an ether oxygenate, such as MTBE or ETBE.
Many oil companies are providing, or working to
provide, clear labeling for gasoline pumps to let
you know which oxygenated gasoline you are
buying. If the pump isn't labeled, ask the
service station attendant.
Use good tank-management
techniques.
For many years, marinas have managed
their tanks to minimize the effects of water
contamination and deterioration. You should do
the same with the tank in your boat. When
storing your boat or gasoline container, make
sure that the tank or container is either
completely full or completely empty.
Use a water-separating fuel filter.
A water-separating fuel filter provides the
greatest level of protection from possible
problems with water contamination. So when
you replace your fuel filter, choose the water-
separating type.
Check hoses for deterioration at least
once a year.
Newer engines are expected to be unaffected
by oxygenated fuels, but some manufacturers
are concerned that hoses on engines produced
before 1980 could be prone to damage from
alcohol-oxygenated fuels. Hoses that are
susceptible to alcohol damage can become
brittle or soft and, over time, stop functioning.
EPA recommends that you follow the
manufacturers' inspection requirements, with
at least an annual inspection of hoses and
other rubber components exposed to fuel.
Components that appear deteriorated
should be replaced.
Remember that by using reformulated
gasoline you are impfo.ving the air
you breathe. ' T.',
or more information, call, J&H-free:
kJS; EPA, 800-S21-8431 '^flr „
'"
United States 77 W. Jackson Boulevard
Environmental Protection Chicago, IL 60604
Agency May 1995
Region 5 905-F-95-002
US Environmental Protection Agency
Region 5 Library
77 W. Jackson Blvd. (PL-1_6J)
Chicago, !L 60604-3507
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X1 » ^ ,X 1V -1 4^J
As of January 1, 1995, every time you fill up
your tank with gasoline, you are helping protect
the quality of the air you breathe. By doing so,
you become part of one of the nation's most
important strategies to reduce pollution from
motor vehicles.
Over five years ago, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) began working
cooperatively with the petroleum and engine
manufacturing industries to reformulate gasoline
to reduce emissions of ozone-forming and toxic
air pollutants. The result: A cleaner-burning
gasoline which has significant health benefits,
called reformulated gasoline.
Scientifically speaking, reformulated gasoline
is very similar to conventional gasoline. The
ingredients used to make reformulated gasoline
are no different from those used to make
conventional gasoline. Reformulated and
conventional gasoline differ only in the levels of
ingredients. Specifically, reformulated gasoline
has lower amounts of certain compounds
that contribute to air pollution; it does not
evaporate as readily as conventional gasoline
during the summer months; and it contains
"chemical oxygen" (oxygenates).
The Clean Air Act requires the nine cities
with the worst levels of ozone pollution to use
reformulated gasoline. Those cities are New
York, Philadelphia, Hartford, Baltimore,
Chicago, Milwaukee, Houston, San Diego,
and Los Angeles.
In addition, dozens of other cities are using
reformulated gasoline voluntarily simply
because it's a convenient, inexpensive way to
improve air quality. In all, about one-third of the
gasoline in the country is reformulated.
if you are concerned about using reformulated
gasoline in your boat engine. However, you
should always check your owner's manual first.
The primary goal of the reformulated gasoline
program is to protect public health by reducing
vehicle emissions of pollutants that form
ground-level ozone, often called smog.
Reformulated gasoline also reduces toxic air
pollutants from vehicles.
Ozone damages sensitive lung tissue and
reduces lung function. Exposure to toxic air
pollutants has been linked to increased rates
of cancer.
Reformulated gasoline produces 15 to M
percent less pollution than conventional
gasoline, and further improvements are
expected as new formulas are developed.
This year, the new, cleaner gasoline will reduce
smog-producing emissions by 305,000 tons—
the equivalent of removing 8.1 million cars from
our roads.
Boat engine manufacturers have indicated that
the use of reformulated gasoline in their engines
is acceptable, although some offer special
instructions if you use reformulated gasoline.
There are a number of simple things you can do
Be sure that your engine is properly
tuned.
The best thing you can do to make sure
that your boat engine will operate properly on
reformulated gasoline is to have your engine set
to your manufacturer's tune-up specifications.
While reformulated gasoline is very similar to
conventional gasoline, there are differences.
However, the differences are within the normal
operating range of the engine and will not be
noticeable unless your engine is out of tune and
operating lean. An engine using reformulated
gasoline will operate at its best when properly
adjusted to the manufacturer's tune-up
specifications.
Look for fuels that contain ethers.
Reformulated gasoline typically contains
either an alcohol- or ether-based oxygenate.
By nature, alcohol tends to have a greater
affinity for water and is slightly more corrosive
than ether-based oxygenates. If you haven't had
water contamination problems with conventional
gasoline in the past, you shouldn't have a
problem using either type of reformulated
gasoline.
But, if fuel is to be used in unusually humid
conditions or stored for long periods, you
should buy reformulated gasoline blended with
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