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Boat Fuel Discussion - What Do You Use and Why?


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3 hours ago, Fab1 said:

Engines need higher compression for higher combustion pressures/tempretures to make use of higher octane fuels.That's why cars with turbos,superchargers etc run high octane fuels as they have the above mentioned to adequately ignite the fuel in these conditions.

If you run higher octane fuel in a car/outboard designed to run on a lesser octane fuel your doing more harm than good and throwing money away.

Cheers.

It’s actually the other way around. The turbo and high compression engines need higher octane fuel for a controlled burn and to not detonate. (Super high pressures and engine damage) They don’t need it to adequately “ignite” the fuel.

It’s not like other engines won’t ignite the high octane fuel as you say. They will. But higher octane fuel burns in a more “controlled” manner. It is less prone to detonate and damage the engine and can handle high pressure better.

Many people think that higher octane means more explosive. It’s not! It just burns in the engine in a more controlled manner, thus avoiding/ less chance of detonation/ damage. If your engine needs it, use it. If it doesn’t then don’t. Simple. 

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14 hours ago, Hateanchors said:

Just to add, there is no harm in using higher octane than you need. Just the price.

I use 95 sometimes even though I only need 91, but I don’t want to use ethanol 91 so rather pay for 95. 

I use caltex as its the closest one in town and I get woolies rewards points and a 4c discount...lol.  But the caltex website says the 95 has "cleaning agents" in it to help with crud buildup in the engine.  Which the 91 does not.  So thats another reason why I use 95 its only 8c/L or so more expensive.  

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19 hours ago, Hateanchors said:

Just to add, there is no harm in using higher octane than you need. Just the price.

I use 95 sometimes even though I only need 91, but I don’t want to use ethanol 91 so rather pay for 95. 

So is the advice which I've been given correct? DO NOT USE E 10 in outboards. Okay to use 95 or even 98 instead of unleaded 91 (just costs more). RSVP, bn

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1 hour ago, big Neil said:

So is the advice which I've been given correct? DO NOT USE E 10 in outboards. Okay to use 95 or even 98 instead of unleaded 91 (just costs more). RSVP, bn

In Sydney you can get 91 octane fuel without ethanol.....and 94 with ethanol.

I assume if you live in an area that doesnt have 91 octane fuel without ethanol then your only choice is to use 95 or 98

Edited by GoingFishing
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22 minutes ago, GoingFishing said:

In Sydney you can get 91 octane fuel without ethanol.....and with ethanol.

I assume if you live in an area that doesnt have 91 octane fuel without ethanol then your only choice is to use 95 or 98

I’m pretty sure that E10 is 94 octane.

@big Neil - The main issue with ethanol fuels is allegedly that they attract moisture. Being plant based, it also allegedly has a natural moisture content.  It is also alleged that it eats rubber fuel lines. Having owned a VW Kombi (miss it every day), where the fuel lines are above the engine, this is a big no no! Too many Kombis and beetles go up in smoke from leaking fuel lines - check the fuel lines regularly and change them yearly!

Funny thing is though, when I was in Hawaii, I hired a Camaro convertible and was told at a servo that the only fuel available there was E10. Go figure!

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hi gone fishing ,yes you are right. the best thing i can recommened is read your outboard workshop  manual or operation manual as every outboard is differrent and manufactures  will recommened what is best for that engine you have and go from there easy as that

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4 hours ago, big Neil said:

So is the advice which I've been given correct? DO NOT USE E 10 in outboards. Okay to use 95 or even 98 instead of unleaded 91 (just costs more). RSVP, bn

Use what the engine manufacturer recommends. If they say E10 is OK then use it if you want. I always stay away from it personally.  

Yes it’s ok to use 95 or 98 instead of 91. No harm done at all, but if all you need is 91 you are wasting your money. 

Some people say they get better mileage with the higher octane but that’s for you to test and decide if it’s worth it. 

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9 hours ago, Fishop said:

I use caltex as its the closest one in town and I get woolies rewards points and a 4c discount...lol.  But the caltex website says the 95 has "cleaning agents" in it to help with crud buildup in the engine.  Which the 91 does not.  So thats another reason why I use 95 its only 8c/L or so more expensive.  

Personally I don’t believe any of that marketing. If you can use 91 then I wouldn’t pay extra for 95. 

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21 minutes ago, Hateanchors said:

Personally I don’t believe any of that marketing. If you can use 91 then I wouldn’t pay extra for 95. 

In my car, I definitely get better performance with 98 compared to 95. I haven’t used 91, so I can’t compare. On a highway trip, I get 100km more to the tank with 98, compared to 95 and it seems to have more get up and go. I will try and do some comparisons in the boat but sea conditions will probably impact on results. I tend to go everywhere flat out or as fast as conditions will allow except when trolling or approaching a spot. ?

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15 hours ago, Hateanchors said:

Personally I don’t believe any of that marketing. If you can use 91 then I wouldn’t pay extra for 95. 

Yeah I guess. Caltex has 91 unleaded (no ethanol) just looked today its actually 12c/L more but thats still only 12 bucks a full tank.  And I would go through a tank once a month if I am lucky.  The merc manual says to use minimum 90 RON fuel.

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95 as it’s easy to pull up against at my local BP. Mid range between 91 and 98.

only use BP where possible as be told two strokes and high reving motors which use Shell have varnishing on the plugs earlier and reduce plug life.

Will try BP 91 now the sevice station near me has had new tanks and pumps installed.

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2 hours ago, fragmeister said:

Is this a two stroke topic?

Cheers Jim

Nope. It’s a fuel topic, started so @mrsswordfisherman can merge in the off topic posts re fuel that we put in the thread on outboards. ? There was a lot of discussion on the different octane of petrol used. Shouldn’t matter if it’s a 4 stroke or a 2 stroke motor but feel free to state what motor it’s going in. I hadn’t factored in diesel, though! ?

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I had been using 95, and the main reason for this is that the servo where I fill up. The lane that I chose i has E10, 95 or 98, but this lane is the easiest to get the boat in and out of  and the filler cap is on that side. Yesterday, I just took down jerry can and filled that up with 91. I always carry a jerry can on board, and when I am topping up the tank, I like to use the jerry can first so I'm not carting around older fuel for too long. I've I don't use it for a whle, it goes in to the lawn mower.

 

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I read somewhere that the bigger 250 Suzuki's need 98 yet talking and viewing a good friends new ( secondhand) dive boat with twin Suzuki 300's he's been told 91 by the mechanics and previous owner.

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Most fuel on the east coast comes from overseas (Singapore), so what you get at one servo is the same as any other, most outboards are fine with 91, its just that 91 without ethanol is hard to find. I tend to use 95, most fuel problems occur from contamination at the servo itself.

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52 minutes ago, fragmeister said:

My Yamaha 150 4 Stroke  (5 years old) says I should use 98 so I do... never really gave it a thought until now.

When i made my original comments Jim it was to alert ETEC owners that they should be using 91 octane fuel as per Evinrude user manual.

If your manufacturer recommends 98 id be sticking with that, as that was the essence of my original post.

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On 10/4/2018 at 5:40 PM, dunc333 said:

hi gone fishing ,yes you are right. the best thing i can recommened is read your outboard workshop  manual or operation manual as every outboard is differrent and manufactures  will recommened what is best for that engine you have and go from there easy as that

Ethanols fine, what are you worried about?

From the mercury website
 

QUESTION:

Will the use of fuels containing ethanol void my engine warranty?

ANSWER:

Fuels containing up to 10 percent ethanol are considered acceptable for use in Mercury engines. Fuels containing higher levels of ethanol are not considered acceptable for use, and the use of fuels containing ethanol higher than 10 percent can void the warranty.

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