New 10% ethanol blend gasoline ?s

[Denji]

In my city several gas stations are converting to a 10 percent ethanol blend, Should I avoid this gas or is it even a concern at all? Right now we have 93 octane, i certainly wont buy any gas they blend up that is any less than that. Any insight on this subject and how it will effect me?

 

[drivemusicnow]

Woahhhh...

First of all, I'm glad that there are at least a few people who actually have a clue about this.

Now, Ethanol has been used in gasoline for a very long time. States like Illinois, Minnesota, and apparantly Colorado (agricultural states) have used it as it is made from CORN. That was the original reason for states like IL to use 10% ethanol... To stimulate the farming industry.

Now, is it "dirty"?...

NO, it is an alcohol for god sakes. ethanal is merely a 2 carbon alcohol (versus methanol which is a single carbon) It is just as "clean" if not cleaner than regular refined gasoline. The only difference being that alcohol can "dry" out rubber seals. At only 10% though it really has no impact on seal life inside of the engine.

Will I lose 6 mpg?!?

Heres the key, alcohols have less ENERGY per POUND than gasoline does. That is what people mean when they say "Just as regular gasoline is stoich at 14.7, E85 is stoich at somewhere around 9:1."

So this MAY cause a SLIGHT loss in gas mileage. Do the math though. If the ethanol is only 10 percent of your gas, and it contains about 60% of the energy per volume, the most amount of mileage you could lose would be Your current gas mileage times 6%. soo If you're getting 30 mpg (haha right.. we drive DSMs) THE MAX loss of fuel mileage, and this is only if your engine is running entirely effeciently (which never happens in stock form) would be approx 1.8 mpg. Typically (otherwise known as "real life") this would result in very little to no loss in MPG.


Factoid of the week. Currently the IRL runs 10% ethanol, 90% methanol, and will be switching to 100% ethanol in 07.


Now, to go to the reason of why all these new states are joing the 10% ethanol thing.

Before 1976 (I believe) Tetra ethyl lead was used to raise octane ratings. This was banned (lead content), and a chemical called MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether) was used in low quantities to do the same thing. In 92 it was added in at about 10% of your gasoline. This was to fulfuill the oxygenate requirements set by the government in the clean air act. (oxygenates lower c02 and N0x emmisions however they do less with todays emmisions systems)

MTBE contaminates ground water. It is also carcinogen and "ruins the taste of water". This is a problem. To solve this problem, the government has now lowered it's oxygenate requirements and now mandated 10% ethanol. (banning MTBE)

Now, Ethanol does not HELP anything. It is just a substitute basically. It is there to slightly raise octane levels, and stay emmissions friendly. Most of the reason it even is made (its not all that cheap to produce) is to support the farming industry.

If you want to learn more... wikipedia it... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel and any possible question you may have can be answered. (I have not read that article and cannot verify its contents, but wikipedia is generally quite accurate)

 

[T is for TURBO]

Read the owners manual... I says 10% is fine. I belive is even says 15% is A-OK

 

[TSITuner4Lyfe69]

yea i saw that somewhere too in the manual

 

[Artago]

What affect does 10% ethanol have on knock and exhaust temps?

I heard that E85 reduces knock. Would E10 also reduce knock? Should I switch?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[JayRolla]

Thats funny how two years ago I posted on this saying the fuel is bad, when the info I got was completely wrong. Now I run e85 all the time. The e10 wont really effect detonation. Not really enough of it to do anything.

 

[Artago]

Thats funny how two years ago I posted on this saying the fuel is bad, when the info I got was completely wrong. Now I run e85 all the time. The e10 wont really effect detonation. Not really enough of it to do anything.

Yeah I thought so. So just stick to regular old gas?

Tom

 

[Defiant]

It's used seasonally out here as any oxygenator. Sad part is that whatever it is they're adding it to, it sure isn't much like gasoline.