P.O. Box 560-532, Miami, FL 33256, US
WHY DOES GASOLINE GO BAD
Chemical and physical changes in gasoline can lead to poor engine performance and potential damage.
Gasoline is a blend of hydrocarbons and performance-enhancing additives. Over time, this mix can degrade due to chemical and physical changes. The main culprits? Oxidation, evaporation, contamination and polymerization
Contamination: Water and Ethanol Don't Mix Well.
Water can enter the fuel tanks through condensation. Ethanol-blended fuels are especially vulnerable because ethanol absorbs water. Above certain concentrations, this can trigger phase separation, where a water layer forms at the bottom of the tank due to its heavier density compared to gasoline. When your engine pulls from this layer instead of pure fuel, it can misfire, stall, or experience corrosion of potentially expensive damage to fuel system componentry.
This surveyor recommends ethanol free gasoline, often called REC90.
Gasoline storage life is generally considered to be a few months. The storage life of gasoline can be extended significantly by the use of a quality additive to prevent oxidation. This additive should be added when the gasoline is fresh.
This surveyor recommends the use of a quality additive if the gasoline is not to be used within a short period of time.
A preferred practice is to minimize the age of the gasoline stored aboard, without risking running out of gasoline while underway..
There's more to lubrication than simply reducing friction.
A balanced formula is required for optimum performance in all areas of lubrication.
An oil's primary function is reducing friction. It does this by creating a film between surfaces to prevent contact, thereby reducing friction. However, lubricants are frequently needed ot do more than just provide a slippery film between moving surfaces in contact.
They are tasked to carry out several other functions, some of which might not immediately spring to mind when you think about engine oils or other lubricants.
Here are six not-so-obvious lubricant functions:
Transfer Energy-
Because fluid lubricants are not readily compressible, they can act as an energy-transfer medium, such as in hydraulic equipment, transmissions, engine valve lifters, etc.
Clean-
Lubricants maintain internal cleanliness by suspending contaminants within the fluid or by preventing the contaminants from adhering to components. Base oils possess a varying degree of solvency that assists in maintaining internal cleanliness. Solvency is the ability of a fluid to dissolve a solid, liquid, or gas. While the solvency of the oil is important for maintaining cleanliness, detergents and dispersants play a key roll. Detergents are additives that prevent contaminants from adhering to components, especially hot components such as piston, or piston rings. Dispersants are additives that keep contaminants suspended in the fluid. Dispersants act as a solvent, helping the oil maintain cleanliness and prevent sludge formation.
Cool-
Lubricants are used to cool the parts of a component or machine while in operation- like a fan or air conditioner is used to cool the inside of a house. Reducing friction minimizes heat in moving parts, which lowers the overall operating temperature of the equipment. Lubricants also absorb heat from contact surface areas and transport it to a location to be safely dispersed, such as the oil sump. Heat transfer ability tends to be a trait of the base oil's thickness- Lighter oils tend to transfer oils more readily.
Seal-Out Contaminants-
Lubricants are used to seal components from outside contamination, like windows in a house or automobile. They can act as a dynamic seal in locations such as piston rings, and cylinder contact areas to prevent contamination.
Dampen Shock-
A lubricant can cushion the blow of mechanical shock, just like a shock absorber in a car dampens road vibrations and imperfections. A highly functional lubricant film can resist rupture and absorb and disperse these energy spikes over a broad contact area. When the mechanical shock to components is dampened, wear and damaging forces are minimized, extending the component's overall life.
Protect Against Corrosion-
A lubricant must have the ability to prevent or minimize internal component corrosion. Lubricants accomplish this either by chemically neutralizing corrosive products, or by establishing a barrier between the components and the corrosive material.
Superior Protection & Performance-
The important takeaway here is that lubricant quality is not about excelling in one performance area; rather, its about the entire set of performance properties.
The quality of oil used is critical to machinery performance and durability.
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