Ethanol Gas Problems

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Stan Wright
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Ethanol Gas Problems

Postby Stan Wright » Thu Feb 08, 2007 3:26 pm

The legislator is working on several bills to get rid of the ethanol that's added to our Hawaii gas. Boaters are especially hard hit. Ethanol is a solvent and is eating through boat gas tanks, especially fiberglass. In some cases through the hull of the boat. It also dissolves rubber hoses and gaskets in engines. All that gunk is really clogging up motors.

Ethanol also attracts water. (our little gas tanks must have the air vent open.... sucks that water right in) Not good for gas. If you let the gas sit in the tank for 2 weeks, the ethanol mixes with water and evaporates. This lowers the octane of the gas so the engine won't start or runs bad. (I know about this one) It also turns the gas a milky yellow color.

It's not only boaters. Do you have a lawnmower, generator, weed whacker, chain saw, or other small gas engine. All the "gas engine" airplanes are grounded.

Ethanol was suppose to be made from sugar cane to help the plantations. Since there are no longer any sugar plantations, the ethanol is imported from the mainland. Gas prices are 11 cents a gallon higher because we have to add ethanol.
It lowers the performance of cars so we have to use more gas. When your car stops running you just pull over. Can't do that out in the ocean.

This law adding ethanol to the gas is not as good an idea as everyone thought it would be. You can bet the environmentalist will fight tooth and nail to block any repeal of the Ethanol Laws.

Aloha,
Stan
"Why let the truth stand in the way of a good fish story?"

Ken
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Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:56 am
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Postby Ken » Fri Feb 09, 2007 8:22 am

The best way to convince the environmentalist is invite them on a whale watching tour and have them get stranded in the middle of nowhere because they are so pro-ethanol gas :twisted: Maybe this whale watching boat has a weakened hual due to ethanol degradation and the environmentalists can spend some time with the marine animals their natural environments. :twisted:

Don't get me wrong...I'd like a cleaner environment to live in as well...but if the sacrifices required to create a cleaner environment is too great, and the risk is too high, I'll stick with the tried, trusted and true even if it is a bit dirtier. All it means is that someone will have to find a better technology. :wink:

Like they say, it's one thing to read about it on papers...it's another to actually experience it :roll: :twisted: Who has a weakened boat running ethanol fuel? Let's invite some Enviros on a tour :lol:


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