Winterization and Ethanol Blended Fuels

[Smokin Joe]

http://boatingindustry.com/blogs/2015/11/13/boatus-ama-partnering-on-ethanol-outreach/

By BoatUS and American Motorcyclist Association

The coming of cooler weather means an end to the boating and motorcycling season for many. Chiefly important in preparing these vehicles for winter is managing the potential for engine damage from the federally-mandated ethanol blend in our nation’s gasoline supply.

Ethanol in gasoline stored for long periods can damage marine and motorcycle engines: “phase separation” of the fuel can leave a corrosive water-soaked ethanol mixture at the bottom of the gas tank. Half of the respondents of a recent Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) survey reported that they have had to replace or repair their boat engine or fuel system parts due to suspected ethanol-related damage, costing an average $1,000 for repairs.

To prevent ethanol problems over the winter, boats with built-in gas tanks should have fuel stabilizer added and the tank left nearly full. E10 fuel remaining in small portable gas tanks (and not pre-mixed with 2-stroke engine oil) should be poured into your car’s gas tank and used quickly. Same goes for motorcycles - store full with stabilizer or drain completely.

So how did ethanol get into our gas? Signed into law in 2005 and expanded in 2007, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requires an increasing amount of biofuels such as corn ethanol to be blended into the gasoline supply. However, the ethanol mandate has failed to achieve promised consumer and environmental benefits.

In addition to winter storage and engine repair concerns, ethanol-blended fuel is actually worse for our air and water. According to research from the University of Tennessee, ethanol’s “clean alternative” record is “highly questionable.”

Excerpt: more at:http://boatingindustry.com/blogs/2015/11/13/boatus-ama-partnering-on-ethanol-outreach/

[Smokin Joe]

Because winter is always just around the corner in North Dakota, and to try to make more people aware of the EPA intent to increase the amount of ethanol that is required to be blended into however much gasoline is sold in the US. This isn't a percentage requirement, but a volumetric amount.

That means, by way of example (these numbers do not reflect actual sales or requirements) if the requirement is that 250 million gallons of ethanol be blended in, whether a billion gallons of gasoline are sold, or 100 million gallons are sold, the same amount of ethanol is required to be blended into the fuel.

The currently proposed 2017 standards are projected to take that concentration of ethanol in fuel past the 10% 'blend wall' where damage to small engines and fuel systems in older vehicles is virtually assured.
See also:
http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/ama-epa-publicly-acknowledges-that-ethanol-damages-engines/

http://hotair.com/archives/2016/05/21/the-new-epa-ethanol-mandate-will-break-the-blend-wall/

[IsailedawayfromFR]

http://boatingindustry.com/blogs/2015/11/13/boatus-ama-partnering-on-ethanol-outreach/

So how did ethanol get into our gas? Signed into law in 2005 and expanded in 2007, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requires an increasing amount of biofuels such as corn ethanol to be blended into the gasoline supply. However, the ethanol mandate has failed to achieve promised consumer and environmental benefits.

Both of these were signed into law by Bush.  Nice man, staunchly patriotic and God-fearing, but very naive when it came to some things.

[Elderberry]

“phase separation” of the fuel can leave a corrosive water-soaked ethanol mixture at the bottom of the gas tank.

The phase separation can be used to strip out the ethanol from the gasoline. The ethanol has a greater affinity for water than gasoline. If you add 2 cups of water to 5 gallons of gasoline and shake it up,
all the ethanol will be trapped by the water. I do it for my small engines. Just be careful to not pour the water/ethanol phase into an engine's tank.

[Smokin Joe]

The phase separation can be used to strip out the ethanol from the gasoline. The ethanol has a greater affinity for water than gasoline. If you add 2 cups of water to 5 gallons of gasoline and shake it up,
all the ethanol will be trapped by the water. I do it for my small engines. Just be careful to not pour the water/ethanol phase into an engine's tank.

Good to know. With a large enough settling bowl, this could be used to eliminate the ethanol for a motor vehicle as well...not that there would not be some inherent risks of water contamination.