E10

clyst

clyst

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Anyone know if the incoming E10 petrol will affect our outboards ? As I understand it E10 eats fuel lines . If that's the case ( could be an old wives tale of course ) will it effect two stroke seals ?
 
With the small amount of petrol I use in the outboard and the current short 6 month life, I am transferring to Aspen synthetic petrol which has a 3 year can life. It is about £20 for 5 litres and comes in 2 stroke and 4 stroke versions. I know someone who uses it for his lawn mower and chain saws that are irregularly used. He has found it is better for starting and runs cleaner than regular E5 petrol, so will be even better than E10.
 
clyst said:
Anyone know if the incoming E10 petrol will affect our outboards ? As I understand it E10 eats fuel lines . If that's the case ( could be an old wives tale of course ) will it effect two stroke seals ?
Click to expand...

There was another thread about this a couple of days ago. "Super unleaded" will stay at E5 so that's one option. E10 resistant fuel line should be easy to find. Seals and carburetter components for all the different models of elderly O/B - not so sure about that!
 
Concerto said:
With the small amount of petrol I use in the outboard and the current short 6 month life, I am transferring to Aspen synthetic petrol which has a 3 year can life. It is about £20 for 5 litres and comes in 2 stroke and 4 stroke versions. I know someone who uses it for his lawn mower and chain saws that are irregularly used. He has found it is better for starting and runs cleaner than regular E5 petrol, so will be even better than E10.
Click to expand...

Just a small comment .... Usual 2str Outboards are Water Cooled and use a different rated 2T oil. Aspen site states their Aspen 2 is for Air Cooled 2str's.
So as I see it ... you then have to buy Aspen 4 and then Aspen Outboard Oil ....
 
I have been using Aspen in my ancient Suzuki 2hp 2 stroke. It is correct that you use the Aspen 4stroke fuel and add your 2stroke oil. I am very pleased with the Aspen. It burns clean, smells nice and my spark plug does not get coked up. It starts first time.
 
I suggest reading US sailing forums. We have had E10 for 30 years. I'm in the petoleum and independent testing industry, so I'm not guessing.
  • Yes, e10 can damage older fuel lines, but unless the motor is 30 years old, the engine should be e10 compatible.
  • No, you don't need to pay way too much for Aspen. Yes, I have tested it (Practical Sailor).
Just learn to live with the differences. I've been using E10 for 30 years.
  • Keep it dry. it absorbs water, and with water it can cause aluminum corrosion in the carb, which will then choke the carb.
  • Close the vent when not in use. Every time. Then it will stay dry.
  • Use a good (not all are) anti-corrosion additive. Vital in the off-season, but do it year-round. In the US the best (testing) are Biorbor EB, Merc Strore-n-Start, and Stabil 360 Marine, and Texaco Techron. The rest are mostly snake oil.
  • Cleaning a carb is not that hard. But don't just spray it or soak it and wonder why that didn't work. You need to poke out the jets with a fine wire.
  • If there is no in-line fuel filter (some small motors do not have them) add an in-line lawn mower filter. Easy.
  • Small motors should not have a problem with enleanment due to ethanol (they run rich anyway), but you might chose to adjust the idle mixture (if it is adjustable-most newer motors are not).
Whether E10 is good environmental policy is a whole nuther' question. It's politics.
 
If it's similar to the US stuff, then small two strokes certainly don't like it. We had two (3.3 hp Mercury & NS) and both needed the carbs cleaning regularly to keep them starting easily/running smoothly; you can work with it, but it's easier if you don't have to, so ahead of our last visit to the US we picked up 20 litres of 'real' petrol in the Bahamas to take with us and found that the engines preferred the last of that even stale/18 months old to the US gloop. Speaking to friends we suspect that four strokes tolerate it better and certainly the larger/more powerful the engine, the less they faltered when using it.
 
It's all about how you handle it. I have not cleaned a carb in 20 years, including 3.5 and 4 hp motors (my current is a 4 hp Honda), 2-stroke and 4-stroke. Normally I have it in 3-5 small engines at any one time, including line trimmers and chain saws. It's just chemistry. Keep it dry. Use Biobor EB.

I do admit to struggling with E10 when it first came out. Then I did the testing and learned.
 
thinwater said:
  • Cleaning a carb is not that hard. But don't just spray it or soak it and wonder why that didn't work. You need to poke out the jets with a fine wire.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about that? I've always believed the advice that jets should be blown out, not poked with wire.
 
I have always run my carbs dry on all my outboards .. I have 2hp ... 3.3hp ... 4.5hp twin ... 18hp twin .... 20hp twin .... and a whole bunch of soviet 25 - 40hps ...
Never add anything to the standard 50-1 mix of forecourt 95 + TWC 2T ..

For years I blended Gasoline for Caribbean (it was a way to get it into US for blending into US base stock) ... for West Africa ..... EU ... Far East ....

In fact I just finished 60,000 tons other day .... went to West Africa. I also blend Gasoil (Diesel) when asked ..... for same markets.

The most important change actually is the reduction / stop of MTBE and the use of Ethanol .. Europe and USA gasolines are not same and only now starting to 'converge'. But that's a long story .... that has politics and commercial skullduggery mixed up in it.
 
penberth3 said:
Are you sure about that? I've always believed the advice that jets should be blown out, not poked with wire.
Click to expand...

The right wire size and with caution. often you can pluck one from a fine stainless wire brush. I understand why a manufacture would not recommend it; some yoyo will get ham-handed.

In my experience, the aluminum corrosion products that clog the jets often cannot be removed by simply blowing them out with air. This may be a change with e10. If they are damaged, they are easily replaced.

Solvent sprays, intended to dissolve gum, are likewise ineffective. The dirt is inorganic, and anything that can dissolve it will dissolve the carb!

The best solution is prevention with a corrosion inhibitor and keeping the fuel dry.
 
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