Ethanol Issues Getting Worse

[scott craven]

What make and size of kicker ? Year?

Only have a main, no kicker.
I run it in lawnmowers, weed eaters,chain saws etc.

 

[sly_karma]

Yes, pretty expensive stuff. I use it exclusively at the cabin in small engines that are used seasonally and it is really good. Everything starts and runs perfectly every spring.

I've been using Aspen fuel 2 and 4 in all my business tools. We use them sporadically, the extra gas cost is minor compared to the pitfalls of clogged carbs. Never sure when a tool might be needed, there's no obvious point where you say, time to winterize everything.

 

[sly_karma]

Ok I now have a plan for next winter. I'm going to buy a small 2 gallon portable fuel tank and fill it with the Aspen fuel...apparently Western Equipment here in Victoria has it..so it says online. I'll change my spin on filters at seasons end in late October as normal but fill the new ones with Aspen. I'll install t-valves on both my fuel lines before the filters and have a short length of fuel line which is long enough to reach the cockpit floor. I'll install the portable fuel line fittings to those hoses. So after changing the filters and filling with Aspen I will close the t-valves to the tank and open to the portable tank. Through the winter when running the motors up to keep oil on the internal parts it will run on Aspen....once I start doing charter trips I just turn the valves and run off the boats tank.

Good plan, I'll do a modified version of it. I already have separate main and kicker tanks on a T valve, and a surplus 3 gallon tank sitting in the shop. Put some Aspen 4 in that, run it through the kicker (main is DFI). I've been doing ok with fuel stabilizer, but synthetic in the carbs and filters is better again.

 

[Sea Chaser]

Had an issue yesterday on the water . Havnt been out since January so fired up the motors in the driveway day prior and both ran fine .
Honda 90
Yamaha 8
Main runs like a top but my kicker wouldn’t stay running with out the choke pulled . So now I gotta take apart the carb.

Now really got me thinking especially how much I have to mess with this thing In the last couple years it’s getting old and starting to take a toll on me trying to crank the pos over constantly .

What’s the newest and improved kicker in the 8-9.9 range .
Fuel injected ? (Tired of messing with the carb)
Electric start (a must I’ve determined)

Tell me where to spend my money

 

[zurk]

best kicker is the one which uses no fuel...
but you will have to spend a "boatload" on batteries.

 

[Bifmalibu]

Co op on Bowen in Nanaimo has Ethanol free premium, bought it yesterday.

 

[profisher]

Had an issue yesterday on the water . Havnt been out since January so fired up the motors in the driveway day prior and both ran fine .
Honda 90
Yamaha 8
Main runs like a top but my kicker wouldn’t stay running with out the choke pulled . So now I gotta take apart the carb.

Now really got me thinking especially how much I have to mess with this thing In the last couple years it’s getting old and starting to take a toll on me trying to crank the pos over constantly .

What’s the newest and improved kicker in the 8-9.9 range .
Fuel injected ? (Tired of messing with the carb)
Electric start (a must I’ve determined)

Tell me where to spend my money

clean out the carb well especially the idle jet and do what I'm going to do which is get a small day tank and fill it with Aspen to run the engines up on before they sit. It will definitely be an ethanol clogged carb giving you the troubles. I fire my Honda CB 750 up this past week and having the same issues...this was the 1st winter it sat with ethanol in the fuel....and I did add stabilizers and additives. The only things that have run ok this spring without any carb work is my Honda power washer and my parents Craftmans lawn tractor.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Bought a new Honda 2200i generator last year. After sitting with no fuel stabilizer for 4 months that carb completely plugged up and had to get it cleaned out. Guy at the shop says it happens all the time. Adding fuel stabilizer in every engine fuel tank that sits idle for a few months or more seems to be the new norm, or run the risk of it not starting and having to clean out the fuel system.

 

[Max123]

Just one note - I've always followed the practice of running an engine out of gas for storage. That was great and usually sufficient up until we started to use ethanol fuel. Now you need to run it out of fuel and drain the bowl. There is still at least a tablespoon of fuel left in the bowl after the engine stalls out - and its my bet that this last bit of gas is the source of most people's gunked up carbs. I noticed this when I started to have low speed idle problems on a honda mower that we use seasonally (and that I would religiously run out of gas).

Take a look - its usually pretty easy. Either the bowl is secured held in place with a bolt that can be loosened to drain, or it will have a dedicated drain screw. Once I started doing this, I've had far fewer issues. If you find yourself having to disassemble your carb every year, I think you should revisit your storage practices.

 

[wolf]

Before end of season I always run in the last 2 weeks 2 bottles of seafoam thru the boat, but both kicker and main are EFI. (was sick and tired of the carb kicker!!!)
I usually have almost a full tank over winter . thats a whole other topic (tank full ,1/2, empty)
And add into every jerry can of chainsaw, lawn mower, genny right away as I was told by a heavy duty mechanic its a stabizer and cleaner al in one been doing this for last 4 years and well genny sat for a long time 2nd pull started up and ran great, we had quite a few power failures in sooke this year good to have the back up
It seems to work as I havet had any issues with carb engines

 

[seachicken]

Before end of season I always run in the last 2 weeks 2 bottles of seafoam thru the boat, but both kicker and main are EFI. (was sick and tired of the carb kicker!!!)
I usually have almost a full tank over winter . thats a whole other topic (tank full ,1/2, empty)
And add into every jerry can of chainsaw, lawn mower, genny right away as I was told by a heavy duty mechanic its a stabizer and cleaner al in one been doing this for last 4 years and well genny sat for a long time 2nd pull started up and ran great, we had quite a few power failures in sooke this year good to have the back up
It seems to work as I havet had any issues with carb engines

Sea foam is great, even old stale gas will run a single cylinder Honda engine with a healthy splash.

 

[Sea Chaser]

Before end of season I always run in the last 2 weeks 2 bottles of seafoam thru the boat, but both kicker and main are EFI. (was sick and tired of the carb kicker!!!)
I usually have almost a full tank over winter . thats a whole other topic (tank full ,1/2, empty)
And add into every jerry can of chainsaw, lawn mower, genny right away as I was told by a heavy duty mechanic its a stabizer and cleaner al in one been doing this for last 4 years and well genny sat for a long time 2nd pull started up and ran great, we had quite a few power failures in sooke this year good to have the back up
It seems to work as I havet had any issues with carb engines

What do you run for a kicker . Seriously interested in getting an efi

 

[wolf]

I went with a 20 hp zuk absolutly love it trolls awesome, I was a die hard yammy 9.9 guy for 30 years big improvement

 

[barkerfam]

Had an issue yesterday on the water . Havnt been out since January so fired up the motors in the driveway day prior and both ran fine .
Honda 90
Yamaha 8
Main runs like a top but my kicker wouldn’t stay running with out the choke pulled . So now I gotta take apart the carb.

Now really got me thinking especially how much I have to mess with this thing In the last couple years it’s getting old and starting to take a toll on me trying to crank the pos over constantly .

What’s the newest and improved kicker in the 8-9.9 range .
Fuel injected ? (Tired of messing with the carb)
Electric start (a must I’ve determined)

Tell me where to spend my money

Absolutely fuel injected.

At one point with my old non EFI engine, I would just keep a spare carb on the boat. easier to swap it out than to clean it.

I love my Tohhatsu EFI. Have put 1000's of hours on with ZERO issues.

hb

 

[HGT]

I have posted a rant before on the evils of ethanol in our fuel and my struggles to keep my Yamaha 9.9 trolling motor in running order. I'm now at 6 times this winter with the carb apart as this time the motor would not even start. Everytime I have gone to run it to warm it up and keep oil on the cylinders and bearings to prevent corrosion the motor will not idle. So everytime I take off the carb and clean it out. The pictures included here show how much ethanol crap I found this time...and no wonder it wouldn't even run. The ethanol is not only plugging up the jets but it it eating away at the aluminum float bowl and that material also plugs up the jets. I wondering who I'm going to sue when my motor quits and I end up on the rocks or upside down because I lost power at a critical time. This is ridiculous!!! BTW the ethanol sludge in the bottom of the float bowl is obvious in the pic...there is some on to the left beside the brass jet in the pic with the float and more in the top half of the carb in the top right corner down at the bottom...which is actually the highest point when the carb isinstalled.

As of 2023 there is no more ethanol fuel according to government next best in my opinion is chevron fuel
I’m currently looking for additive to combat the **** they put in as filler
If any of ya no please post
The mechanic I use is top notch and he is saying not to fill your aluminum tanks with fuel that separates over winter but rely more on your water seperator filter

Any opinions are taken well

 

[HGT]

As of 2023 there is no more ethanol fuel according to government next best in my opinion is chevron fuel
I’m currently looking for additive to combat the **** they put in as filler
If any of ya no please post
The mechanic I use is top notch and he is saying not to fill your aluminum tanks with fuel that separates over winter but rely more on your water seperator filter

Any opinions are taken well

Oops I meant no more premium fuel as there all ethanol added

 

[Whole in the Water]

As of 2023 there is no more ethanol fuel according to government next best in my opinion is chevron fuel
I’m currently looking for additive to combat the **** they put in as filler
If any of ya no please post
The mechanic I use is top notch and he is saying not to fill your aluminum tanks with fuel that separates over winter but rely more on your water seperator filter

Any opinions are taken well

No sure what you mean - "not to fill your aluminum tanks with fuel that separates over winter but rely more on your water separator filter" Are you suggesting to leave the tank empty over winter and let the fuel filter deal with all the water from condensation?

What if you put in enough proper fuel stabilizer that prevents fuel separation and a good fuel filter and fill you tank fill to reduce the total amount of water from condensation? This is what I have done for years with good results.

 

[trophywife]

fill it, stabilize the fuel, run motors through with stabil and run them until they stall out. i add more stabilzer a couple weeks before launch. run and clean filters/seperators. burn 1/8 to a 1/4 tank and refill with 93 0r 94 octane. no probs so far. separators do their job and after a couple of tanks of fuel i seem to only get 1 cup of water.

 

[wolf]

fill it, stabilize the fuel, run motors through with stabil

Hence the reason I posted last few weeks of season run seafoam thru it make sure it runs for a few weeks it seems everythig helps ive had great luck last few years doing this ...I do know if you add too much stabill its bad as well make sure to follow what it says

 

[tubber]

I bought a used chainsaw from a neighbour, cut some stuff in the fall and a Christmas tree in December. I still have all my toes.
Then I put it under my boat in the garage. What should I have done? He says it has premium in it.