Yamaha LF250 Owner's Manual page 26

Specifications and requirements
ECM01982
NOTICE
 Do not use leaded gasoline. Leaded
gasoline can seriously damage the en-
gine.
 Avoid getting water and contaminants in
the fuel tank. Contaminated fuel can
cause poor performance or engine dam-
age. Use only fresh gasoline that has
been stored in clean containers.
Gasoline with Ethanol
Two types of gasoline are commonly avail-
able in the U.S.A., Canada, Australia and
New Zealand for use in automobiles and
boats: conventional gasoline without Ethanol
and gasoline with Ethanol, which is typically
referred to as E10 gasoline. According to fed-
eral regulations, E10 gasoline may contain up
to 10% Ethanol.
A high quality gasoline without Ethanol is the
preferred fuel for your Yamaha outboard mo-
tor. However, if gasoline with Ethanol is the
only fuel available in your area, your Yamaha
outboard motor is calibrated to run properly
on fresh E10 gasoline that meets the mini-
mum octane requirement specified for this
model.
ECM02402
NOTICE
Never use a gasoline for your outboard
motor that contains more than 10% Etha-
nol, such as E15 which contains 15% Eth-
anol or E85 which contains 85% Ethanol,
or gasoline containing any amount of
Methanol. These fuels can cause starting
and running problems, as well as serious
fuel system and internal engine damage.
Gasoline containing ethanol has several
properties that may cause boat fuel system
problems.
20
 Ethanol is a strong solvent (cleaning agent)
that can clean gum and varnish deposits
from a boat's fuel system, particularly in
older boats, as well as tanks and pipes
used in gasoline distribution. These re-
leased deposits contaminate the fuel and
can cause problems, such as clogged fuel
filters, carburetors, or fuel injectors, which
could result in engine damage.
 Ethanol may dissolve resins used in the
construction of fiberglass fuel tanks. The
dissolved resins contaminate the fuel and
can cause problems, such as clogged fuel
filters, carburetors, or fuel injectors, which
could result in engine damage.
 Ethanol is hygroscopic (has a strong at-
traction to water). Therefore, any water that
inadvertently enters the fuel system, in-
cluding moisture that is absorbed from the
air, will mix with the ethanol in the gasoline.
If the amount of water is excessive, the eth-
anol and water mixture will separate from
the gasoline in a layer at the bottom of the
fuel tank. This ethanol and water mixture is
very corrosive to aluminum fuel tanks and
fuel system components.
 The usable life span of E10 gasoline may
be shorter than the normal length of off-
season boat storage, causing starting and
running problems related to stale fuel.
For more information on using fuel containing
ethanol, visit:
tor.com
Gasoline Filtration
Yamaha outboard motors are equipped with
internal fuel filters. However, excessive water
or debris entering your engine's fuel system
could prematurely clog the internal filters,
causing starting and running problems, fuel
system damage, and internal engine dam-
age. Therefore, it is recommended that an ex-
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