Ethanol Fuels
Update 2009
Ethanol was widely introduced to the US market in 2005 and has been used in Canada in varying quantities for at least 3 years. E10, the most
common mix is a ratio of 10% ethanol
and 90% gasoline and Ontario has regulated that all fuels sold must meet a 10%
ethanol average. That does not mean all
fuels sold must contain ethanol, but the
only fuel now advertised as being
ethanol-free is V Power Shell, and as
marine technicians you will be seeing
more ethanol-related issues.
For the marine industry, the fit isn’t
good. Ethanol is a solvent that doesn’t
mix well with fuel and fuel byproducts
lingering in some older tanks and system
components. It scours fuel systems,
overburdening filters, it breaks down
fibreglass fuel tanks and it rapidly
absorbs water from atmospheric humidity, giving fuel only a brief shelf life.
Ethanol use is changing the way gasoline
powered boats are maintained, serviced,
used and regarding some components,
constructed.
As recently as 2003, well-known boat
designer, Dave Gerr was promoting the
use of fibreglass fuel tanks. Not any
more! He is now quoted, “Since the
switch to E10 began, there has been a
sudden rash of tank and fuel problems.
Research by BoatUS and several marine
surveyors traced problems back to
ethanol reacting with and dissolving the
resin in the walls of fibreglass tanks. All
fibreglass resins are attacked by ethanol!
Tank walls may be seriously weakened
causing leaks, and styrene and related
chemical byproducts dissolved in or
reacted with the ethanol, work their way
into fuel systems, creating serious fouling problems. There are thousands of
gasoline-powered boats in service with
fibreglass fuel tanks, including vessels
from the top builders. All of these tanks
are now suspect and no new fibreglass
tanks should be designed or built. When
