Hi Susan,
While Rick is right that ethanol does not build up, ethanol gas degrades 
quickly, phase separates and attracts water. (the additives are supposed 
to slow this) and the residue can indeed foul your carburetor.  The gas 
in your can could also be bad. Did you start with fresh gas at the 
beginning of the season? The fact that your motor ran perfectly for a 
few outings last summer does seem to indicate a fuel problem. You might 
want to try a fresh can of ethanol-free gas an see what happens.

When we had problems years ago with our Yamaha we took it to Jim's 
Marine in Galena, MD. He cleaned the carb and tuned it up. He suggested 
that if we wanted to keep it running that way to use ethanol free gas.  
He also said that we should NOT run the motor out of fuel (which we had 
been doing) because even when you run it out, some fuel remains in the 
carb and can varnish the surfaces. We started using ethanol free gas 
(which we could find in Easton) and never had a bit of trouble for the 3 
or 4 years after that that we owned the boat. You might want to talk to 
Jim as I see on his website, he is also a Mercury dealer and services 
those motors.

BTW, according to several articles I've read, E15 gas will void the 
warranty on most marine engines. A better solution seems to be 
isobutanol which was recently approved for marine use in Maryland and is 
now evidently available at least at one place in Annapolis. 
http://www.boatingmag.com/ethanol-versus-isobutanol
Also 
https://www.chesapeakebaymagazine.com/talkofthebay/2017/4/6/bay-bulletin

Where did you find ethanol free gas? We have a much bigger outboard on 
Tara but have managed so far to keep it ethanol free by bringing fuel up 
from Easton or going south for filling the tank.

The best list I've found for finding ethanol free gas is 
https://www.pure-gas.org/

Good luck,
Mary Lou

ex Rhodes 22
now Rosborough RF-246 Tara

On 6/18/2017 2:14 PM, Susan Crane wrote:
> I posted a query last fall about the problems I was having with my Mercury
> outboard and received several very helpful replies that basically indicated
> that my problems with stalling and erratic idling were due to buildup of
> ethanol residue in the carburetor.  So I have tried unplugging the gas line
> and letting the motor run till it stalls, but I am still having problems.
> This is probably a silly question, but when one does that with the gas line,
> do you leave it unplugged until the next time you use it or do you reattach
> it after the motor stops, or does it matter?  Just in case anyone wonders, I
> have been adding fuel treatment to the gas.  Next question:  I have found a
> local gas station which sells ethanol free gas and am going to switch to
> that.  Will using it help clean out the carburetor or do I need to have it
> cleaned or replaced?  I had a new carburetor put in last summer and the
> motor ran perfectly for a few outings before the problems recurred.
> Obviously, I know nothing about outboard motor functioning and the mechanic
> at my marina has been less than helpful.  He doesn't seem to believe that it
> is an ethanol issue.  I am trying to avoid buying a new outboard, but am at
> my wits end with this.  Just the stress of the motor stalling while docking
> takes some of the fun out of sailing.  Any help will be greatly appreciated.
>
>   
>
> Susan Crane
>
> s/v Whimsy
>
> Bohemia River
>
> Chesapeake Bay
>
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