Ethanol Free Gas - Please help quell my inner Cheapskate

[Roccus7]

Learned Colleagues:

I'm on the horns of dilemma. For what it's worth, there are no prohibitions on fueling one's boat at your own dock up here so I've been humping 6 gallon tanks for the past 11 seasons. Since gas at local stations averages $0.50 or more less than the rare pump at a Marina, I've saved a ton of money doing this.

Now the quandary!! For the first time in forever, two local stations are now offering high test, ETHANOL FREE fuel, which runs ~ $0.50 more than regular gas w/ethanol. My Inner Cheapskate thinks, "Why bother?? Your boat has always run fine on regular w/ethanol as long as you keep feeding it Startron!!" while my inner Engine Lover says, "You know the day will come when that ethanol catches up to you and at 2020 gas consumption, a $0.50 more, that would only be a ~$130 savings??? Isn't like that savings is actually a significant part of the entire boating budget, including dock costs, winterization, shrink wrapping, bottom painting, fishing tackle, etc.!!"

So folks, which inner demon should win??

 

[BoatGuy]

I have a small 17 foot boat. I tow it to the gas station. I have been told to use Premium gas and I do. I do add Marine Stabil with every fill up. My mechanic told me the new Stabil 360 has Startron in it. But I have not verified it. I may call Technical Support: 800.367.3245 to verify.

If there was a closer Ethanol-free High Test Gas station near me I would use it, even at higher cost. But then again, I have a 30 gallon tank. If I had a 200 gallon tank I doubt I would carry 6 gallon cans home. I probably purchase one of those gas caddies that hold more gas.

I looked at Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada to find a station selling Ethanol-free Gas. Found one in St. James: North Country Gas Bait & Tackle. Not sure if it is High Test. Another near Lake Grove. All are around a 30 min drive one way.

For now, I will stick to Stabil 360 Marine added to the premium gas.

 

[Roccus7]

My old 1976 Evinrude 70 INSISTED on high test when ethanol containing gas didn't exist. Thankfully there were Getty Stations back then which only sold high test. I can't begin to imagine running that on today's ethanol regular...

For the record, my tank is only 50 gallons, so three 5 gallon jugs, which fit in my wheel barrow, do quite nicely to top her off when she drops below 3/4 full...

 

[live bait]

I can't offer a very scientific, or technical answer, only results so far. We don't have any ethanol free gas available close by, & I don't think I would spring for the extra coin if we did. I use Startron every time I fuel the 200hp, 2017 Yamaha, with no negative results after close to 500hrs. When we winter in Fla I have a 1977 25hp Johnson with, Lord knows how may hours, although ethanol free gas is available, I continue to use regular gas with Startron. I own the Johnson for 10yrs & so far no problems, the spark plugs come out clean, & it gets a heavy dose of fogging oil when it goes to sleep in April. A little concerned how the old Johnson will be when we arrive next January as we stayed home this winter due to Covid & the old outboard will have been sleeping almost two years.
John

 

[poorrichard]

If I could get it here on long island I would use ethanol free only. There is one station in St James that sells ethanol free gas. Last check it was $4.49 a gallon. I cant justify the expense for the 50 gallons the tank holds.

If i could find ethanol free at a more competitive price I would buy it.

BTW your lawn mower, leaf blower, chain saw and snow blower will love it

 

[pequa1]

I had an 82 Nissan Stanza that totally died by 93-94 and I blamed the ethanol. My 99 18' Sea Pro with its 42 gallon tank needed a bunch of work in the tank and gas filter arena in roughly 2006 or so and the guys at Pearl Grey said it was the ethanol. I don't use the boat much anymore, vastly preferring to kayak, but I do top it off in my driveway each fall with a slew of regular octane 10% ethanol gas cans. To me with the need to only add 20-30 gallons a season, it would definitely be worth it to pay an extra fifty cents a gallon but I am unaware of any stations that sell real gasoline near Matzahpizza.

 

[Avenger]

11 seasons on ethanol with no issues,...

I don't see any reason at this point. But a lot depends on the vintage of your engine and fuel system. But 11 seasons...

@poorrichard is 100% correct about it for small engines like your yard equipment. It's well worth the investment for them.

 

[poorrichard]

In Florida, Delaware and other states except NY. Many gas stations sell either ethanol free ( Royal Farms Stations which are on the DelMarVa peninsula) or Boaters 91 Octane Florida which is ethanol free,

 

[pequa1]

would buy it in a heartbeat having had problems with this corn crop in the past, but this is the land of NO after all.

 

[BoatGuy]

Ethanol Labeling Laws - State by State Guide.

State-by-State guide to ethanol labeling laws. Find out if your state informs you when they add ethanol alcohol to the gas supply sold to the public.

fuel-testers.com

 

[BennyV]

After multiple carb rebuilds on my old Merc I switched and didn’t have an issue after that.

 

[BAYHAWK]

Spend the $0.50 a gallon I just paid $1100.00 to have a replacement tank fabricated because of ETHANOL FUEL! I'm installing it myself. I would buy ethanol free in a heartbeat if I could!

 

[BoatGuy]

There are some in Suffolk:

Huntington

SUNOCO

91 93 100​

Automotive Technology

631-923-1675

116 Spring Road

2021-04-29

Lake Grove

CONOCO

​

Conoco Gas

631-467-1254

3089 Middle Country Rd

2021-03-12

St James

UNBRANDED

91​

North Country Gas/Penney's Car Care Center

631-862-9663

545 Ny 25-A

2021-05-03

St. James

UNBRANDED

91​

North Country Gas Bait & Tackle

631-210-7878

545 North Country Road

2021-01-11

St. James

UNBRANDED

91​

North Country Gas Bait & Tackle

631-210-7878

545 North Country Road

2021-01-11

West Babylon

OK GAS

100​

Ok Petroleum

631-643-4310

1185 Straight Path

2021-01-31

Note the octane ratings. These are all the areas on the site with a 631 area code.

Note: not all may have Top Tier certification, TOP TIER™ Gasoline Brands

This is from a Shell Chemist:
"With respect to gasoline, obviously there are different ratios of octane to the rest of the 400+ chemicals in gasoline. Higher octane, literally more octane molecules. With respect to detergents, every company has a different recipe. All gasoline is the same, as in all 87 octane is the same throughout the United States. When a refinery makes gasoline it goes into a pipeline with every other brands gasoline. When it reaches a distribution terminal, Exxon or Shell or whoever send their trucks and as the gasoline is loaded into the tank car, the additives are mixed in. Additives differentiate the brands of gasoline. Exxon has its own formulation vs Shell vs BP, etc. when you buy generic gas from Al’s Pump and Go, they’ve most likely purchased a generic and very basic additive package. Detergents are part of the additive package. What’s in the additives? Well, those are proprietary to the manufacturer. When you go to gas station X, there IS a difference between the additives in regular and premium. It may only be amount of additive or it may be formulation. Additives are where oil companies make a lot of money."

 

[poorrichard]

I know the Station in St. James has ethanol free. Last time I drove by it was $4.49 per gallon.

That is out of my budget range. If the cost ever drops to a more reasonable price, I would consider buying it.

Seems if the price was lower and they pumper more, the wholesale price would drop as well.