Ethanol and Fuel Quality

[royster]

Damn guys .....we should start a whole new thread on fuel quality.


Ethanol would be the likely culprit. It will eat some fuel hoses and even dissolve cheaper fuel filters (it attacks the glue holding the filter screen in place - yay, dissolved glue heading for your fuel delivery...)


Theres a few places around my way that sell marine grade/ethanol free fuel. Its over a dollar more a gallon than regular. The regular fuel is supposed to be 10% blended but Ive heard that it can be 15-20. A wiser man than I had recommended I get the ethanol free for my lawn equipment and carbureted vehicles to help save them from failing rubber parts in fuel. Hopefully the new fuel I just put in my truck with stabilizer will hold me over for now. Also need to run the truck more to keep the fuel from sitting.

Geezer101:
Far as I know here in Australia it is illegal to sell regular fuel without identifying if it has ethanol content (there's a price difference between regular and the blended E10 stuff) but no doubt it has been cut by the corporations to make money as there's no fuel excise levy on ethanol. I avoid running it in anything now as it has a bad reputation for causing all sorts of grief. You can add a fuel stabiliser to the tank if you know it's going to be getting on and off use.

Pennyman:
use sta-bil marine ethanol treatment in all of your vehicles - it negates the effects of ethanol in your tank. I run it in all my cars and it makes them run much better. My 92 Prelude mpg went up 3-5 mpg when I run it in the fuel.

Royster:
I am highly suspecting that ethanol is deteriorating the finger prime-pump on my chain saw (it’s dissolving) and the fuel cap gasket. I’ve heard horror stories about ethanol.

[geezer101]

I have a McCulloch weed whacker I took in for a service and the guy behind the counter was adamant that ethanol added fuels should not be used in lawn mowers etc. Royster has made an observation in regards to the cause of the primer bulbs on his yard maintenance equipment perishing and I'd tend to believe it is the ethanol added fuels as well.

[BradMph]

Ethanol is not good in an engine that sits long like a boat during the winter or vehicle. you want to keep replenishing that stuff so it does not collect moisture and begin the rusting process or oxidation. Rubber and alcohol is not a very good friendship as well. Rubber in time gets ruined by it. Many plastics are petroleum based products and not alcohol based as well.

How to Minimize Fuel System Problems When Using Ethanol-Blended Gasoline

While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently limits an ethanol-gasoline blend of 10% ethanol (or E10) as a standard transportation fuel, the agency recently granted the ethanol industry a waiver increasing the allowable limit to 15% ethanol (or E15) for use only in some motor vehicles.

Millions of legacy lawnmowers, snowblowers and other lawn and garden products are in use throughout the U.S., which were not designed to run on fuel blends containing more than 10% ethanol. Ultimately, the use of E15 may affect performance, damage the engine, and cause problems that may not be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.

Be aware that even E10 fuel blends will absorb water from the atmosphere and can cause corrosion of fuel system components. Since most carburetors and the gas tank are vented to the atmosphere in some manner, there is nothing to prevent fuel from absorbing moisture over time. Using fresh fuel (less than 30 days old) will help prevent water absorption from becoming a problem, as will adding a fuel stabilizer the day you buy it.

We recommend individuals read the Engine Operator’s Manual and Equipment Operator’s Manual for information on what fuel can, and cannot, be used in their machine and to understand applicable warranty coverage and exclusions. In addition, the following preventive maintenance tips may help you minimize fuel system issues…

◾Purchase only the amount of fuel that will be used in 30 days
Fuel deteriorates over time. Deterioration begins with the most volatile compounds evaporating. Once evaporation reaches a certain point it will be hard/impossible to start the machine. As more compounds evaporate, the fuel will form brown gummy deposits in the system. Given enough time the gummy deposits will become a hard varnish. Gummy deposits and varnish can plug passages in the carburetor preventing the engine from running or causing the engine to run poorly (surging, lack of power, stalls, etc.). Deposits can also cause the carburetor to leak fuel if they prevent the float needle from sealing properly

◾Add fuel stabilizer to the fuel the day you buy it
Most fuel stabilizers form a layer over the top of the gasoline and greatly reduce the rate the fuel’s volatile compounds evaporate. They also prevent the absorption of moisture by the fuel. If fuel stabilizer is added to gasoline the day the gasoline is purchased, the fuel will stay fresh longer.

◾Purchase unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 87 when possible
Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 87 ((R+M)/2 rating method) is the recommended fuel grade for all gasoline engines in Toro products. Gasoline with up to 10% ethanol (E10) or 15% MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) by volume is acceptable. Ethanol and MTBE are not the same. Gasoline with 15% ethanol (E15) by volume is not approved for use. Never use gasoline that contains more than 10% ethanol by volume, such as E15 (contains 15% ethanol), E20 (contains 20% ethanol), or E85 (contains up to 85% ethanol ). Using unapproved gasoline may cause performance problems and/or engine damage which may not be covered under warranty. Keep in mind that ethanol fuel blends will absorb water from the atmosphere and can cause corrosion of fuel system components. Since most carburetors and the gas tank are vented to the atmosphere in some manner there is nothing to prevent fuel from absorbing moisture over time. Using fresh fuel (less than 30 days old) will help prevent water absorption from becoming a problem.

◾Do not use gasoline with more than 10% ethanol by volume
Engines produced to date for use in outdoor power equipment are not designed for gasoline with more than 10% ethanol (such as E15, E20 and E85); using higher ethanol fuel blends may lead to engine damage and/or performance issues. We recommend individuals read the Engine Operator’s Manual and Equipment Operator’s Manual for information on what fuel can, and cannot, be used in their machine and to understand applicable warranty coverage and exclusions.

◾Consider using gasoline without any ethanol (E0)
Gasoline with no ethanol will greatly reduce the amount of moisture the gasoline can absorb from the atmosphere. Many areas of the country have ethanol-free gas available, and finding it is easy. Search for “ethanol free gasoline” on the Internet.

◾Gasoline with up to 15% MTBE by volume is acceptable
Gasoline with up to 10% ethanol (gasohol)(E10) or 15% MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) by volume is acceptable. Ethanol and MTBE are not the same. Gasoline with 15% ethanol (E15) by volume is not approved for use. Never use gasoline that contains more than 10% ethanol by volume ethanol, such as E15 (contains 15% ethanol), E20 (contains 20% ethanol), or E85 (contains up to 85% ethanol ).

◾Do not use gasoline containing methanol

[pennyman1]

Wish that they still used MTBE in gas - it gave you good mileage compared to the ethanol garbage they sell now. It was outlawed because it is a carcinogin and is highly soluable in water - 1 gallon of MTBE will contaminate 1 million gallons of water, and takes a very special version of activated carbon to remove it. It is also one of the reasons that the EPA requires vaults for underground fuel tanks.

[kswildcat]

Guy that brings our fuel out to the farm is saying regular unleaded gasoline is (or maybe by now) a thing of the past.. My boss use to use a different fuel supplier that brought us ethanol and he complained about all the small engines running like crap.. FINALY he ponied up the bucks to have regular unleaded brought in and he noticed we were using less gas and the small engines ran better without having to add heet..

Last I knew you had to buy a vehicle that was ethanol ready (flex fuel) and if they were not badged as flex fuel they were not built to run ethanol (I'm talking 2013 and 2014). Ethanol plays hell on a regular unleaded fuel system.. I know the lines, o-rings for the injectors are different on a flex fuel vehicle. Maybe the injectors and some other parts are different as well.

Maybe this is Obama's way of stimulating the economy.. Think of how many vehicles will end up having lines 0-rings and other parts switched as running ethanol finally takes its toll on these parts.. Sadly most if not all are made in china (suprising how many parts on a harley-davidson are made in china)... Dont ya love progress?

[kswildcat]

Lucas makes an additive for ethanol and I am sure it works as Lucas is usually pretty good stuff.. I havent researched if BG products makes an additive for ethanol. BG products are good stuff, I dont know of any major part stores that carry BG products, last I knew about the only place to get them was from a dealer. BG is out of Wichita Ks and I was lead to believe that at one point (this was several years ago) they brought in the head chemist from Valvoline that had just retired and let him go nuts on making products...

[crvtec90]

Heres a test example