87/89 Octane, No Ethanol?

[Chris King]

Hey guys, do you know of anywhere on the lake to get 87/89 octane, no ethanol gas this time of year? Long creek marina has 87 but they said they'll be closing for the season soon. I can only find premium, no ethanol at most marinas. Big Cedar has it but will only sell it to you if you're staying there.

My Merc wants 87 and the mechanic said not to run anything above 89 in it, no ethanol preferred of course. Any ideas? I'm on a lift at Rock Lane so pulling it out and going to town is a pain (and then I get ethanol).

Thank you...

[Spinnaker]

Thanks for this post. I saw a tanker filling at the Kum and Go in September I think it was in Hollister and asked the driver about the eth levels in the gas. He said as far as he knew all the gas octanes had eth in them but that 89 was probably the least amount. I have been wondering about the gas problem for sometime. I stable all the gas I put in and hope we get some answers from the reliable experts on the forum. I have a 2004 50 hp four stroke Yamaha. I will ask my dealer again and do a google.

[Spinnaker]

I did a google and found the Yamaha site. Basically the info boiled down to making sure the filter was changed per the maintenance schedule and treating the fuel. I will have to remember to have the fuel filter changed when I winterize the motor this year. I wonder if the state marina has noneth fuel. My dealer told me that a particular Conoco station in Smithville does not have eth in the premium grade and the Kum and Go in Smithville as well. Of course, that may be a different story in Hollister.

[glennL]

I swear by "sea foam". To stabalize the fuel. My outboard use to die out when 1dt starting, in idle or trolling real slow. Doesn't anymore.

[wallin]

I would think as long as you dont store it with etanol your OK, it takes a few months before it seperates, I have a 2007 Suzuki4 stroke 90 HP and never winterize it because she runs till theres ice and right back out as soon as its gone-BUT I do treat it with stable, and will probably do a Sea Foam this year as well. If its gonna sit-run her dry and drain the filter.

Tom

[Chris King]

Thanks guys....I am probably over-cautious, but I run "Don's Cocktail" that he posted on the Bass Boat Central website (http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=310172).

From the site:

"Don's Favorite Cocktail" (IMO, this combination results in clean injectors, direct injectors and spark plugs):

-1oz Marine Stabil or Mercury QuickCare per 6 gallons fuel

-1oz Quickleen per 6 gallons fuel

-1-2oz SeaFoam per 6 gallons fuel

I assume that's a little overkill but I'd rather be over-cautious than kick myself later for saving a few bucks. Also, I talked to Long Creek Marina/Gage's and they are open 8 to 5 each day still. Not sure how late in the year that will last but I'll be filling up tomorrow for sure. I don't run too far and that should last me a while. They have 87, no ethanol, which is what Merc recommends for my 250 ProXS.

The state park marina does have no ethanol, but it's premium (91 or 93)...same for Indian Point, What's Up Dock and Rock Lane. Merc recommends 87 and the mechanic has it in my head that anything higher than 89 will cause trouble down the road.

Look for a white/silver Ranger if you guys are out tomorrow, I'll be in the Dam area and will probably fish tomorrow evening and Sunday morning. Good luck if you go out!

[Stump bumper]

Last I heard 66 stations were all non ethonal and I have not found one yet with an ethonal warning label on the pumps but some put a big banner out front.

But this change is coming and IMO it is better to get your boat ready, I just have a little Nitro with a 115 but it didn't take anytime at all to change fuel lines, bulb and filter.

There are a lot of old cars running around that people said would never run without lead, but we figured that one out too.

[Cajunangler]

I'm not saying your mechanic is wrong in reccomending 87 octane but here are a couple of FAQ's from the Mercury website that might provide some help.

Does ethanol affect horsepower or fuel-efficiency? Ethanol has a heating value of 76,000 BTU per gallon, which is approximately 30 percent less than gasoline's heating value (which is approximately 109,000 to 119,000 BTU/gal). The result is E-10 gasoline which should yield slightly lower mileage - a decrease of approximately 3 percent. Fuels containing higher levels of ethanol will have a corresponding reduction in mileage. For example, E85 fuels produce mileage approximately 30 percent less than gasoline.

What octane rating should the gasoline that I use in my motor have? United States and Canada

Use a major brand of automotive unleaded gasoline with a minimum-posted octane rating of 87. Leaded gasoline is not recommended. Performance Products will have different requirements, consult your Operation, Maintenance & Warranty manual.

I'm not saying you should change what you are doing but if I am reading Mercury's suggestion correctly they say use at least 87 octane but don't indicate that using a higher one would cause harm. I know years ago there was belief that using too high an octane could burn a hole in the top of the piston. I guess it got too hot when the gas was ignited.

I will go on the record and say that any fuel requiring continued government subsidizing to be profitable AND that causes every engine it runs in to provide worse performance (as indicated in the first Mercury FAQ and shown when we all check our current MPG in our vehicles) takes a lot of governmental DA's to allow to continue. Not to mention all of the other ill effects we are just beginning to find out.

[skeeter]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the fracking EPA morons just approved 15% Ethanol fuel content ! Read DENJAC's informative post in the General Angling section. Just unbelievable how these Government morons are unresponsive to the public. Of course, the head of the EPA is an Administration appointment and no one but the President has any control over that Department's personnel. Guess the Ethanol lobby is gonna' get their money's worth now at all of our expense. There goes food prices again through the roof and more engine damage to say nothing of lower MPG's due to Ethanol content.

[Stump bumper]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the fracking EPA morons just approved 15% Ethanol fuel content ! Read DENJAC's informative post in the General Angling section. Just unbelievable how these Government morons are unresponsive to the public. Of course, the head of the EPA is an Administration appointment and no one but the President has any control over that Department's personnel. Guess the Ethanol lobby is gonna' get their money's worth now at all of our expense. There goes food prices again through the roof and more engine damage to say nothing of lower MPG's due to Ethanol content.

Food prices will only go up if there is a switch in the stock market since producing alcohol does not destroy corn in fact the waste product mash makes better feed. This tradition of putting mash in feed goes back further than the USA.

I just don't get why people are kicking about supporting farmers in Arkansas and Missouri as much as the Middle East. I have run E85 in my Ranger pick up since 2000 and it is not going to take that much to get used to this and adapt. The biggest problem is old fuel lines breaking down and there are plenty of fuel lines that are protected from this on the market and it does not take that long to change fuel lines, it took me 2 hours along with changing plugs. Also don't leave fuel in the tank over 30 days, if you are not going back out in a month, don't top off.

Being from farm country I get a big smile on my face every time I use the yellow hose and pump a tank of corn and hope corn prices went up since I know that money stayed HERE.

JMO