7:21 AM Wed 23 Sep 2009 GMT
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'Outboard Motor repairs can be expensive'
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It's marketed through Australian Brazilian, European, US service stations as E10, signifying the pump will dispense gasoline with 10 percent ethanol added.
Many 'good things' are claimed for this additive - many it believe burns cleaner, substantially reduces carbon monoxide emissions and green house gases.
Sounds good, right? Wrong! Not if you're boat owner.
Personally, I have found the subject rather confusing and have been fortunate in having some 'gold plated' assistance in delving into the ethanol situation in the form of Gary Fooks.
Gary Fooks is chairman of the Eco-Friendly Fishing Association and a man who has been a consultant to government authorities, boating industry associations and even boat builders.
Despite the fact that has been issuing warnings for some time, Fooks was astounded when he visited the Melbourne Boat Show three months ago and discovered many boat manufacturers remained blissfully unaware of the problems posed by ethanol.
'I spoke with several manufacturers while I was in Melbourne and the vast majority were simply unaware of the problem or failed to recognise any seriousness with it,' he explained, and added 'I feel the main issue is that people are assuming it's an outboard problem.
'But it's actually a hull problem. Most modern outboards can cope with E10, yet very few fuel systems are ready.
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Modern fuel tanks withstand ethanol corrosion, but they can’t solve the phase separation. -
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'Manufacturers in the automotive industry have reacted somewhat faster and plastics and rubbers with the durability to withstand ethanol's corrosive effects on fuel tanks, hoses, and seals have been developed.
'Sadly, boat manufacturers have been much slower to react and for that reason there are many boats in use today that will succumb to malfunctions that can be attributed to ethanol, be it disintegrating fuel tanks to destroyed fuel lines. 'It's these dissolved elements that get into engines and destroy outboards' he added.
One Queensland boat manufacturer is anything but unaware - Greg Haines, of the Haines Marine Group, says all boats produced by the company, Signature, Traveller, Ensign, Seafarer, Walker Bay and Correct Craft, all carry a sticker prominently placed.
It reads - WARNING The use of fuel containing ethanol may cause damage to your fuel system and/or engine.
'We've been placing this message on all our boats now, probably for the past four-years or so,' Greg Haines said.
So what exactly is the ethanol problem?
Is your engine going to fail, explode, seize? Nothing like that, ethanol introduces its own problems for boat owners.
We've mentioned earlier the 'good side' of ethanol, so let's take a look at its bad side
Gary Fooks lists what he terms 'three crucial characteristics' associated with ethanol that boat owners should be aware of.
Basically, these three major problems are; it can totally dissolve fibreglass or corrode an aluminium fuel tank, it can 'eat' fuel lines and dissolved elements pass through the best filters into an engine causing fatal damage.
Next it has a very poor shelf life compared to regular petrol.
And third, the ethanol can separate compromising the fuel mixture and releasing a dose of 100% ethanol into fuel systems and engines that can only cope with a 10% dose.
Firstly, it must be remembered that ethanol, although produced from grains such as corn and sugarcane, is actually a strong solvent.
So any old fuel stains and crud in fuel tanks will be dissolved. It's nice that it will clean the tank, but the residue either blocks fuel filters, or passes through the filter and damages engines.
The shelf life area is alone a major problem for boaters; let's face it, few recreational boats are used on a daily basis.
If there's a spell of inclement weather, for instance, a boat may sit unused for weeks.
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Phase Separation in Gasoline -
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During that time the ethanol evaporates away quickest, leaving 'sour' low octane fuel behind.
We know that stale fuel can spell all sorts of gumming and engine problems.
The trouble is that the shelf life of E10 is only two weeks!!! Shorter in hot weather or the boat is in the sun all day.
Idle time, especially when there is humidity about will also cause what is known as 'phase separation' ethanol separates, sinking to the bottom of the tank. There is absolutely no way in can be avoided or re-mixed.
So what is 'phase separation'?
Like brake fluid, ethanol is 'hygroscopic', which means it absorbs or attracts moisture. If it absorbs any water, even that from the air, 'phase separation' occurs when the ethanol separates from the gasoline.
The gasoline floats to the top of the tank, the ethanol sinks to the bottom.
When this layer of ethanol builds up to more than a few mm, the fuel pickup tube inside the tank will deliver a dose of near 100% ethanol to hoses, filters and engines that are only rated to handle 10%.
Once phase separation has occurred there is no way to remix the ethanol and gasoline.
This leaves the boat owner with only one option - the fuel tank must be completely drained.
Disposing of the fuel then presents a new problem.
No problems have been revealed with clean, fresh E10 and engines; all outboard manufacturers and distributors state most engines are designed to operate efficiently with 10 percent ethanol added to standard unleaded fuel. (check with your manufacturer for specific advice)
Next week, in part two of this important feature, we'll take a look at the alternatives and discuss some of the problems in more detail.
by Bob Wonders
Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:
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Adele Island, WA
