- Messages
- 1,561
- Reaction score
- 891
- Points
- 247
- Location
- Ottawa, Canada
- Boat Make
- Scarab
- Year
- 2015
- Boat Model
- 165 G
- Boat Length
- 16
If you ask what fuel everyone uses, you'll get a billion responses and why. This is called anecdotal evidence. If that's what you want, have at her.
For the rest of us, just use what the manufacturer recommends.
Straight from the manuals.
One image is for the 150, 200 and 250HP engines. In North America, 87 octane works just fine on all engines. If you're trying to squeak out a few more HP to get your advertised HP, then the 200 and 250 can benefit from 91 octane in North America. Note that if you live elsewhere, the second table adresses this with the RON rating. They use different systems than North America.
If you're on the 170, 230 or 300HP engine series, that's the second image. 170 and 230 have no benefit using 91 octane contrary to popular belief. It used to be that if you had a supercharger, use premium. But this isn't the case anymore. 87 octane is all you need for the lower HP engines. The 300 on the other hand, 91 octane is where it's at and 87 isn't recommended but it will do in a pinch. Keeping in mind as before if you're outside North America.
Premium fuel is not actually better. It's just a marketing term. Regular is just as clean. Premium may have extra additives, but nothing of consequence. The octane rating is what matters relative to the compression ratio design of the engine. So ignore the marketing and just go with the engineer recommendations.
Ethanol at 10 percent or lower is NOT a problem. Which is extremely common in most fuel these days except at marinas. Is it better without ethanol? It doesn't matter. The engines and lines are NOW designed to handle it just fine. It used to be a bigger problem, it isn't the case anymore. And no, it doesn't "gunk up" the systems. My boat has been using 10 percent ethanol 87 octane gas since 2015. Almost 300h now. I've played with many fuel systems over the years. My boat is also stored or winterized for about 7 months every year with that gas in there. There is no gunk or residue of any kind.
Finally, adding octane booster to take 87 to 91 is rarely worth it. Most off the shelf bottle that claim say 3 points, if you read and learn the details, you learn very quickly that 3 points = 0.3 octane increase and NOT 3. This also assumes your tank sizes matches the volumes they're using in their calculations on the bottle. I did a calculation once using Canadian Tire off the shelf booster and I came up with something ridiculous like 20 bottles required. Lol Don't bother. There are race versions of these octane boosters that are much stronger. If you have access, and you can verify their claims, it COULD be worth it in a pinch. But odds are, you're much better off running 87 and replacing it with 91 as soon as you get the chance. Again, all engines from BRP can handle 87 well except the 300. The manual states you can use 87 if you're stuck, but to switch to 91 ASAP.
For the rest of us, just use what the manufacturer recommends.
Straight from the manuals.
One image is for the 150, 200 and 250HP engines. In North America, 87 octane works just fine on all engines. If you're trying to squeak out a few more HP to get your advertised HP, then the 200 and 250 can benefit from 91 octane in North America. Note that if you live elsewhere, the second table adresses this with the RON rating. They use different systems than North America.
If you're on the 170, 230 or 300HP engine series, that's the second image. 170 and 230 have no benefit using 91 octane contrary to popular belief. It used to be that if you had a supercharger, use premium. But this isn't the case anymore. 87 octane is all you need for the lower HP engines. The 300 on the other hand, 91 octane is where it's at and 87 isn't recommended but it will do in a pinch. Keeping in mind as before if you're outside North America.
Premium fuel is not actually better. It's just a marketing term. Regular is just as clean. Premium may have extra additives, but nothing of consequence. The octane rating is what matters relative to the compression ratio design of the engine. So ignore the marketing and just go with the engineer recommendations.
Ethanol at 10 percent or lower is NOT a problem. Which is extremely common in most fuel these days except at marinas. Is it better without ethanol? It doesn't matter. The engines and lines are NOW designed to handle it just fine. It used to be a bigger problem, it isn't the case anymore. And no, it doesn't "gunk up" the systems. My boat has been using 10 percent ethanol 87 octane gas since 2015. Almost 300h now. I've played with many fuel systems over the years. My boat is also stored or winterized for about 7 months every year with that gas in there. There is no gunk or residue of any kind.
Finally, adding octane booster to take 87 to 91 is rarely worth it. Most off the shelf bottle that claim say 3 points, if you read and learn the details, you learn very quickly that 3 points = 0.3 octane increase and NOT 3. This also assumes your tank sizes matches the volumes they're using in their calculations on the bottle. I did a calculation once using Canadian Tire off the shelf booster and I came up with something ridiculous like 20 bottles required. Lol Don't bother. There are race versions of these octane boosters that are much stronger. If you have access, and you can verify their claims, it COULD be worth it in a pinch. But odds are, you're much better off running 87 and replacing it with 91 as soon as you get the chance. Again, all engines from BRP can handle 87 well except the 300. The manual states you can use 87 if you're stuck, but to switch to 91 ASAP.
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