90 No Ethanol

[dobie]

Yesterday I filled up the RR's tank. A local station across town sells no ethanol 90 grade fuel. I decided to try it and put in 5.46 gallons, topping the tank off. Any of you guys use this? It costs a little over a dollar more per gallon. I only drove it home afterwards, so I couldn't really tell any difference.

It this stuff worth the extra cost?

 

[Jim S.]

That is all I ever use. I mix it with race gas to try to get up around 95 octane. The "non ethanol" is good because it does not absorb water.

 

[george68hemirr]

never heard of it here

 

[Big John]

A bunch of places sell it around here. The Fast Trac chain has no ethanol premium in their pumps and the local Sunoco station has it over on a special pump. The Sunoco is a few miles away a couple of the Finger Lakes (Otisco and Skaneatles) and advertises it for boats. The Sunoco is a little more money, but the alternative is buying gas on the lake for $$$$$$. The Fast Trac gas is pretty much the same as anywhere else.

My car does run better on it, although it took a tank or two.

 

[69hemibeep]

They get you coming and going, they charge us extra for the ethanol blend and they charge you more to leave it out. I wish we had a choice around here

 

[Roadcuda]

I wish we had that option too. No one in Ct has it.

 

[moparstuart]

i just started seeing it at Quik Trip locally

 

[dobie]

Thanks for the info. I'll keep using it when practical and see how it goes. We were supposed to go to a cruise tonight, but it rained all freaking day.....figures....

 

[Big John]

Ethanol free stations by state

http://pure-gas.org/

State required labeling

http://www.fuel-testers.com/state_guide_ethanol_laws.html

 

[Roadcuda]

I gotta take my statement back. The last time I checked the list of stations was several months ago. Now I find there is a station in Ct but it's about an hour away so it's not really of any help to me. Maybe now a station closer to me will open.

 

[cj69RR]

Got a station here that has it. 89 octane and advertise it for boats, lawn equipment and classic cars. Mower only takes 1/2 as much gas to do the yard now. So it likes it better and the runner seems to also. So been running it for about a month.

 

[dobie]

That's good to hear.

 

[abodybill]

The Mobil gas station in the next town has 93 and it's pure gas not the up to 10% enthanol crap and I use it in the in all the cars and all but the /6 add afew gals of 110 race fuel and they all run just fine and the exhaust smells real goooood!!

 

[zupanj]

Why do all you guys think ethanol free gas is so wonderful. It should be more or less the same. Don't get me wrong the politics and economics of using ethanol are sheer stupidity but the chemistry is solid. I don't know gas chemistry all that well but apparently if you use an oxygenator in gas it reduces emissions or that's the way I understand it. Not too many years ago they used a chemical that quickly was found in everything they measured including human tissue so an alternative was necessary. Ethanol has a pretty high octane rating which should be a good thing because you don't have to add as much other stuff which would be hydrocarbons to boost the octane rating. The down side is ethanol is not a good fuel since it only has 2 carbons vs. the 8 you have in gasoline so gas mileage would be somewhat reduced though I don't know if you could measure the difference. On every car site I read about how bad ethanol is with no data just talk. I don't understand why.

 

[Big John]

Why do all you guys think ethanol free gas is so wonderful. It should be more or less the same. Don't get me wrong the politics and economics of using ethanol are sheer stupidity but the chemistry is solid. I don't know gas chemistry all that well but apparently if you use an oxygenator in gas it reduces emissions or that's the way I understand it. Not too many years ago they used a chemical that quickly was found in everything they measured including human tissue so an alternative was necessary. Ethanol has a pretty high octane rating which should be a good thing because you don't have to add as much other stuff which would be hydrocarbons to boost the octane rating. The down side is ethanol is not a good fuel since it only has 2 carbons vs. the 8 you have in gasoline so gas mileage would be somewhat reduced though I don't know if you could measure the difference. On every car site I read about how bad ethanol is with no data just talk. I don't understand why.

I'm no expert, but in my experience the ethanol free gas does work better in the older cars. In my 91 Corvette, I had issues with the ethanol laced gas absorbing moisture when it sat. I would get an occasional check engine light, showing that there was an issue with the oxygen sensor. Switch to ethanol free and no light.. switch back... light. With the Chrysler it seems to run lean on ethanol gas, although it does run OK.

Carb problems.... well there are documented examples of the corrosion caused by the ethanol. Boats are having problems with fibreglass fuel tanks.

Personally, I don't think the issues are quite as bad as some would have you think, but I think there are issues.

 

[dobie]

One of the things I had always read about was the ethanol gas prone to boiling off after the cars were shut down too, resulting hot start issues. My RR has electronic ignition, and Ive never really suffered that syndrome to any great effect. The X's Satellite, however, will barely start after it's sat for 20 minutes. Not sure if its due to this or not though. Her car is still stock.

I figure the 90 grade can't hurt the car, and maybe even improve a few things. I know that several years ago when I put in 5 gal of 110 race fuel my RR ran like a raped ape, and it smelled so nice!

 

[69hemibeep]

You will tend to run lean it takes about 25% more fuel if you were to run 100% ethanol and it doesn't like rubber.

 

[Roadcuda]

I noticed a bit difference in gas mileage after they started adding this stuff. On the trips to Carlisle before the change I was getting 33-35 mpg with my PT Cruiser. After they changed it the best i could do was 30. My driving style hadn't changed so it had to be the difference in the gas. Also I've really started noticing that when my old cars sit for an extended length of time and go to get gas, it takes much more then the mileage I've driven with them so I'm guessing that it is evaporating 'cause I know it's not leaking out on the ground! One other thing, I had to replace all the gas lines on my chain saw. The machine barely ran and when I checked the lines they were just falling apart in my hands from using this stuff!

 

[zupanj]

You're points are well taken. Ethanol is hard on some of the gaskets and certain rubbers. John I wonder why that would cause a problem with your Corvette unless the fuel-air ratio can't adjust. I think 1991 used computers that should do that but I am not positive. Older cars will probably run lean and eat gaskets if they are older. I never thought about it but I suppose one would want to up the jetting to compensate. I dynoed my hemi and the fuel-air ratio is good so newer carbs must already compensate. It will also absorb moisture to some extent but I am not sure how much at the 10% concentration. I have read about ethanol boiling off many times but that cannot be correct since it's boiling point is about 20º C higher than gasoline so gas would boil off long before the ethanol. I can say my Road Runner is very hard to start. That was true of the 383 as well as the hemi. The car will sit for a long time in between starts and I know that is a factor. I can't say for certain it's not the fuel but it could be something other than ethanol too. In fact I am thinking of installing a pre-oiler because the oil light doesn't go out very quickly and that can't be good for the bearings. We are talking a full three minutes of cranking here which is way more than enough to fill the fuel bowls.

 

[Big John]

You're points are well taken. Ethanol is hard on some of the gaskets and certain rubbers. John I wonder why that would cause a problem with your Corvette unless the fuel-air ratio can't adjust. I think 1991 used computers that should do that but I am not positive.

I would think it would adjust, it did have a computer and fuel injection, but it wasn't as sophisticated as newer versions.

It's someone else's problem now. I sold it last week.