gas choices

You know the drill..

Moderators: Redneck_Randy, badmoonrising, lakerunner

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
ROLAND
Posts: 4248
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2009 4:29 am

gas choices

#1 Post by ROLAND » Sat Dec 29, 2012 6:24 pm

Hey guys, I know we've discussed this topic on ethanol free fuel ad nauseam, but I'm about to fill my tank tomorrow and wanted to tap the brain trust that is on this board before doing so. I did another check on pure-gas.org and found a couple of gas stations "fairly" close to me that sell ethanol free fuel. One is a Citgo station located about 16 miles from me.. they sell ethanol free fuel, but only in the premium grade.... there is another station ( unbranded ) about 23 miles away that sells e-free in all three grades... I say it's unbranded by I talked to the manager who told me they get their fuel from a refinery that produces fuel for Chevron... so when I said, " oh, your fuel is Chevron"... he said " I can't say that." Notice he didn't say yes or no, just that he "couldn't say that. I don't get it.. none the less, Obviously the citgo station is closer, but again, only in premium, plus I"ve read where their fuel is not considered an upper tier fuel.....and is it okay to run premium in an outboard motor...Just wondering which e-free fuel you guys would buy..... citgo premium ( ok to run premium in an outboard ? ) or unbranded and what grade...was thinking 89 since it's going to be sitting for a couple of months before being used... and yes, regardless of which brand I go with, stabilizer is going in the tank... Thanks guys for your input.. I do appreciate it..
Roland & Jo
2010 Bennington 20 Sfi
Yamaha 75 4 Stroke
Shreveport, Louisiana

Bamaman
Posts: 3679
Joined: Fri May 06, 2011 1:44 pm
Location: NW Alabama--Tennessee River

Re: gas choices

#2 Post by Bamaman » Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:31 pm

Roland:

You don't live that far north, and your boating season is relatively short--temperatures are not that harsh. I'd just suggest putting a gas additive in your tank and use a good quality 90/10. And run the engine long enough to get some of the additive into your fuel injection system.

Come to find out that summer heat is a much worse enemy of 90/10 than the winter's cold temperatures. It's not as apt to separate in winter.

I too can get 100% premium fuel, but I did find 100% regular gas @ 15 cents more per gallon. I just filled up my tank and put my boat back in the boathouse.

Just now I'm just waiting for March . . . . . . . . . . .
'12 Bennington 24' SSLX Yamaha 150

User avatar
Silver Eagle
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 7:00 am

Re: gas choices

#3 Post by Silver Eagle » Sun Dec 30, 2012 11:36 am

I ran an octane testing lab for a major oil Producer on the East coast for 10 years. That's what I did before retiring. Gasoline doesn't go bad if it can be sealed and keeped below 32Degrees. We would fill what was known as a proto tank with normal gasoline then put it into steel metal cans usually about 100 cans, we would ship them to other oil refineries, about 50 of these cans to be tested for there octane value the other 50 cans went into a walking ice box that was used to store our ptoro cans.Any given day a can would be tested for octane, rvp, and other values. There was never any changes in the gasoline inside those cans ,some were stored for years with no change. So as long as you can keep your gasoline below 32 degrees and sealed tight there will be no change in your fuel. The problem is sealing the fuel.We added nothing to the fuel to stableize it.

bassn386
Posts: 1640
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 3:45 pm
Location: Lake of the Ozarks, MO

Re: gas choices

#4 Post by bassn386 » Sun Dec 30, 2012 12:23 pm

Silver Eagle, all fuel tanks on marine vessels must be vented to the outside, so unless you have a way to seal the tank fuel begins to break down fairly soon on a boat.

Roland, I have been using a product produced by/for Mercury, called Quickare Fuel treatment for the past two seasons. It recommends one ounce per 10 gallons of fuel. I put it in my 5 gallon cans when I get ethanol fuel on land (at Lake of the Ozarks all marinas carry ethanol-free fuel). The QuicKare costs about $10.50 a bottle and one bottle will treat up to 120 gallons of fuel.
When I'm finished for the season (damnit!) I add SeaFoam to the tank(s) at one ounce per gallon. It's about $9 for a 16 ounce bottle at WalMart, but if you watch the O'Reilly ads and their signs, they put it on sale a couple of times a year for about $6 a bottle.
I've done the SeaFoam in my 2006 Optimax on my bass boat since I've had it. Just started with the Merc product in 2011. In the Spring it starts right up. No other winterization of the motor.
Same with the Yamaha on the back of the Benni. SeaFoam in the gas tank, run it around for 20-30 minutes on the lake; then up on the lift. No fogging.
2011 Bennington 2575RCW w/ ESP
F225 Yamaha

User avatar
ROLAND
Posts: 4248
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2009 4:29 am

Re: gas choices

#5 Post by ROLAND » Sun Dec 30, 2012 11:05 pm

bassn386 wrote:Silver Eagle, all fuel tanks on marine vessels must be vented to the outside, so unless you have a way to seal the tank fuel begins to break down fairly soon on a boat.

Roland, I have been using a product produced by/for Mercury, called Quickare Fuel treatment for the past two seasons. It recommends one ounce per 10 gallons of fuel. I put it in my 5 gallon cans when I get ethanol fuel on land (at Lake of the Ozarks all marinas carry ethanol-free fuel). The QuicKare costs about $10.50 a bottle and one bottle will treat up to 120 gallons of fuel.
When I'm finished for the season (damnit!) I add SeaFoam to the tank(s) at one ounce per gallon. It's about $9 for a 16 ounce bottle at WalMart, but if you watch the O'Reilly ads and their signs, they put it on sale a couple of times a year for about $6 a bottle.
I've done the SeaFoam in my 2006 Optimax on my bass boat since I've had it. Just started with the Merc product in 2011. In the Spring it starts right up. No other winterization of the motor.
Same with the Yamaha on the back of the Benni. SeaFoam in the gas tank, run it around for 20-30 minutes on the lake; then up on the lift. No fogging.

Hi Bass.. thanks for the info. I'm familiar with sea foam... I usually add a can to my boats fuel tank at the beginning of each season... As you know I've only been boating for 2 years, and as far as a stablizer goes I've always used Marine Stabil, until now.. this year I'm trying a new product called Pri-G. it got a lot of good reviews... 1 oz for 16 oz. of fuel.. Today I decided to drive about 25 miles one way with the boat in tow just to get ethanol free gas... put in my stabilizer, filled the tank then headed 25 miles back to the lake... didn't unload the boat, just got the lower unit in the water and ran the motor for about 15 minutes to get the stabilizer / treatment thru the entire system.... then put the boat back in the storage building... damn, ended up taking up almost 2 1/2 hours out of my afternoon.. But it's ok... need to get the motor serviced here in the next couple of weeks, then wait for the first 65 to 70 degree day in march.... GONE FISHING!!!!!..
Roland & Jo
2010 Bennington 20 Sfi
Yamaha 75 4 Stroke
Shreveport, Louisiana

User avatar
Silver Eagle
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 7:00 am

Re: gas choices

#6 Post by Silver Eagle » Tue Jan 01, 2013 9:10 pm

Well I guess I forgot to tell you I do Have a way to seal my tank. It started on my old I/O . I went to a hardware store that sells oil heater supplies. They have this piping that fits in the fuel line that has a check valve. The pressure only goes one was. What it is Is a spring that has a piston inside of it.( less then a pound of pressure opens it0. When the vapor pressure increases the piston opens up letting the pressure in the tank out but when the pressure decreases the piston closes.. The idea is to keep moisture from getting into the tank, I have a rubber stopper in my fuel tank with a 3/8 in hole drilled into it. The piston and some tubing take care of the rest. In the winter I drain my tank.

Bryden24shp
Posts: 1872
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 6:28 am
Location: Iowa/Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.
Contact:

Re: gas choices

#7 Post by Bryden24shp » Wed Jan 02, 2013 3:03 pm

Shell Ultimate, is supposed to be 100% gasoline. Its 93 octane. Thats all I can run in my Sierra, after doing all the engine mods. And after adding the 310 horse ECM to the Verado, its pretty much all I run in the Premier, as well. Unless I'm in the water, down at Loto. then I add Stabil Ethanol treatment. In the winter, I add Stabil fuel treatment to the boat and all my fuel tanks for the generator and surplus for when the US goes to hell.
Owner-EzFender Boat Products
Members, visit your discount page at:
http://www.ezfender.com/PontoonForums-M ... -Page.html

margaritaman
Posts: 6078
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2010 3:37 pm
Location: Florida

Re: gas choices

#8 Post by margaritaman » Wed Jan 02, 2013 8:03 pm

They had alcohol blended gas way back then.
gas15.jpg
gas15.jpg (107.86 KiB) Viewed 1788 times
Cruising the salt waters of East Florida.

User avatar
badmoonrising
Site Admin
Posts: 10066
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:04 pm
Location: Chesapeake City, Maryland

Re: gas choices

#9 Post by badmoonrising » Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:10 am

Those engines were designed to run on it. Today's, not so much...
Ed, Cheryl, Ethan and Aspen.
2013 Sun Tracker Party Barge 22 w/90 HP Mercury, "Hellrhighwater 2"
2014 E-350 Extended XLT.
Chesapeake City ,MD

tracker2
Posts: 86
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 11:20 am

Re: gas choices

#10 Post by tracker2 » Thu Jan 03, 2013 2:45 pm

badmoonrising wrote:Those engines were designed to run on it. Today's, not so much...

I don't think they were designed to burn corn, but it is still amazing they tried.

Post Reply