both my 4 wheelers. It can rejuvinate old gas, and can stabalize gas for up to 2 years.

[AKMuddy]

I am not actually sure if we even have ethanol fuel here in Alaska. I guess I will have to look next time I fill up the duramax.

If it ain't diesel it ain't worth it!

[oldstyle]

Ethanol has wreaked havoc on engines down here. It breaks down rubber hoses and o-rings and sends small rubber particles into the carb. The moisture problem happens quickly too. I'm now using Sta-bil ethanol treatment, but I'm sure Starbrite or Seafoam work fine.

[motoboy]

There are some stations that still sell normal gas, here is a site that lists a few.
Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada
This doesn't show them all because the one I buy my gas from isn't on here. A more extensive internet search might show more or you could ask around locally.

[bobby2bears]

I NEVER use gasoline with ethanol added in any of my power toys and I rarely use it in my Yukon. I am fortunate enough to only live 7 miles from a small independent gas station that sells both ethanol and non ethanol and another station is only 4 miles further.

If I store something over winter I always have added Sta-bil and have never had any problems. I just started a snow blower of mine that hadn't been used in close to 3 years and it fired up on the 3rd pull. Great stuff.

[Mad Mike]

there has been ethanol in gas for a long time (20yrs) it just know starting all this concern (I think it`s a marketing ploy). gas stations don`t have to post if their fuel has ethanol unless it`s over 10%. any motor made after 00 ethanol shouldn`t have any effect on it at least fuel injected. the only company that is having a real bad time with it is mercury/mercursier that I have read about. if your vehicles are going to sit for any length of time should have some kind of additive added to help with the water problem and octane evaporation. ethanol actually helps keep the tanks at the local gas station and in your vehicles cleaner. I work at a Marathon and the gas in our tanks never last more than 4 days and they have a water detector built in to them and prints out a report everyday. I really don`t understand all the concern all of a sudden, now if they start going over the 10% mark than we might start seeing a problem. so if your tank didn`t have all that crud in them to begin with you wouldn`t have any problems. I have taken fuel filters out of high mileage cars (80k plus miles) that have never been changed and really didn`t need to be changed.

[Mack450]

Run some seafoam threw your gas tank every once and awhile.

[bobby2bears]

My opinion is that ethanol is a form of alchohol and being such will eventually eat away at anything rubber and most plastics including fuel lines and o-rings and seals that may be in gas tanks or fuel pumps. Most of the FFV cars and trucks are built with that in mind and are constructed differently. They can run up to 81% ethanol with no ill effects, other than constant pinging and usually a 15-20% decrease in fuel mileage.

If a gas station sells gas with ethanol (up to 10%) it must be marked on the pump.

You can run it through yours, I choose not to run it through mine.

[MUDTIMES]

hey everyone i work for sunoco the ethanol in the gas is a 10% blend not 10%ethanol. some of my frinds use the startron and like it i still use stabil and havent had any problems . atv lawnmore weed eater chainsaw . now in my harley or my ironhorse i use a fule stabilizer made by BG . If the gas has ethanol in it at the station the pump best be marked 10% ethanol . if you can still run conventional gas run it . when you run the ethanol gas you will lose alot of horsepower..

[Mad Mike]

here is doesn`t have to be noted on the pumps unless it is 10% or more