Tech Tips
Tech Tips
Check out this page for tips and updates from our service and parts department staff.
Ethanol in Fuel:
One issue we are seeing more of these days is bad fuel. When we say bad fuel, we mean dirty fuel or fuel with lots of water in it. We've been to many seminars and training courses outlining the impact that ethanol has on marine fuel. The trouble with ethanol in the fuel is that it ethanol attracts water. A fuel with ethanol in it attracts up to 50% more water than fuel without ethanol. Desmasdon's, as well as most other marinas, have moved to a fuel source that does not contain any ethanol as we feel this is better for protecting your investment.
We see issues with many small outboards, especially from inland lakes when boaters use fuel purchased from highway-based fuel stations, where gas contains ethanol (unless the customer had purchased premium grade). While the fix to this problem is generally easy, it can often be costly, resulting in needs carbs cleaned, having your fuel tanks drained, or replacing filters.
The Importance of the Water Impeller:
The water impeller is something most people will never see but often can be a source of very expensive headaches and downtime. The purpose of the impeller is to drive suction of the lake's fresh water through the engine in order to cool it. We recommend changing the water impeller every two years; this potentially eliminating the risk of a damaged impeller, which provides your boat's engine with sufficient cooling and prevents overheating. The water impeller is generally a small, inexpensive part that takes some labour to install.
Let us know if you would like a quote on changing your impeller, we would be happy to help!