[Rhodes22-list] My 9.9 is having some trouble...

[Arthur H. Czerwonky]

John,
Thanks for your post.  The problem is not going away, for sure.  I have been told by West that an in-line filter such as the Racor 110A (West #108664) should be appropriate for doing the job, and water is drained from the bottom bowl when it collects. FYI.
Art

-----Original Message-----
>From: Jonathan Parker <j.parker at yourjet.com>
>Sent: Jul 17, 2006 12:30 PM
>To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] My 9.9 is having some trouble...
>
>I have heard of a lot of boaters having problems with fuel filters/water
>separators this year and the one recurring cause for all the trouble
>tends to be Ethanol in the fuel. I thought you might like to see this.
>
>Here is a bulletin from Yamaha, But it pertains to ALL ENGINES, NOT just
>Yamahas.
>SUBJECTS: Ethanol Fuel Blends - All Model engines.
>
>Ethanol Fuel Blends - All Models
>As of spring 2006, most gasoline refiners will switch to ethanol-blended
>fuels. This may present a challenge for
>boat builders, dealers, and boaters in the months ahead. Until recently,
>refiners have primarily used the chemical
>MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) as an additive "to oxygenate" fuel,
>thereby, reducing emissions. Unfortunately,
>the chemical has been associated with ground water pollution. As a
>result, most refineries have chosen to remove
>it from their blends. Using ethanol in place of MTBE solves the ground
>water issue, since ethanol has a very short
>life in the environment before it is broken down chemically by nature.
>Properties
>Both consumers and those in the boating industry should be aware of the
>following characteristics of ethanol, even
>when blended in ratios of as little as 10 percent:
>
>1. Ethanol attracts and absorbs moisture from the air. That means
>boaters will likely face more fuel contamination
>issues from water absorbed through their fuel tank vents.
>
>2. Ethanol can dissolve some solid materials (e.g., varnish or even
>oxidation in steel and aluminum tanks)
>commonly found in fuel tanks, thereby contaminating the fuel.
>Additionally, it can loosen any corrosion or
>particulate matter in the fuel sys-tem.
>
>3. In some cases, ethanol has been known to dissolve components of the
>fuel system itself (e.g., fiberglass fuel
>tanks). However, modern fuel hose is made to withstand the effects of
>ethanol exposure.
>4. Ethanol blends can react chemically with MTBE fuel blends, causing
>additional contamination.
>
>Recommendations:
>Fuel blends using as much as 10 percent ethanol are appropriate for use
>in all of Yamaha's current outboard
>models. Yamaha does not recommend the use of fuels with higher
>concentrations of ethanol (e.g., E85, which
>contains 85 percent ethanol) or any other fuel blend that contains more
>than 10 percent ethanol. In addition,
>Yamaha recommends boat builder partners and boaters (as applicable) take
>the following steps to mitigate the
>potential impact of ethanol in motor fuel:
>
>1. Use fuel system components that are compatible with ethanol blends or
>replace those in use that are not
>compatible (e.g., fiberglass fuel tanks).
>
>2. Avoid co-mingling MTBE and ethanol-blended fuels. As a precaution,
>boaters should be advised to use only one
>supplier for fuel purchases in the months ahead to ensure constancy
>during the industry changeover period from
>MTBE to ethanol blends. 
>
>3. Install a Yamaha mini-10(tm) filter or 10-Micron filter. The
>10-Micron filter is designed for use on boats with
>Yamaha outboards. The smaller mini-10 is designed for smaller boats with
>engines 115hp and under. Both
>Yamaha products filter out contami-nants and separate water from fuel.
>The mini-10 features an aluminum head
>and is made from coated steel inside and painted steel outside to combat
>corrosion. The 10-Micron filter features
>either an aluminum or stainless steel head and is also made from coated
>interior and painted exterior steel. Both
>meet all U.S. Coast Guard and ABYC (American Boat and Yacht Council)
>standards. (This filter will work on other
>engines besides Yamaha call the service department for details)
>
>4. Consumers should be encouraged to carry spare filter cartridges in
>the event the filter element becomes
>clogged with contaminants while the outboard is in use.
>
>Related Considerations:
>
>All Yamaha products, rigging, accessories and parts, including Yamalube
>lubricants and fuel stabilizers are
>compatible with fuel blends using up to 10 percent ethanol.
>
>Here are a couple suggestions:
>
>1.You should run as much of the old fuel out of your tank as possible
>(with out running out) before putting the
>Ethanol fuel in your tank. You should not mix the two.
>
>2.When you start using the Ethanol Fuel you should install a 10 Micron
>fuel filter.
>
>3. The fuel filter should be changed every 50 hours.
>
>4. Carry an extra fuel filter with you on the boat.
>
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