Cars and trucks use a sealed system which controls emissions and does not allow outside air into the fuel mix except at point of combustion. Boat fuel tanks use an OPEN system with a vent on the side of the hull which allows for pressure in the tank to equalize, thus allowing outside air into the tank
So what happens during every step of the refinery-to-market process? Transport tanks are vented to atmosphere, storage tanks are vented to atmosphere, and when the fill cap is off of the tank on a car or light truck during fueling, the "sealed" system is very much vented to atmosphere. Putting the fuel into a vehicle with a closed fuel system and believing that it's "beneficially" sealed from the atmosphere
then, is kind of like putting the leftovers from dinner into the fridge after they've already sat out for a couple of days. Even parts of the country that are picky about storage tanks being vented to atmosphere without having some sort of vapor recovery setup installed have exclusions. For example in some places, vapor recovery setups aren't required until the daily volume of fuel dispensed reaches 4000 gallons or so. So smaller stations pumping less than that have a standpipe sticking up in the air with a rain cap on it....that's it. The boat versus car/open versus "sealed" comparison is at best a non-issue. Whether boat owners want to admit it or not, most of the fuel issues they experience come from either
not using recommended fuels, or, fuel storage problems due to infrequent use.
The question gets asked all the time, and never gets answered in threads like this. Why does guy "A" using E10 experience no issues with E10, while guy "B" does?
Newer engines are designed to handle E10 and specifically state that any more than 10% will VOID the manufacturer's warranty.
So follow the manufacturers recommendations. The original post linked to the lawsuit website, where concerns were voiced about how some owners might risk potential damage by putting in fuel not recommended for use.....'cause it might save them $$ on a fill-up. That's just funny to me.
Lawnmowers, chainsaws, weed eaters are all prone to E10 damage too. Storing fuel for more than a few weeks is a real problem for these engines.
Once again,
why is this an issue? If a person buys a new mower and it says right in the manual, (often in several places), to
not use fuel that's been stored for a couple of months....
why do it? Guy "A" referenced in the scenario above likely follows the manufacturer's recommendations, whereas guy "B" does not. I see it every day, and there's really no other way to describe the behavior....other than, "Load gun, shoot self in foot".
Have you guys seen this video? Watch closely and see how a "marine mechanic" explains things. Count how many errors and misconceptions this guy has spread all over the 'net. He sounds credible to the uninformed....but I'd like to see his grade school transcript. Somethin' tells me science wasn't among his strong points:
YouTube - How Ethanol Gas Attracts Water from the Air - Demonstration
