Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Which gas option is better?


Recommended Posts

A local gas station is offering non ethanol gas. It is marked as 88 octane but when I spoke with the clerk she said the truck that brings it can have anywhere between 88-93 so they just mark it as 88 because that is lowest it could be but is probably higher than that.

Assuming it is only 88, which is better for the BU... 88 non ethanol or 91 ethanol?

Link to comment

I think the general consensus is that the rec fuel is better for anything with a carburetor as it won't degrade the gaskets and seals. We have a local station that offers 90 octane rec fuel, I use it in everything from my pontoon to my chainsaw.

Link to comment

I run ethanol with no problems. Your 13 model should have no problems with ethanol but you definitely do not want to use gas with an octane rating too low.

  • Like 2
Link to comment

I use non e since most of my rec stuff is older. My 88 model boat used ethanol for several years until I had two seasons that the fuel system was crap. Once I finally got it all cleaned out I went non e. Newer stuff should be ok but again, the rubber will come apart from the inside out in the fuel systems from what I have seen on older stuff.

Link to comment

I try to run non ethanol in both my pontoon and BU when I can. Most of the time during the summer I go through a tank so fast in my BU that I don't think the ethanol matters. I do however run non ethanol my last tank or 2 before the summer is over and slam it full of non ethanol before I store it for the winter.

Link to comment

The only issues I have had with e fuel in the Bu was vapor lock a few years ago. Mostly likely a blender got a little happy with the e. No problems at all in the past couple of years. Weed eater and lawn mower both a different story.

Link to comment

Why not just buy a bottle of octane booster and put that in with the 88 to make it 88+? That way you aren't running any ethanol. Google says WalMart has it in stores...

Check the main ingredients of those types of products and then compare them to what ethanol is

Link to comment

non-ethanol is always better

In newer vehicles/watercraft?

I have heard that it doesn't matter countless times

I want some proof of this

Edited by DocPhil
Link to comment

In newer vehicles/watercraft?

I have heard that it doesn't matter countless times

I want some proof of this

Lets start with the fact that blended fuel has less BTU's then pure. This meas reduced fuel mileage, thus higher consumption

ethanol is corrosive

ethanol attracts moisture which leads to phase separation

Name me one benefit of ethanol to the end user.

  • Like 2
Link to comment

Lets start with the fact that blended fuel has less BTU's then pure. This meas reduced fuel mileage, thus higher consumption

ethanol is corrosive

ethanol attracts moisture which leads to phase separation

Name me one benefit of ethanol to the end user.

This discussion has taken place a hundred times and i have NEVER seen any actual proof (i.e. data) to support any of those claims.

I'm not saying it is good. I don't know that. But you have no proof it is harmful

Link to comment

What does your manual say - mine says 89 octane for my engine. The whole ethanol hysteria is a joke, you can hardly find non ethanol fuel here and we have had E10 for 25 years. Unless your gas powered equipment is so old that it doesn't have ethanol safe fuel lines then you have nothing to worry about.

Somebody is grumpy this morning. Fuel lines are the least of your worries carb seals and gaskets are the issue.

Link to comment

This discussion has taken place a hundred times and i have NEVER seen any actual proof (i.e. data) to support any of those claims.

I'm not saying it is good. I don't know that. But you have no proof it is harmful

So you've never seen an independent fuel mileage study show reduced mileage on average from ethanol blended?

you never seen the BTU numbers between pure an E-10?

Never seen a deteriorated fuel system?

Never seen the ugly sludge that comes out of a marine fuel tank?

What proof are you seeking?

Link to comment

This discussion has taken place a hundred times and i have NEVER seen any actual proof (i.e. data) to support any of those claims.

I'm not saying it is good. I don't know that. But you have no proof it is harmful

I tell ya what. Come fall when it starts to slow down, ive got a pressure washer and leaf blower that need the carbs cleaned due to ethanol. i'll try to remember to take pics and repost.

Link to comment

I've had ethanol gas go bad in my pickup. It was a giant pain getting than thing to run right again. For me its not an issue anymore as the stations here that sell non ethanol are all premium, 93 i think. But i only run regular e gas in my daily driver now. everything else gets the non-e, the extra cost is worth it imo. It sux that some folks don't have an option, ethanol is terrible!

Link to comment

So you've never seen an independent fuel mileage study show reduced mileage on average from ethanol blended?

you never seen the BTU numbers between pure an E-10?

- Yes, common knowledge that you get lower mileage from E10

Never seen a deteriorated fuel system?

- No, not one that hadn't been neglected

Never seen the ugly sludge that comes out of a marine fuel tank?

- definitely not, I store over 100 gallons of E10 each winter/summer in seasonal equipment/toys and have never had a fuel issue. Snowmobiles, boats, chainsaw, weedeater, mower, snowblower, generator all run on E10 - only thing I have ever had to do is fix adjust the mixture a little richer on anything that has a carb.

Edited by oldjeep
Link to comment

So basically the only objective data that can be provided is a study that shows you get less mileage with E 10?

Whoopie whoo!

I call BS

We need some actual data here.

Can you provide some data that shows engines run under similar conditions? Some with E 10 and others with Ethanol free? And show more damage to the E 10 engines? If not, then you have ZERO proof other than your own anecdote. And you might be correct. However, you don't have any data to support it therefore it remains an unsubstantiated claim. A ton of anecdote isn't worth an ounce of good data.

Edited by DocPhil
Link to comment

doc, by volume ethanol has less potential energy (expressed in BTUs -- british thermal units) than gasoline. The potential energy per gallon is sometimes confused with octane. Octane is the resistance of the fuel to preignition (knock). Ethanol raises octane, but dilutes the potential energy. So higher octane (won't knock as easy) but less potential energy per gallon, so you need more gallons to do the same work.

diesel has really low octane but more btus per gallon than gas.

go try the google machine if'n you don't believe. If it's on the internet it must be true! Even the government says so http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/fuel_comparison_chart.pdf

so the reason you get less MPG with ethanol is that there's less energy in the fuel. If you could get the SAME work with LESS energy you would be solving the world's energy needs.

And of course this doesn't take into account the fuels necessary to plant corn, harvest corn, turn corn to ethanol, then mix said ethanol with your dead dinos.

Edited by shawndoggy
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...