Phase Separation - !@#%^&* Ethanol

Jun 14, 2010
2,081
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
Take it easy Larry...... that doesn't rule out it being contained before going into your tank. It all gass looked like that after sitting for 2 months we whould all be stranded somewhere or never be able to get our lawnmowers going.
You can’t be excused by saying “no offense” followed by something even mildly insulting. It’s like the blue collar guys at my boat club who are on their “best” behavior when my wife is around: They still curse but then they say“pardon my language”... It doesn’t get them pardoned. ;)

Edit: I would probably not have taken it the same way if you hadn’t set it up with “no offense...”. When I read that I was already bracing for insults. Peace. ☮
 
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Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
You can’t be excused by saying “no offense” followed by something even mildly insulting. It’s like the blue collar guys at my boat club who are on their “best” behavior when my wife is around: They still curse but then they say“pardon my language”... It doesn’t get you pardoned. ;)
Your confusing "no offense" with "with all do respect" two completely different things. The first says " don't get pissed but there might be another option or potential". The second says " even though I respect you (but I really don't) your dead ass wrong and I'm going to tell you so". It's in the Geneva Convention so......Shake N Bake.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Any E10 gasoline in the outboard tank more than two, maybe three, weeks old goes into the car tank. I therefore buy new E10 gasoline for the OB for just about every new weekend out from the slip. And, I don’t buy much. I’ve tried the high octane EtOH-free formula for the OB and it works wonderfully, but at $10/gal, I would hope so. Doesn’t really matter much anymore. I’m getting the OB serviced every new season or year, That means carburetor cleaning, etc. Otherwise, it’s the proverbial Russian Roulette. My weekend and other cruise time is too valuable to be sweating over getting the OB started, etc.
 
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Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
Any E10 gasoline in the outboard tank more than two, maybe three, weeks old goes into the car tank. I therefore buy new E10 gasoline for the OB for just about every new weekend out from the slip. And, I don’t buy much. I’ve tried the high octane EtOH-free formula for the OB and it works wonderfully, but at $10/gal, I would hope so. Doesn’t really matter much anymore. I’m getting the OB serviced every new season or year, That means carburetor cleaning, etc. Otherwise, it’s the proverbial Russian Roulette. My weekend and other cruise time is too valuable to be sweating over getting the OB started, etc.
KG,
Where do you find it around us for only $10/gallon? If you buy TruFuel (at Home Depot, for example) it comes out to over twice that for a gallon. If I could find it near me for only $10/gallon I'd buy it because my little Honda 2.3 hp might only go through little more than half that on a week long Catalina trip.
 
Feb 10, 2004
3,919
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
Here is a website that tracks the availability of E0 gasoline. Organized by state and city. It may have some inaccuracies due to station closings and openings, but i find it to be a good guide. Typical pricing for my area is about the same a premium gasoline, or maybe 25 cents more.

 
Jun 14, 2010
2,081
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
In some states, e.g. CT it's legislated that they can't sell E0 at the pump. If it's listed at the pure-gas.org site in CT (or some others) it is being sold in jugs as "racing fuel" or small-engine fuel (for non-road use) and is expensive (like TruFuel). The corn farners have an effective lobby.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
KG,
Where do you find it around us for only $10/gallon? If you buy TruFuel (at Home Depot, for example) it comes out to over twice that for a gallon. If I could find it near me for only $10/gallon I'd buy it because my little Honda 2.3 hp might only go through little more than half that on a week long Catalina trip.
Alan,
It may be more than that now. I just saw a listing for $71 for a 5-gallon container. C9 VP Racing Fuel @ SoCal Nitrous and Race Fuels, Inc., Westminster, CA. (It’s on Rich’s map.) I believe I got that container last year, around May, for closer to $65. I’d have to look it up to be sure.

KG
 
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jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Ethanol in gasoline causes two classes of problems:
  1. damage to system components;
  2. absorption of water.
The latter is what is evidenced by the phase separation the OP shows. However, it's important to note that none of that would occur without the introduction of water to the mix. Without the water, the ethanol would stay in solution with the gasoline.

Even without ethanol, water in gas tanks can be a problem. Note that all airplanes have drains at the bottom of the tanks, and checking for water in the tanks is a standard element of the pre-flight check.

If you are experiencing phase separation often, and quickly, you have a water source: either high humidity, or liquid water ingress.

You can check for water with a siphon, and you can siphon off the water or water-ethanol mix. You can also install a filter with a water trap. You can remove the ethanol by processing your gas (dangerous!) Or, of course, you can spend the big bucks on E-0 gas.

I personally don't think there's any additive that will prevent phase separation. If there are any that claim to, I'd like to hear the (chemical) explanation of how it works.
 
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