FUEL ADDITIVES...WHICH IS BEST

[LOLA]

I AM HEARING BIOBOR IS BAD, AS IT LEAVES THE GUNK IN BOTTOM OF TANK.....PLEASE TELL ME OTHER GOOD OPTIONS.....MY TANK IS COMING OUT AND POWER WASHED...WANT TO START W NEW FUEL AND OFF TO A FRESH START.

WHAT ADDITIVES ARE ALREADY IN THE FUEL WHEN YOU GET IT?

WHICH ONES CAN YOU USE TOGETHER?

THANK YOU...ANY ADVICE IS APPRECIATED.

[PCarrico]

They are called Baja filters.
The screen in the bottom of the filter is a mesh that is too fine for water molecules to pass through, but fuel molecules are smaller, so the fuel molecules pass through the filter.

[PCarrico]

Any biocide will leave gunk in the bottom of the tank.
The gunk is dead microbes, two varieties that live in fuel, These microbes also like the water that often sits in the bottom of fuel tanks.
Live microbes swim about the fuel and are well dispersed.
It's the microbes that also clog fuel filters.
Regular treatment with fuel microbe biocide will maintain the low population of microbes.
Treatment with any biocide with poorly maintained fuel tanks is often followed by professional fuel cleaning.
Having lots of racor filters, and sailing around with 1/4 tank of fuel in choppy conditions will stir up the dead microbes in the fuel for "self" cleaning. Expect to change the racors very frequently during this process, and run the tanks until your just about out of fuel, then extract the water & sludge in the bottom of the tanks.
I know this pain all too well..... .

[Alain Brauckmann]

I used "some times" a bit of *oil* ( the one you put into the mixture if you have an 2 times/tact outborder ) as an additive.
I used 1 liter for 70 liter of diesel and I had the impression that my engine was running more smooth ....

If you have water in your tank, some one told me he added a bit of alcohol ( real 98% not wine or beer :-) ) because the water will melt with the alcohol and would be burned with the fuel .... I never had to try this because I always had a proper fuel ...

[Phil Prater]

I alternate between a biocide and a injector cleaner. Each time I fill the tank I add a little of one, next fillup the other. Course I live on the gulf coast, am retired, so use my boat more than most. But never have had a problem, with fuel or filters. Usually buy fuel at truck stop, where they pump a lot of fuel. So far so good.

[LOLA]

Of interest...just received

Comment Period for E15 Waiver Petition Extended

EPA grants 60 day extension as research organization submits detailed review of scientific claims

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 18, 2009 – On Friday, the Environmental Protection Agency extended the comment period on a petition submitted by Growth Energy, a pro-ethanol lobby, requesting a waiver to allow ethanol gasoline blends of up to 15 percent (E15) to be introduced into commerce. The original public comment period was slated to end on May 21, 2009 but will now be extended to July 20, 2009.

The extension of the comment period allows boaters, marine industry employees and other concerned parties more time to submit comments to EPA if they have not already done so.

Today, the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research organization, delivered a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson that includes a detailed review of the scientific research cited in Growth Energy’s waiver petition. EWG’s in-depth analysis of this research concludes that each of the seven studies cited by Growth Energy contains evidence that undermines the case for introducing mid-level ethanol blends, contrary to their claims.

NMMA continues to call for a science-based review of the request by EPA to ensure that increased levels of ethanol would not harm boats, marine engines and other affected equipment. More than 25,000 comments opposing the waiver petition have already been submitted through NMMA’s online advocacy tool. To submit comments to EPA opposing E15, click here. http://capwiz.com/nmma/home.

To view NMMA’s background materials on ethanol, visit http://www.nmma.org/government/federal and click on “Ethanol.”

To view EWG’s letter and white paper, visit http://www.ewg.org/letter/Factual-Analysis-Debunks-Corn-Ethanol-Ind... and http://www.ewg.org/reports/Ethanol-Gasoline-Fuel-Blends-Human-Healt....

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NMMA is the leading association representing the recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters in the United States. The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy advocacy, market statistics and research, product quality assurance and promotion of the boating lifestyle.

[Nathaniel Poole]

I did a lot of research for some training manuals i wrote last year, and almost all additives are a waste of money. ESPECIALLY those who claim to add extra lubricants, increase mileage, reduce wear etc. There are very few independent research studies on these and those that have been done show little effect. Even researching injector cleaners showed little independent corroboration despite having been embraced by the automotive industry.

What does work are fuel stabilizers and biocides. Keep your tanks full, replace the gasket on your filler cap, stabilise the fuel if it sits more than a month, and you should be okay. If you plan on using biocides, use them fairly frequently so if there is water in the tank you don't get a lot of growth that will clog filters.

Modern fuels are loaded with all the additives they need.