Skip to Content

Boaters not sure about ethanol additive

Boat owners apparently are finding problems using 10 percent ethanol additive in gasoline.

Reports say fiberglass fuel tanks can fail and cause engine damage. Other worries include erratic engine performance from water and contaminants trapped in the fuel system. Old outboards have problems with ethanol breaking down fuel lines and gaskets. Still others report backfiring and sluggish starting.

The fuel tank problem may be under-reported, as well. Apparently, the fiberglass tanks can produce a sludge after being filled with 10 percent ethanol. Investigators think the ethanol might be attacking the resin and creating a bad chemical reaction.

Ethanol is used in the gasoline formulas as a replacement for MTBE. Officials from corn growers associations and other proponents say ethanol is safe for boat motors. Some even suggest there is an "anti-ethanol" agenda being spread by the marine industry.

[Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Add your comments

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.



Featured Galleries

  • 2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom
  • Smart ED production
  • Tesla Roadster audio recording for video games
  • Production i-MiEVs in the UK
  • Hyundai 2.4L direct injected Theta II
  • Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid bus
  • Chevy Volt hits the streets in Royal Oak
  • 2010 Nissan LEAF
  • 2010 Mercedes-Benz ML450 hybrid
  • Renault Fluence ZE concept
  • Governor Schwarzenegger with the Zero S
  • Peugeot Concept HYbrid3 Evolution

Categories


Autoblog

Daily Finance

Download Squad

Engadget

Joystiq

Autoblog Spanish

Switched.com

FanHouse

Asylum