2 stroke motor questions...

[thehawk]

Does anyone know anything about oxegenated fuels and holiday gas stations? I have heard that oxegenated fuels can ruin your boat motor. I have also heard that holiday gas stations sell oxegenated gas. I have heard that running these fuels in your boat can ruin your motor, any thruth to that? What type of fuel do you guys run in your boats? I have a two stroke thats oil injected, any recomendations on fuel. Also any truth about holiday gas being bad for your boat? What octaine gas do you guys use in your 2 stokes? Thanks in advance.

[boatfixer]

If you still have the owners manual, go with that recomendation. If not, as a rule of thumb generally speaking, try to avoid oxy gas.

[thehawk]

Boatfixer...still out there. say can you recommend a marine mechanic down here in the cities? Looking for someone who would help me fix my boat, not just see $$ walking in the door. Thanks.

[marine_man]

I would check with Hannays... several on here have had good luck with them in the past.

marine_man

[solbes]

Almost all fuel in Minnesota now is oxygenated, meaning it has some form of alcohol (Ethanol, methanol) or ether (MTBE, ETBE) in quantities around 10%. Holiday should be no different from anyone else, excluding differences in their blend and additive package. It's pretty easy to get problems with water or moisture with oxygenated gas. One of the reasons that people install an external water separator filter in between their tank and outboard.

You can assume all gas stations are oxygenated unless stated as non-oxy on the pump. There are still some pumps that sell this, and I've only seen it with premium fuel.

[MnWilly]

Personally I wouldn't worry about it. Almost all newer outboards are designed to run on 10% blend which is what we have in MN. I have been using it in my boat for 4 years now with no problems ('05 Mercury 115 optimax). I always use stabil with every fill just for a little extra insurance. I even store my boat completely full of gas each winter with a double dose of stabil. There are a ton of opinions on gas tanks being stored totally full or totally empty. I have gone with full and have had no problems.

[bdafisher]

Always go with unoxygenated if you have the choice in your 2 strokes.

[jwmiller33]

where do you guys buy unoxygenated gas?

how important do you think it is to run in an older 2 stroke? like a late 80s Johnson 35hp long shaft?

[gunflint]

jw,

SA next to Fishermans has non-oxy at every pump island. I have a 95 2-stroke and I wouldn't consider anything but non-oxy.

[raymondk]

I only use regular gas most stations that have the unoxy gas don't sell that much and is alot older I ran into problems last year when i was up north i filled a 6 gal tank with the un oxy gas and my motor wouldn.t idle until i switched tanks with reg gas i won't run the un oxy gas again most of the older motors main problem is the oil injection systems they only have warning beepers when the motor already is overheating and everybody blames the gas

[slurpie]

As long as the pump says 91 ill use it and never had problems.

[BoxMN]

We have been running oxygenated gas ever since it started coming out, and our 82 Merc 50 is still running as good as new, and it has lots of hours. We also run it in our 150efi, since 97 and that thing runs like a top. We use 87 octane, that is all the motors call for.

I will put some non-oxy in if it has sat for a long time, as the oxy gas goes bad quicker. I also use Seafoam ALL THE TIME in all my stuff, but not real high dosages.

I belive the issue was that older motors gaskets and fuel lines could not stand up to the alcohol in the non-oxy, and would fail/breakdown. Mechanics could tell you that for sure, I know for sure that any decent motor or fuel line made after about 1980 should not have a problem with that. Ours did/does not...

[spearchucker]

Nothing wrong with oxygenated fuel as long as you use it up relatively quick (30-60 days). I would never store something over the season with oxygenated gas though. The ethanol is hydroscopic and with continue to absorb moisture, that is the reason it goes bad quicker. The octane rating doesn't matter unless you have a modified high performance engine.

[DarthBaiter]

non-oxy only. Would never consider anything else.

[pulleye16]

MSRA.com has a list of stations per city that have non-oxy fuels. Click on "Features", "Non-oxy fuels", then "non-oxy fuel list". When I can I use Non-oxy fuel but most of the time I use BP 92 octane....I love the invigorate additive!