Ethanol

[Morris R.]

Is there anything that we can put in are cars to counter act the ethanol ? I looked for a gas station that doesn't have ethanol but no luck. Is there an additive that we can put in at fill up?

[Clark K.]

Re: Ethanol

I use a 16 oz. bottle of stuff from the local auto parts store called Lucas Safeguard Ethanol Fuel Conditioner. There are other brands, too. It is supposed to keep the water that may be in ethanol, in suspension so that it is burned and not pool in the bottom of the fuel tank. Other than that, the conditioner claims to prevent corrosion (rust) in the fuel system. 1 oz. treats 5 gallons of gasoline/ethanol. It could be snake oil for all I know.
-Clark

[Michael W.]

Re: Ethanol

Many of us have knowingly been using E10 fuels for 20, some 30 years without issue. Many more have unknowingly been using it for the same period, again without issue. Morris- what problems have you been experiencing?

[Morris R.]

Re: Ethanol

None as of yet someone told me that ethanol is bad for your engine. My son just rbuilt his engine.

[Dennis O.]

Re: Ethanol

I guess I am confused about this as well. In the '50's and '60's, we put alcohol ("Heet" comes to mind) in the gas tank in the winter to absorb the water in the regular gas so it didn't freeze in the carb. Alcohol and water WILL mix as anyone who has had a scotch and water can tell you. I have heard this kind of stuff for years and never understood it. (Here in Minnesota, we can almost always find "non-oxygenated" (alcohol-free) fuel, so It's not a problem. I am starting to think that there is something else going on. Just curious.

[Michael W.]

Re: Ethanol

None as of yet someone told me that ethanol is bad for your engine. My son just rbuilt his engine.

The sky is not falling. There are those in hot climates with FI who report vapour lock issues while using E10 but aside from that, meh.

[Stuart F.]

Re: Ethanol

I'm using non-ethanol gas in my 63 exclusively. My wife no longer complains about a gas smell in our attached garage. That's enough reason for me. My mileage is noticeably better, which is saying a lot since most of my Sunday morning rides are done at POT and WOT on our country roads.

Stu Fox

[John H.]

Re: Ethanol

I have had the insides of flexible fuel lines start to break down as quickly as two years in several engines when they first started to add a greater percentage of alcohol to gasoline. These were new motors with the older composition of rubber lines.

[Dennis O.]

Re: Ethanol

Perhaps this is the "something else" I was refering to? I have O/T stock '51 Ford that I have put new fuel lines and a current carb kit into, and have no problems in the last 5 years. I occasionaly get out of my "comfort zone" and have to put E-10 into it and still have had no problems.

[Dick W.]

Re: Ethanol

You will not have the funky fuel smell if you use fuel w/o ethanol. Heet is methanol, not ethanol. Distinct difference. Methanol is also referred to as alky, the fuel used in some race engines.

Ethanol is stuff that we refine down here for consumption, not burn in our cars. Methanol is wood alcohol which is poisonous.

Ethanol is very corrosive, that being the reason they cannot transport it to the terminal via the pipeline. It will also corrode older car fuel systems. It is also hydroscopic, that is, has an affinity for water

[Joe L.]

Re: Ethanol

You will not have the funky fuel smell if you use fuel w/o ethanol. Heet is methanol, not ethanol. Distinct difference. Methanol is also referred to as alky, the fuel used in some race engines.

Ethanol is stuff that we refine down here for consumption, not burn in our cars. Methanol is wood alcohol which is poisonous.

Ethanol is very corrosive, that being the reason they cannot transport it to the terminal via the pipeline. It will also corrode older car fuel systems. It is also hydroscopic, that is, has an affinity for water

Dick-----


Methanol is far more corrosive than ethanol.

[Dick W.]

Re: Ethanol

Dick-----


Methanol is far more corrosive than ethanol.

Agreed, but normally it is in a fuel tank just a short time. It will also go "dead" in a relatively short time.. Use to buy it by the 55 gallon drums in try to use in in 30-45 days.

[Frank E.]

Re: Ethanol

Check out this link "pure-gas.org" They list gas stations that don't oxygenate certain levels of their fuel.

[Duke W.]

Re: Ethanol

I don't think ethanol is the big bogeyman that everyone talks about. Research I have read indicates that dissolved water does not cause corrosion as long as there is no "drop-out", which can occur if excessive water enters the fuel system. This should not be a problem on vintage cars that are normally garaged and see enough annual mileage to consume at least one tank of fuel per year. If they sit outside without regular use and experience condensing humidity, it may be another story.

As previously stated "Heet" was basically ethanol. Ethanol acts as a co-solvent to allow more water to be absorbed in solution rather than dropping out to the bottom of the tank and being ingested by the fuel pump, which will cause the engine to stall.

Additives are not necessary, but the marketers promulgate a lot of bunk to scare you into buying their products.

I'll be talking about this in San Diego.

Duke

[Douglas L.]

Re: Ethanol

Morris,

Search this site by state for ethanol free gas: http://pure-gas.org/