When did things get so complicated? I am a creature of habit and could do without surprises all together. Being a fisherman as I am, there are a lot of interactions with boats, trailers, and all the things that are associated with the sport. Over the years, I have come to accept that there will be surprises whenever a boat is brought into the picture, and those surprises are not usually welcome or advantageous to me.
We all know that when you own a boat, “STUFF” happens.
Well, if it’s not bad enough, inconvenient enough, and costly enough, when this “Stuff” happens, the government has managed to find a way to kick us when we are down. The particular boot that they use to deliver this punishment is called ETHENOL, and it can leave a wicket divot in our wallets. I am reading, listening, and learning what I can about ethanol and trying to separate fact from fiction. Five years down the road I may read this and kick myself or pat myself on the back, but I do feel it disserve our attention today.
Ethanol is an alcohol-based fuel made by fermenting and distilling crops that have been broken down into simple sugars. In the U.S., ethanol is generally made from starch crops like sorghum or corn. Ethanol was thrown in the laps of the public by claims that an oxygenate was necessary to improve air quality by reducing automobile pollutants. I was told that vehicles made since the mid 1980’s have automatic sensors that regulate the oxygen/ fuel mixture to provide the most efficient combustion and doing exactly what an oxygenate (ethanol) is supposed to do thus making it unnecessary. Furthermore, we can forget about the improved air quality from ethanol, the EPA has said that ethanol produces more nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons (components of smog) than regular gas.
I don’t think you are interested in the EPA or government plans though, and I am out of my element in those fields, so let’s get back to boats.
It has become common knowledge that small engines aren’t designed to run on ethanol and in many cases are ruined from it. My co-worker and friend recently has had a generator lock up on him due to phase separation associated with ethanol. Not only, a victim once was he, but twice when his Mercury 150 outboard left him stranded. The mechanic replaced both fuel injector banks, cleaned his fuel tank, and replaced every rubber hose because they were deteriorating from the inside out. The 10% ethanol blends was said to be the culprit as he was handed a $4000 bill for parts and labor. His is but one story, unfortunately there are thousands of similar incidents out there and every day the list of victim’s increases. You see, ethanol acts as a solvent and remove gum, varnish, and even dissolves the resin that binds fiberglass threads together. It can eat away at rubber hoses on older boats and destroy gaskets in quick fashion. Typically, before this land slide occurs, smaller particles and foreign objects can become trapped and clog fuel lines and injectors, which equate to big bucks. If that isn’t bad enough, ethanol attracts water and causes a phenomenon called phase separation. When enough water is absorbed by ethanol blended gas, the ethanol and water solution separates from the gasoline.
On several occasions, I have let one of my trucks sit for a week or two without being started. When I did get around to using it I would notice what seemed like a mis firing of the plugs when I tried to accelerate. The same thing seemed to happen to my Yamaha out board boat motor if I didn’t run it every week. What was happening was a classic case of phase separation, so I began the ritual of adding Sta-bil fuel stabilizer to be on the safe side? It will not eliminate phase separation, but it will slow down the process and help keep your fuel system clean. However, after seeing my co worker part with his hard-earned money and the early-warning signs in my own back yard, I called Martin Peters at Yamaha. Martin was extremely helpful and took the time to answer all of my questions. I found out that Yamaha makes a 10 micron fuel/water separator to help us do battle against the evils of ethanol. I will try to do the equivalent of pulling a rabbit out of my hat by trying to explain what this devise accomplishes. Actually, it’s not that complicated and makes perfect sense. A micron is short for micrometer, which is a unit of measurement and is equal to one-millionth of a meter. The diameter of a human hair is about 40 to 120 microns to give you an idea about the size we are talking about. After a simple installation, fuel will pass through this unit before it enters the motor and through what looks just like an oil filter. In the filter, there are layers of paper or media and that is where dirt and debris are trapped. The pore size in the media determined micron rating and the percentage of dirt that a filter removes determines its efficiency.
Besides being incredibly efficient, this filter has a compartment on the bottom that traps water, which is heavier than fuel. It is recommended that you change the filter every fifty hours unless your motor is new in which case you would change it every twenty hours until the break in process is complete. Yamaha makes a Mini 10 micron fuel/water separator for outboards up to 115 horse power and a standard 10 micron fuel/water separator for larger motors. Starting at about $41.00, there is no reason to jeopardize the health of your motor another day. Unfortunately, there are those that are making a lot of money from ethanol, and as long as that happens it is here to stay. In fact, we recently just dodged a bullet when a request to increase the blend of ethanol from 10% to 15% was postponed. If you love the water as much as I do, it is critical that we take all the necessary steps to ensure that our next trip is not the last. Check out Yamaha’s 10 micron fuel/water separator online and if you have any questions feel free to send me an email or call Yamaha’s customer service, which is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. We all love the water, just not in our gas. www.yamaha.com
Yamaha customer service (770)420-5700
My email sowbelly.hunter@yahoo.com