gasoline woes

[scuppers]

i have encountered many exasperating, frustrating gasoline problems. the following suggestions are what my mechanic has advised: ethanol will eat your fuel hoses from the inside out, i replaced mine with the new style hose. burn only high test gas, with stabalizer additive. purchased new plastic portable 12 gal. gas tank. replaced fuel/water seperator filter, & new set of spark plugs+ wires. my 2 stroke evenrude is still very hard to start, and every time i go to put her on the trailer she stalls out at exactly the wrong time. looking for others who have had similar problems but were sucessful in correcting. thanks scuppers

[wingtime]

Ethanol is some nasty stuff.    Just another case of our elected officials cramming something we don't need down our throats for some greater good.  I'm all for protecting the environment but ethanol is not that answer.   Try to find non ethanol fuel if you can.  I don't think buying premium will help.  I have found one place here in FL where I can get non ethanol blended fuel.  But that will go away in a year or so due to a mandate that was a knee jerk reaction to high fuel prices last year.  BUMMER.  Whatever happened to a free market economy?

I think you are on the right track.  I have heard Sea Foam additive helps but I haven't tried it yet.

[Mad Dog]

Since you have changed the external components its time to look into the carbs.  You didn't mention the engine HP.  I have a 70 e-rude of the '96 vintage.  Kept having issues with the lower of three carbs.  Would run fine on plane but would not idle for beans.  Try the SeaFoam.  Can't hurt.  One thing to check on the carbs, especially the have been rebuilt is the seals around the butterfly shaft.  If there is an air leak there the engine gets too much air at idle but has lillte affect at higher RPM.  If they were rebuilt prior to changing out the hoses and such you may need to pull the float bowls and clean them out. Thinking sticky float needles.

Check the plugs to see if any are sooty from too much fuel or white from running to lean.  That would help you with a starting point.  

MD  

[LilRichard]

MD is right to recommend looking at the carbs... you will almost certainly need to adjust mix.  Ethanol does not combust nearly at the same ratio as gasoline - so you in effect are running lean when you dilute by 10% ethanol.  Crank up the fuel (make it more rich) and it should be fine.  

My old man had to re-jet his carbed motorcycles... luckily mine was fuel injected.

[John Jones]

High test gasoline will cause hard starting and poor idle in motors not designed for it.  Try a tank of name brand 87 octane.

[thill]

Also, most modern engines are NOT rated for the heat 93 octane produces in engines not made for it.  You can melt the tops of your pistons if it burns too slow.

Use fresh 87 from a BUSY gas station, and don't let it sit around.   Ethanol sucks up water from the air, so USE IT within a month.  That is the cause of most of the problems people are experiencing.

Have followed the above advice given to me from a master marine mechanic, and have had ZERO ethanol problems in 3-4 boats and engines, all of different makes - Yamaha, Evinrude and US Marine.  It's good advice, from what I can tell...

-TH

[John Jones]

Ethanol does not combust nearly at the same ratio as gasoline - so you in effect are running lean when you dilute by 10% ethanol.

Yeah, my old Tahoe's gas mileage dropped about 15% with ethanol.