MPG and Ethanol

[Chuck S.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

...my grandson gets his drivers licence this year and he is REALLY interested in my corvette.

Better give him a few hours training from the right seat (complete with appropriate cautions) before letting him "solo".

[Jack H.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

My recollection from a college chemistry lecture is gasoline = 25 K-cal/mole while alcohol = 18 K-cal/mole (approximately)...

[John H.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

We had a fuel quality consultant give a presentation at our Michigan chapter tech session this past Sunday on the various ethanol blends, and as I recall, he showed gasoline at 114,000 BTU and ethanol at 76,000 BTU energy content.

[Clem Z.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

Better give him a few hours training from the right seat (complete with appropriate cautions) before letting him "solo".

my insurance is not good for any driver under 25 and i pointed that out to him.

[Clem Z.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

Taking a break from my ongoing chekers match with my 4-1/2 year old grand son. He's ahead of me 25 games to 19. Every time I close to within 1 game, he turns it on again. And believe me! I'm trying!

Clem; just a note about the Impala. I was getting "Security" indications for about a year and occasionally it would not start. Battery ok, just couldn't figure it out, but I was tired of getting stranded. Finally read the book - last resort for a Tech Writer you know. Says it is the "Pass-Lock" system acting up. So I changed to my second (unused) key and everything works fine. The old key was worn enough so it was not engaging the pass-lock system. That causes fuel and ignition cutoff. So, watch out for "Security" indications on Mrs. Clem's Impala as the next step is she'll get stranded.

Stu Fox

we both have new keys i have one in my wallet and she keeps one in her purse. they say that people who have a lot of heavy stuff on their key ring causes pulling on the system and this causes problems. the main reason i carry a spare key in case the battery goes dead because there is no way to unlock the car to get to the battery

[Stephen B.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

John
The bottom line here is anytime you mix alcohol with gasoline regardless the percentage your mileage is reduced.Now if blended gasoline starts costing us $1.50 to $2.00 a gallon I'll totally support this scam.Unfortunately anytime our legislators get involved we get sc--wed and are expected to like it. The corn farmers must have fantastic lobbyist ,they're laughing all the way to the bank.Has anyone checked the price of corn lately ?
Stephen Barrett (21558) %9,66,71,73

[Terry M.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

John
The bottom line here is anytime you mix alcohol with gasoline regardless the percentage your mileage is reduced.Now if blended gasoline starts costing us $1.50 to $2.00 a gallon I'll totally support this scam.Unfortunately anytime our legislators get involved we get sc--wed and are expected to like it. The corn farmers must have fantastic lobbyist ,they're laughing all the way to the bank.Has anyone checked the price of corn lately ?
Stephen Barrett (21558) %9,66,71,73

It ain't just the corn farmers says the guy who comes from the state that is headquarters to Archer Danials Midland (ADM). It is the alcohol, and the fertilizer makers and the seed growers and sellers. BTW: They are all screwing all of us, and the EPA tells us we are supposed to like it. Alcohol in gasoline is a scam.

[Stephen B.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

Scrap the Depatment of Energy.
Stephen Barrett (21558) 59,66,71,73

[Kurt G.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

were do you buy BG because it seems they only sell to auto service industry. i use techron plus in the tank every oil change in all our vehicles

Go to www.bgfindashop.com to find a dealer or shop in your area. They aren't everywhere, but I'm guessing you should be able to find a shop that will ship the stuff to you.

[Clem Z.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

Go to www.bgfindashop.com to find a dealer or shop in your area. They aren't everywhere, but I'm guessing you should be able to find a shop that will ship the stuff to you.

i checked with a couple local shop and they will not sell you just the product,they want to sell the service. i will try what you suggested. THANKS

[Jerry G.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

alchohol is an oxegenate to replace MTBE that was poisoning our water and air.The use was seasonal in most areas of the country with concentration of up to 10%. The idea of putting in a greater percent up to E85 was not an EPA mandate but rather agribusiness.

[Chuck S.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

Scrap the Depatment of Energy.
Stephen Barrett (21558) 59,66,71,73

I just heard that exact same suggestion on a news show yesterday as one way to reduce the deficit.

We need the energy dept to regulate construction and operation of nuclear power plants, but if they aren't going to approve any nuclear plants for construction, then I agree, they're worthless, flush'em down the tube.

We need nuclear power plants to begin backing foreign oil out of everything except motor fuel, and continue tax credits for hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles for as many applications as possible. The UK already has small electric delivery trucks, and I think there are a few in the US. John McCain said he wanted to build 80 nuclear plants, but that was political smoke...it was never going to happen.

Sorrowfully, there will be no policy for reduced energy dependence until we have paid our last dime for imported oil to people that hate us. For different reasons, neither Democrats nor Republicans have any political appetite for domestic energy independence...too many antiquated environmental concerns and too many rich corporations getting gored by that ox.

[Mel H.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

It ain't just the corn farmers says the guy who comes from the state that is headquarters to Archer Danials Midland (ADM). It is the alcohol, and the fertilizer makers and the seed growers and sellers. BTW: They are all screwing all of us, and the EPA tells us we are supposed to like it. Alcohol in gasoline is a scam.

May I weigh in on this from an alternate viewpoint? Ethanol use is mandated by EPA to clean the air. It wasnt farmers who demanded cleaner air.. and it wasnt agribusiness either. It was your friends from Congress and EPA who mandated its use, (as fostered by public demand).... thus requiring the use of an oxygenate.

The initial oxygenate of choice was MTBE, which is made from (surprise!!) oil... and made by Big Oil. But, as noted above, it started showing up in ground water, so EPA banned it use in 2006.

The next best alternative was ethanol. But MTBE was one of Big Oil's highest margin products... so they hate ethanol as it takes away 10% of their market, and they fight it tooth and nail. Ethanol actually lowers the price of gasoline cause its actually ~25% cheaper than gasoline, but also has about 25% less energy...thats why your mileage goes down. How much depends on engine, tuning, other factors. The next best alternative is much more expensive.

So its not as simple as blaming farmers or agribusiness.. they're just doing what the G'ment, the public, and the markets say to do. And actually, its one of the few G'ment programs that technically saves us money because subsidizing ethanol actually costs less than traditional corn subsidies.

Interestingly, most think the subsidies go to the ethanol producers... it actually is paid to the blender... the guy who blends it with gasoline... which happens to be the big oil companies!!! (Surprise!!)

Not trying to be political here, though probably sounds like it. Just wanting to broaden the story/info. And no, I dont work for ADM.

[Jim T.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

Here is a site this lists ethanol free pure gas by state. Just check your state and see if your community has one.

https://www.pure-gas.org

[Martin N.]

Re: MPG and Ethanol

The wife's 10 Malibu is also noticing a drop in MPG's. We were up around 26-27 mpg and now seem to be stuck around 23-24 mpg. I also tell her to stay away from the "cut rate" stations and keep her purchases to Shell, Mobil, etc. I HAVE seen a differance in mpg's with my 2004 Tahoe when I use a unknown fuel from one of the "cut rate" stations. I've yet to try E-85 and I'll probably do so in the near future to see what I experience.

Marty