Posts: 32799
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Water has to get in there first. Ethanol won't cause the water to appear or 'attract' water into the fuel, that's propaganda. It has to be introduced somewhere. If introduced: Unlike regular gasoline, which can absorb almost no moisture, E-10 can hold up to ½ percent of water by volume, and the water molecules will dissolve in the fuel. The solubilized water will bypass a water separator and burn harmlessly through the engine.
One needs to consider how much 'humidity' can even get to the tank though the vent and how much surface area in the tank is exposed to condensation, if any. When storing your boat, the tank should be full, not near empty as some claim.
Condensation and gasoline breakdown is your enemy over time, not ethanol.
Ethanol is hygroscopic, which means if water molecules contact the ethanol molecule, it will be absorbed by the ethanol, but it is in no way attracting the water.
https://www.theautochannel.com/news/2016/03/18/209988-ethanol-does-n...
Again, ethanol can't phase separate on it's own and only will if more water than can be absorbed is introduced. That, as you stated is a LOT of water and is not likely at all. Without the ethanol, almost all water introduced will end up at the bottom of the tank.
Most fuel based performance issues are caused by gasoline breaking down as it ages, and it isn't ethanol causing that. There are as many as 108 other additives to gasoline regardless if it's ethanol enriched or not.
Crib to death on a gallon of gas here is about two weeks if I remember correctly, ask your favorite gas station cash register attendant how often each tank gets filled up. Oil companies refine what we call gasoline today accordingly.
Millions of vehicles run flawlessly on e10 every day of every year around the globe. |
