[geewhiz]

I’ve been hearing about the newer laws that will require 85% ethanol mixed in with our gasoline and I’m not happy about it.
I understand the need to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere but when is it going to end? Unless you own a car equipped to run pure ethanol you are going to loose horse power and get worse fuel economy. Since the news of increased ethanol I did a search to find ethanol free gasoline in my area and I was quite pleased to see I have several of them.

MPG. FFVs operating on E85 usually experience a 25–30% drop in miles per gallon due to ethanol’s lower energy content.2

So far I’ve had to rebuild two carburetors, one on my lawn mower and the other on my power generator do to ethanol damage. Since I found the E-free fuel stations I’ve become a regular customer. It may be my imagination but I find my two cars run better on 100% gasoline.
Does anyone else find this “Ethanol” issue a hassle?


http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/ethanol.shtml

http://pure-gas.org/

 

[waterfowler76]

I know ive heard about people using it in their cars that arent designed for E85, and it ends up corroding their whole fuel system.

 

[SexyG6]

same here, i absolutely HATE ethanol with a passion, i can get around 35-36mpg at 75mph EASY on 100% gas..........if i fill up with gas that has any ethanol in it i cant get much more than 23-24mpg under the same conditions and the fuel economy doesnt improve until i run a bottle of injector cleaner thru either............ive found that some places that DONT have ethanol in their gas even advertise that they dont lol

not to mention that it takes more energy to produce the ethanol than the energy that ethanol can provide..........this is just further proof that for the most part the government is full of idiots lol

heres a pic i took at a pump i think in wisconsin, on my way home from montana earlier this year.......

 

[MattInSoCal]

In California we have all kinds of crap additives in our gas, with the winter blends being particularly crappy. Many of the lower-priced gas stations, and even some of the majors, include anywhere from 5 to 20% ethanol. Most don't disclose this. It's done partially for profit, and partially because of our clean-air regulations.

Ah, California. Nice weather most of the time, tons of things to do and places to see, and some of the most asinine and crippling laws in the country.

~ MattInSoCal

 

[KB G6]

Mike, I think the EPA decision was for 15%, i.e. E15, not E85. If we all had to sudden had to drive on E85, the interstate would be lined with broke down cars. Whatever percentage it's stupid.

 

[geewhiz]

Mike, I think the EPA decision was for 15%, i.e. E15, not E85. If we all had to sudden had to drive on E85, the interstate would be lined with broke down cars. Whatever percentage it's stupid.

I agree, I was quoting the article;

E85

E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, can be used in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), which are specially designed to run on gasoline, E85, or any mixture of the two. FFVs are offered by several vehicle manufacturers. To determine if your vehicle can use E85, consult your owner’s manual or check the inside of your car's fuel filler door for an identification sticker.

 

[KB G6]

Unfortunately, none are close to me...ho hum

 

[MattInSoCal]

Mike, I think the EPA decision was for 15%, i.e. E15, not E85. If we all had to sudden had to drive on E85, the interstate would be lined with broke down cars. Whatever percentage it's stupid.

The number refers to the ethanol percentage, 85% in the summer blend with 15% gasoline and other products. If it were only 15% ethanol, well that's what you can find already in many pumps.

~ MattInSoCal

 

[jpbales]

wooo... subsidized energy that's actually significantly less efficient and puts strain on our corn supply... I bet democrats voted that one in

 

[Metalhead852]

wooo... subsidized energy that's actually significantly less efficient and puts strain on our corn supply... I bet democrats voted that one in

Corn used in ethanol is not the same that is used for food. The farm right behind my house grows corn just for ethanol and others when they rotate.

 

[geewhiz]

^^ So, we can't eat the corn they grow for ethanol? Just asking.

 

[Droptop Diamond]

 

[Blackpony04]

E10 has been around forever in Illinois and as a reformed hot rodder I never heard of anyone ever having any issues running it in ANY kind of regular use motor. Personally, I hate the stuff because we're technically paying full price for diluted gasoline but there's no getting away from it as the Corn lobby is absolutely huge and growing (nyuk nyuk nyuk) everyday. E85 on the other hand has become popular on the dragstrip but it definitely gets MUCH less MPG than E10 and is only worth using if the price per gallon is more than 30% cheaper than regular unleaded. Unfortunately as the oil nazis are artificially jacking up fuel prices I have a feeling E85 will once again gain the momentum it had a couple of years ago at the last butt-raping we all took at the pump and it ain't going away.

 

[Blackpony04]

^^ So, we can't eat the corn they grow for ethanol? Just asking.

In theory you can but it's feed corn and would taste like crap. If you don't believe this is all a vast conspiracy by the corn lobby look at all the government incentives given to corn farmers over the past 15 years. Farm-Aid definitely isn't needed anymore!

 

[Metalhead852]

^^ So, we can't eat the corn they grow for ethanol? Just asking.

Not from what the farmer told me. But he may just be trying to keep me from picking free corn at dinner time. =P

 

[geewhiz]

IMO, (Really, in my opinion) ethanol sucks, anything that drives efficiency down will bring emissions up in the process. On top of that, any natural resource that can be wiped out by a drought, locus or cold weather is unreliable at best. Again IMO, the only benefit of Ethanol is bringing money into the farmer’s pockets from the government (A government subsidized fuel). What next, government subsidized muffler bearings?

 

[Metalhead852]

IMO, (Really, in my opinion) ethanol sucks, anything that drives efficiency down will bring emissions up in the process. On top of that, any natural resource that can be wiped out by a drought, locus or cold weather is unreliable at best. Again IMO, the only benefit of Ethanol is bringing money into the farmer’s pockets from the government (A government subsidized fuel). What next, government subsidized muffler bearings?

Those damned muffler bearing go out on me ever 10-15k miles =( I'm sure it's a conspiracy.

 

[geewhiz]

those damned muffler bearing go out on me ever 10-15k miles =( i'm sure it's a conspiracy.

If not the muffler bearing its the radiator belt!

 

[Gambit]

If not the muffler bearing its the radiator belt!

or the sparkplugs in my diesel!

 

[Metalhead852]

or the sparkplugs in my diesel!

I've seen a diesel with a spark plug...