HAPPY SATURDAY READERS!

Wishing everyone a great weekend and hope you enjoy the football games with your favorite teams.

For readers from the Shreveport area, I am sad to report that Al Carrolls Service Center at 1343 Captain Shreve Drive in Shreveport has converted to ethanol gas because he said their distributor could no longer get ethanol free gas. Since Marathon Oil has stopped selling ethanol free gas from their Garyville refinery June 21, I've had to remove 68 ethanol free stations from my website's list of ethanol free gas stations, most in north Louisiana. If a store has 3 tanks in the ground (which most older stores do), the cost to clean their tanks and dispose of the hazardous waste sludge, install electronic water monitoring equipment and expensive fuel filters on each pump to accomodate ethanol gas costs stations about $6,000 minimum. Multiply that by 68 stations, Marathon has inflicted over $400,000 in costs to all these small "Mom and Pop" stores that are struggling to survive! And why? For the $0.45/gallon tax credit most likely. They only had to blend 8% of their total gasoline sales this year, that's a mere 8 gallons out of every 100 gallons to meet the EPA regulation. It's just amazing what greed does, isn't it? And, the other major refiners are no better. It's just that Marathon was the last remaining large supplier of ethanol free gas to south and north Louisiana.

I am often asked by readers, what should I do to minimize the risk of problems to my marine engine if I cannot find ethanol free gas and must use ethanol gas. I developed the following article in 2009 to answer that question. I do hope it helps.......but, keep in mind, these precautions DO NOT eliminate the liklehood of engine damage, but only merely lowers the risk somewhat.

SUGGESTED PRECAUTIONS IF E-10 GAS MUST BE USED IN MARINE ENGINES

By "Pete" Landry

(December 17, 2009)

It is suggested that the following precautions be taken if you cannot find a source of ethanol-free gas and must use E-10 gasoline (DO NOT, under any circumstance use 15% ethanol gasoline in your marine engine when this new gas starts showing up at stations! It WILL DAMAGE your engine and void your warranty, and, according to the new EPA "E-15" label, is "against Federal law" to use this gas in marine engines) :

First, if you do not already have an in-line fuel filter between your fuel tank and your engine, it is strongly recommended that you install a 10-micron fuel filter with water-trapping capability. It should be installed in your fuel line before your engine, and at a location which is easily accessible for periodic change-out of the filter canister. These filters can be found at most boat dealers and Academy Sports + Outdoors, and other outdoor sports retailers. The filter cartridge (it looks like an auto oil filter) should be changed at least every 50 hours of engine use or at least annually, and perhaps more frequently if engine problems are experienced.

Secondly, it is strongly recommended that a fuel additive be used. I’ve researched at least four different fuel additives, and believe the “Sta-Bil” Marine Formula (blue color) is the better of the options available. This is because it has much higher levels of fuel stabilizer than others, and it also has a corrosion inhibitor that most other additives do not have. The blue Sta-Bil is sold at most Wal-Mart stores and some boat dealers. A 32-ounce bottle sells for about $19. 95 plus tax (2010 prices), but it only takes 1 ounce of additive to 10 gallons of gasoline. So a 32-ounce bottle will provide protection for 320 gallons of gas.

CAUTION: DO NOT use any fuel stabilizer that contains ethanol or any other type of alcohol as this only adds to the problem.

Part of the reason to use of a good fuel additive is not only to reduce the possibility of corrosion to your fuel tank, but also to stabilize the gasoline. Ethanol gasoline has a much shorter “shelf life” than gasoline without ethanol. The stable life of ethanol gasoline is only 2 - 3 months or less.

Lastly, keeping your boat's fuel tank full may reduce the amount of water that is introduced into the tank due to "breathing" since there is very little vapor space left in the tank when it is full. Of course, this has to be weighed against the poorer shelf life of ethanol gasoline if your boat is not used frequently.

Have a GREAT weekend readers! I do not post on Sundays, so I'll be back on Monday.

"Pete" Landry....................comments welcome at way2gopete@yahoo.com