American Ethanol Winter 2017 | Page 20

Melting Myths About Snowmobiles and Ethanol

The snowmobile season has kicked into high gear across many parts of the country , and outdoorsmen have pulled their machines out of storage and are exploring the backcountry . All those trips mean snowmobilers will often need to consider their fuel choices . Unfortunately , persistent rumors could mislead snowmobilers about ethanol . Let ’ s debunk some myths and see why ethanol is safe to use in your small engine .
Myth : Any level of ethanol blended into gasoline is harmful to small engines .
Fact : Leading snowmobile manufacturers — such as Arctic Cat , Ski-Doo , Yamaha , and Polaris — approve the use of fuel containing ethanol in their engines . Extensive research shows that E10 ethanol is in 97 percent of gas sold in the United States , so most people who own snowmobiles are already using it issue-free .
Myth : Ethanol causes fuel to separate if it sits for an extended period of time .
Fact : Ethanol is water-soluble and helps prevent phase separation . If a small amount of water finds its way into the fuel tank , as is common in small engines , ethanol allows it to be absorbed into the fuel mixture and passed harmlessly through the engine .
Myth : Ethanol is more corrosive than gasoline .
Fact : National Association of Corrosion Engineers ’ testing determined that fuel containing ethanol is not any more corrosive than non-ethanol fuel . Small engine damage comes from the aromatics , which damage the lines and fuel seals .
Myth : Ethanol provides less power than pure gasoline .
Fact : Ethanol is a high-octane biofuel that provides more horsepower than regular gasoline . Pure ethanol has an octane rating of 113 ; the rating for most regular gasoline is only 87 . Ethanol is added to fuel to raise the octane level and improve performance . With ethanol , our environment is cleaner and fuel is cheaper , without any loss in power .
Myth : The numerous products sold claiming to cure ethanol-related issues are proof problems exist .
Fact : E10 fuel can reduce the need for fuel additives because it prevents fuel line freeze . In fact , the snowmobile owner ’ s manual for Polaris recommends that those using non-ethanol fuel add another alcohol-based additive to their gas tank to prevent damage resulting from fuel system icing .
According to the EPA , by 2022 the Renewable Fuel Standard will reduce carbon
pollution by 138 metric tons
20 AMERICAN ETHANOL THE MAGAZINE