Posted on 05/25/2016 3:54:04 AM PDT by IBD editorial writer
Indy cars run on pure ethanol and have for years. Prior to that they ran on methanol. But if your family car is not built to run on the mix it can be a problem especially in carburetored and TBI’ed vehicles during hot months.
It’s my understanding that any other than flex fuel vehicles(which were & are a bad idea)were made to run on a MAXIMUM of 10% ethanol. So in reality,the 15% crap they are pushing should not be used in most vehicles,& I don’t think manufacturer’s warranty will cover potential damage. EPA is inept & needs to be abolished.
Gas stations around the Lake of the Ozarks and SW Missouri lakes carry it.
Last year, the terminal “spread” was $.30 over 87 oxy.
Retailers offered this at $.50 over 87.
Baby Bush’s generous gift to his corn farmer friends. I hate Baby Bush more and more over time. He was no conservative.
My cousin told me about his old, 50s, that when he lets it set for a while it will not start and does not run right as the low octane form the evaporated alcohol. I suppose you would want to junk all vehicles that are over 10 years old.
Obviously you’re ignoring the far bigger problem with running on alcohol and that’s the low energy content requires a considerably higher fuel to air mixture than current production vehicles’ fuel systems are capable of providing.
i repair these things for a living,you don’t know what you are talking about.
Yep. Motor fuel taxes are often applied by unit volume, so the fewer miles per tank of fuel you get, the more gallons you have to pump and therefore, the more money the government gets from you. The Feds aren't doing this just to subsidize a bunch of corn farmers.
IT VOIDS MY WARRANTY.
Back when the idea of E15 gasoline was first kicked around, the concept was that it would be sold alongside E10, with pump warning stickers directing that its use be limited to vehicles of a certain model year or newer. Don't know if that sensible approach is still part of the plan.
Ted Cruz did not promise subsidies to the Iowa farmers and won!
What has me so mad is to get the better mileage rate mandated by the EPA, they are using lighter metals aluminum instead of steel in the engines. So at 80,000 grandma miles with a $48,000 vehicle, it had a defective crankshaft that cracked and I had to have the engine rebuilt cost $7,000! I hate GM is an under statement
But ted cruze ultimately lost. So?
My 08 runs fine on 87
Well, you better tell the automakers about your relegation....
If anything, it won't suffer pre-ignition, what will happen is mileage could suffer due to lack of full ignition. Higher octane is used to prevent pre-ignition, usually due to higher compression ratios. Lower compression ratios don't allow the higher octane fuel to fully combust, and you lose MPG/power.
“They might cease to function, but they are not destroyed,.”
One of the other problems is that ethanol will absorb water (humidity) until it reaches about 10% water to ethanol ratio and then drop out of solution.
As posted above, ethanol has a lot higher octane than gasoline so once it drops out, you have a marked drop in octane.
Pre-ignition is the ping you hear from a hot lean engine under load. It does slow damage.
Pre-detonation is fuel detonating prior to the appointed time due to high compression or lack of octane. Pre-detonation removes the tops of the pistons quickly.
Why? If it affects rubbers hoses and gaskets, shouldn't it be cause for concern? Also, alcohol has less energy per gallon, so you consume more, and get lower MPG as a result. I've never understood the desire to run alcohol. It costs more to produce, reduces MPG, so you have to use more to go the same distance, negating any positive impact you may get when blending it with gasoline.
I used to race go-karts. I ran methanol and after every race we'd have to run WD-40 through the engine, otherwise it would ruin the innards. It attracts moisture, it left deposits on filters and ruined regular rubber hose, we had to run a clear plastic hose, not rubber. Without the WD-40, you'd get nowhere fast the next race.
Which is not premium grade gasoline, 87 octane is standard grade and will not cause pre-ignition issues.
Did you mean 82-85 octane? Because you won't suffer pinging or pre-ignition from any 92-95 octane fuel in any vehicle rated for regular gas.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.