Marine Fuel : The Problems & The Solutions

Marine fuel has become questionable over the years. As we know, marine gasoline is blended E10, or fuel that contains 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline, and there are talks of increasing the ethanol content to 15%. Marine diesel quality has also decreased with the introduction of bio-diesel blends, making it more susceptible to environmental factors such as water and microbial outbreaks. But how do these changes in fuel trends affect your boat?

Gasoline blended with ethanol as well as bio-diesel attract and hold water. When water is in the fuel tank, it can create a world of problems. With gasoline in particular, water can initiate the process of phase separation. Phase separation is the process of when water and ethanol separate out from the fuel and settles to the bottom. If the water/ethanol mixture is pulled through the engine, it can be catastrophic and destroy the engine. Bio-diesel blends hold 10-15 times more water than regular diesel, prompting an increase in microbial growth and sludge build-up. For both fuels, water can decrease fuel economy, and increase emissions.

Low quality fuel can also create build-up of sludge, varnishes, and carbon. Sediments from each fuel can settle in the fuel system and clog filters. Because of the lower quality of fuel, the burn of the fuel, or the combustion cycle, can be unthorough, creating carbon build-up in the lines. These clogs and build-ups can cause the engine to run inefficiently and prevent your boat from running to its highest potential.

Now for the good news: It’s simple to combat these issues caused by using a fuel treatment. Look for an additive that will remove water by filtering it out through the bottom of your tank (not burning it), prevent the corrosive and separating effects of ethanol, a stabilizer, and one with a strong detergent to clean out sludge, varnish, and carbon buildup. For example, Fuel Ox Marine™ provides all the above protections with an additional patented combustion catalyst that optimizes the combustion cycle to increase fuel economy, decrease emissions, and prevent carbon buildup. It’s a “no brainer” that fuel issues can be detrimental to your watercraft, but when using Fuel Ox Marine™, you can have peace of mind that your engine will be protected by the strongest fuel additive.