Really hard to get ethanol free around here. Have to drive at least 30 mins one way. And I noticed the pumps they use have dirt in them. My question is what do you do when you run e10 fuel? Fuel stabilizer? My skis sometimes sits for a month. But gets started regularly. I tested my e10 fuel. Turns out it’s only 6% ethanol. Not too bad. Also what do you do when you store yours skis over the winter when using ethanol? Thanks
Ethanol fuel 93 octane
- Thread starter Ben34
- Start date
- Location
- California
I think people worry about it too much to be honest. We have had E10 here in California for years not and I haven't had a single issue in any of my skis, motorcycles or small engines. I just use Stabil like I have for the last 30 years and don't worry about it.
CD155MX
Squirrel!!!
- Location
- Alta Loma, CA
I live in CA where the fuel is absolutely terrible. I've had pretty bad luck in the past w/ carbs getting dried out and such. I've started making it a habit to put stabil in everything that gets gas and may sit (Jet skis, motorcycles, generators). On my generator and motorcycles I drain the carb bowls if they are going to sit for more than a week w/o being run again. With the skis I try to start them up every couple of weeks if they haven't been ridden.
bored&stroked
Urban redneck
- Location
- AZ
We don't have easy access to ethanol free fuel around here. And 93 octane is a dream. But I mix avgas with my pump fuel and it seems to do fine over the winter.
Here in the Midwest around the lake we have ethanol free fuel, 87, 91, and 93. I use it in everything from the truck to lawnmowers, chainsaws and skis. I have never had a carb problem caused by fuel. People I know around the country that have no access to ethanol free fuel seem like they’re always having carb issues.
Even with ethanol free fuel I use Marine Stabol In the fuel system over the winter months.
Even with ethanol free fuel I use Marine Stabol In the fuel system over the winter months.
- Location
- Illinois
I go out of my way to run 92/93 WITH ethanol for jetskis. I don't to anything extra to them when they sit. I have zero carb issues with my own stuff even after sitting all winter. My sleds also sit all summer with your typical 10% e
l do the same as you have described.Learned a lesson with using ethanol one winter.Gummed up the carbs.
On a different note,my sons car is supposed to run on 93 octane (either with or w/o ethanol).He was using non ethanol 93,he thought.Turns out it was 89 octane. Burned 4 valves in the process.Nothing new
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Rushford_Ripper
Site Supporter
- Location
- New York
Ran ethanol 93 for years without stabilizer, even sits all winter in the ski without issues. Same goes for all the lawn equipment. This year I did recently change mixture for the skis but that’s only for other reasons NOT because of issues.
- Location
- Canberra, Australia.
Plenty of tutorials online to show you how to remove ethanol from fuel if you’re that keen.
Yeah but it also drops octane. And I need the most I can get
- Location
- Red Bluff CA
Dropping the octane doesn't matter if you just want it for storage. You can pop the line off and run the engine on a water bottle of non eth to load the carb with with fuel. Easily done. If not for storage than ethanol doesn't matter.
I maintain a huge fleet of all kinds of machines. I service a gas machine every single day. Ethanol is not as big of an issue as people make it to be. Stabilizer is snake oil. And gas is gas.
Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
I maintain a huge fleet of all kinds of machines. I service a gas machine every single day. Ethanol is not as big of an issue as people make it to be. Stabilizer is snake oil. And gas is gas.
Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
bored&stroked
Urban redneck
- Location
- AZ
The is all sorts of confusing. Nothing in america should be rated for 93 octane as its not available in every state. I know porsche's say it on the gas cap, but they are fine with 91 for their entire life. Low octane causes detonation, not burnt valves. But everything sold these days has knock sensors and will retard timing to eliminate knock, or set a CEL if it can't...
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
Pure-gas.org - ethanol-free gasoline in the U.S. and Canada
Pure-gas.org is the definitive web site listing stations that sell pure gasoline in the U.S. and Canada.
l’m still going with the techs on the cause was because of the fuel.Dale Teague/Boxer4racing is one of techs,the other a master subie tech.Hard not to listen to their opinions
- Location
- Illinois
Retarded timing, also too late/slow of ignition, can burn valves due to the extreme high temps. and also potentially due to fuel still burning while valves are opening, similar to how with a 2-stroke too late of ignition will melt the exhaust side of piston.
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
Too lean of jetting will cause valve melt down as well. When I worked for Polaris, guys would be adding in K&N air filters to their ATVs which flowed a lot more air then the stock foam filter, then they would toss on some 27" tires and really start loading the engine down. Without changing the clutch flyweights and jetting up to I believe it was a 165 from a 150 or 145, can't exactly remember, they were running the engines so hot that the exhaust head pipe would go cherry red. A good few occasions turned up melted exhaust valve stems. You could really see the difference in the winter after sunset, with the stock primary jet, the tires and K&N filter on my 400 Sportsman, the head pipe would go cherry red if I held it too long going through deep snow. I changed out the primary jet to whatever it was we found to be the best, which I think was the mentioned 165, the head pipe never went red on it again. Of course the air idle screw needed to be adjusted for the new jet but it also made the ATV always start on the first compression. I will say this about Polaris, when they were using the Fuji Industries engines, they were a really good machine. It was everything else on them that needed tons of maintenance. After Polaris went in house with their Liberty engines, that's when the company went to total crap. I wouldn't buy another one of their ATVs and might consider selling one immediately if I had it given to me lol. They are the second ultimate maintenance pig only being edged out by CanAm. CanAm I'll never accept, not even as a gift lol 
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I'm 99% sure the GM 6.2 is recommended to run 93. Would be curious to know how many people actually do.
bored&stroked
Urban redneck
- Location
- AZ
Ahhh that makes sense.
- Location
- California
Nope 91 octane. 91 is the highest manufacturer’s recommend in the states because that’s the highest available in all 50.