Posts: 1169
Location: New Hope MN | I would avoid using ethanol fuels in any of the older engines. In those cases, it's more than just water accumulation, it's about chemical compatibility.
Ethanol attacks aluminum, some seal materials, tubing/fuel lines and some plastics. Older engines/fuel systems were not built for ethanol. Adding stabil or seafoam will not prevent chemical attack.
Running your engine every single day will not prevent chemical attack if you keep putting ethanol fuels into your engine.
Each material is attacked differently. Seals usually swell and this condition usually goes away once you switch fuels. This can cause leaks anywhere a seal is found or failing fuel pumps.
Plastics usually lose plasticizers which cause them to become brittle. Others will actually dissolve.
Aluminum is much less of a concern, but ethanol does cause minor corrosion. Probably not enough to cause any real short term damage.
I encourage you to check the compass corrosion guide if you have your doubts about my answer.
Chemical attack shouldn’t be an issue on the newer motors. Material substitutions have been made. But then again, you still have water accumulation to worry about… Since you are buying a new motor, do what you feel best. I do whatever I can to stay away from Ethanol. $0.40/gallon extra is worth it to me.
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