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Does ethanol E-10 gas deteriorate seals any faster in a car engine than a boat engine?
I am putting my boat and car up for storage for the next 8 months. I can buy ethanol free gas for my 5 liter boat engine, but I can only buy E-10 gas at the pump for my car. I have heard E-10 will not affect an auto engine, deteriorating rubber gasket or seal components, but I hear it eats at the seals and gaskets in a marine engine. What is the truth?
Hi Jim
My answer will be between Mark and Jim.
My son takes a lot of these trips, and as such after 5 years of it, we have gotten a pretty good routine.
A. put a little gas stabilizer in the tank and drive it around before parking, same for the boat. When you park the car and the boat, pull the batteries on both or at least one terminal. The car is probably more important than the boat, the alarm system will discharge the battery and keep it that way which will kill the car battery in 6 months or less. I can't say for the boat, but I would disconnect it anyway, and don't forget the trolling battery.
As far as tires, I have not seen a problem and my son's truck has been sitting in the pasture for the bulk of the 5 years except when he is home on vacation, and I drive that one once a month or every couple of months, his car is in a storage shed and as such, never gets driven between visits. The car has the terminal pulled, the pickup does not, and if I don't drive the pickup every so often the battery dies. If I leave it to much longer than that, I wind up buying him a new battery.
Do not set your brakes, they can and will rust to the drums or disks, and are very difficult to get loose. Park is ok on an automatic or in gear in a manual.
When you get back and start the vehicle, let it idle for about 10 minutes, DO NOT accelerate until this period is over, oil needs to get recirculated in the engine as it has all ran off, if you give it the gas, you can pit the shafts, journals and cause the valves to seize. Also on an automatic transmission will need time to get fluid and pressure to the disks and bearings. In a manual, let the clutch out in neutral so lubricant can get worked around. Do not go on the freeway until you have a couple miles in city driving to get the bearings lubed.
Now for the boat, if it is efi your pretty much ahead of the game, if not, add a can of Sea Foam to the tank at the mix value given, it will help clean out any varnish that may have formed. Although if you put in a stabilizer it should limit that.
For the most part, 8 months is not that long of a storage period if you follow what I said, my son's have been put up as long as a year without harm, all 3 vehicles still run like new. A lot of that has to do with how we bring them up when he comes home.
As far as the E10, I do not think it will be an issue, as we get that stuff here also. On my boat, I make my last fill of the season just before the gas changes, and that will usually last me until spring when the gas changes back or nearly. Both of my sons cars are fairly new, and as such are made to work with ethanol. Methanol was the one that affected warranty. I have a new Merc outboard, 2008 and do not think there would be a problem with it, my sons is a 2007 and I do not see that there is applicable difference between them.
Good luck on your trip and hope you make it home safe.
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