My disdain grows...

[MikeP]

Not to mention the amount of water required to make ethanol when many experts say it's becoming a scarce resource we need to become more careful how we use.

 

[Moseso]

My TR3 is a recent build, with ethanol compatible rubber throughout -- therefor, no problems with fuel lines/fuel pump becoming befouled.

Minnesota (a Corn State) has mandated 10% ethanol in all highway fuel. However -- there are exceptions for non-highway uses: lawn mowers, etc., off-road, racing & cars registered, or eligible to be registered, as "classic."

Minnesota Street Rod Assn. keeps a list on their website, updated every six months, of where non-oxygenated fuel may be purchased in the State of Minnesota. I thought I'd give it a try. Price: about 30¢ more/gallon. Mileage gains were not remarkable, perhaps 5%. Not enough to offset the over 10% price increase. I had been having warm start-up issues on hot days -- attributable, I believed, to boiling fuel in the float bowls -- which I put in the "mild annoyance" category. They didn't cripple the car, but they made it sound bad for 30 seconds where other people might hear it. These have disappeared. As of now, I continue to use the non-oxy fuel, but I don't get all upset if I'm not near one of the sources and have to fill-up with regular.

 

[angelfj1]

I don't understand the problem we seem to have with ethanol in our fuel. Prior to retiring, I spent quite a bit of time in Brazil. They have made a big commitment to ethanol, albeit, sugar cane based. In order to sell new cars in Brazil a manufacturer must demonstrate that his cars will run on three fuels; alcohol, gasoline, and propane. They have no widespread problems with component failures. At any given time a vehicle could have any combination of these three fuels on board. The engine management computer does all the decision making. It works!

 

[jessebogan]

What I see, on cars that have not been run since before the Ethanol Mandate is that the ethanol strips whatever residue that has been happily accumulating on the insides of the fuel system. Instant plugs, arteriosclerosis of the fuel system. Carbs are clogged, fuel pumps won't... Arrrrgggghhhh!!!! Also, some old British bikes have fiberglass fuel tanks, and it melts those.... Gee thanks. Evidently the environment is improved by Nortons and BSAs going up in flames... Who Knew? I agree with the fuel milage thing too. My Audi is frugal with steady state highway driving. I used to get 33-34 MPG, now I am lucky to break 30. And I worry about the ethanol mess clogging up the CISstuff. Metering units ain't cheap. or readily available either.

 

[DrEntropy]

Here the humidity averages in the mid to high 80% range, higher in summer. The fuel/air "boundary" is where the stuff seems to build up a light GREEN deposit, clogs anything remotely like a jet orifice, swells a lot of the lines, MELTS the inside of many boat fuel tanks and anything ferrous corrodes.

The stuff is pure evil IMO. A useless and expensive mandate.

To quote th' Bard's <span style="font-style: italic">Dick the Butcher</span>: "First thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."

 

[jessebogan]

Ain't Diesela grand?? No smog checks... no stupid beaurocratic interference...Clatter clatter For a few years I had a Pontiac "Bonneville" station wagon. One of the little ones. It had a VIN that said Diesel, but had a healthy Pontiac 350 in it. So, no state foolishness.I bought it cheap because they could not get it to run. The sticker under the hood(For the Diesel mind you) had the timing at 6 degress After tdc for the injection pump. I dialed in 10 degrees of advance, and drove it home.

 

[Stewart]

In Nodak pure fuel is about 5 to 10 cents more than the ethanol contaminated fuel.

I'm so glad I bought a vw jetta sportwagen diesel for a daily driver as I no longer have to pay the corn lobby a fee to drive every day.

 

[PAUL161]

This is what I put in the Bs tank at fill up and before storing. Does it do any good? Heck I don't know, but it makes me feel better. And being a marine formula, if we get a flood, the car might run in deeper water!

 

[DrEntropy]

That or Sea Foam. It does seem to help.

 

[PAUL161]

That or Sea Foam. It does seem to help.

Run in deeper water?

 

[DrEntropy]

Down here the atmosphere is so HOH laden I wanna say: "Yes!" :laugh:

 

[Basil]

Down here the atmosphere is so <span style="font-weight: bold">HOH laden</span> I wanna say: "Yes!" :laugh:

Good news Doc! There's a move underway to ban that nasty stuff!

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[DrEntropy]

Finally!!! :smirk:

With dihydrogen monoxide banned, we eliminate the "carrier" of all sorts of toxins and disease!

Penn & Teller have been brilliant for years now. :laugh: :thumbsup:

 

[hilsideser]

... <span style="font-style: italic"> </span> WOW <span style="font-style: italic"> </span>
...(removed by Basil)

 

[DrEntropy]

I hear ya Doc... went to grab my chainsaw yesterday to do a little trimming- it started and sputtered to a halt. Tore down the carb side and found a split line. Trimmed it back and re attached it- while i was watching it it split again, and again, and again... the fuel lines are just plain rotten from the ethanol. To bad too- good saw.

m

Got me a 'lectric pole/chain saw and pressure washer. Not practical for true rural lifestyle but th' hovel and surrounding grounds are th' size of a postage stamp so a 50' cord gets to all but th' very corners.
The trusty ol' MACHETE takes care of those.