Old Skool..Ethanol free!

Ethanol messes up small engine carburetors. If it sits for a while it has a tendency to create a varnish on the floats and jets.

A good website that lists all ethanol free gas stations in every state

http://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=HI

 

I'm having a hard time getting my head around the MPG gain. Ethanol is ~ 76k btu and "pure" gas is ~114k. All things being equal, with E10 you still have ~110k btu or about a 3.5% reduction in heat energy from "pure" gas. I know this is a simple look and there may be things going on in the vehicle causing additional loss (say the ECU changes something because of the fuel mix). Can someone brighter than me explain how people are seeing big gains in MPG or a least gains that off set the extra cost?

 

I run E Free 88. I've seen 1.5 mpg gain.

 

E10 pump gas has about 3.5% less energy than pure gasoline, which means ~3-4% worse fuel economy in most vehicles.

The fuel ethanol mandate is one of the most egregious examples of corporate welfare. Our taxpayer dollars provide subsidies to the corn farming industry, encouraging them to produce excess corn, far beyond our nation's food requirements. Then taxpayer-supported enthanol plants turn the corn into ethanol to meet the mandate. In return we get inferior-quality fuel and higher food prices. Like everything else in our government, it's not even a left or right issue; just Congress pandering to their big donors from the agricultural lobby.

I'm all for fermenting/distilling corn into alcohol, just not to burn in our vehicles. I went to the liquor store the other day to get some bourbon, and the bourbon shelves were half-empty, and have been that way for months. The cashier said they get a shipment from Buffalo Trace Distillery about once a year now, and it immediately sells out. I say we shutter all these fuel ethanol plants, and convert them to bourbon distilleries. Then I get better fuel and more/cheaper bourbon; win-win.

 

I live on an island..how far u think I'm going?

 

Smart and sensible...I like u

 

I see your point on how far away it is..but disagree it doesn't hurt your engine

 

So long as we never end up with a food shortage, I'm all about ending interference with private industry.

So, a ~10%+ bump in cost for "pure" vs a 4% reduction in MPG (and maybe 4%? HP/TQ). I've used it a few times but, it stings when I have to pay extra for it...

 

Ethanol does wreak havoc on small engine carbs, but ethanol free fuel will as well. it just takes a little longer.

 

Can't comment on mpg; never compared the two.
The gas part of ethanol sucks ass for octane. Ethanol is used like an octane booster.
I'm not saying higher octane yields better mpg, just saying the formula they use to derive ethanol blend octane might have something to do with it.
Caveat; I do not have a degree in petroleum engineering.

 

I don't know the science behind it but with regular (E-10) gas I get ~14.5 MPG consistently, ran 2 tanks of ethanol free after a tank to get ethanol free in everything and reset the ECU and I was averaging 16-16.5 MPG on the 100% gas.

 

Tons of people running these Tacomas well past the 200k mark on ethanol gas. Care to share some issues you have seen caused by ethanol gas?

 

In MA?

I can get ethanol free 91 at Stewarts in New Lebanon, and I think there's a station that offers it in Canaan just off 295.

My truck sounds better on it, gets about 1 MPG better. Power feels about the same as running 10% 93 octane.

 

Yeah, Pittsfield L&T on 20.

Do you think the one in New Leb. does it for the race track?

 

Many Stewarts shops have it. I know Pownal VT does as well. There is an ethanol free station near the track too, but it's not a Stewarts.

 

Cool. Didn't know there were so many.

 

There is one right in Pittsfield at the lawn and tractor shop

http://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=MA

 

I actually just filled up with 89 octane ethanol free gas for the first time this week. Will be interesting if there is a MPG difference.

And I got it at a Wawa's out of all places for $2.59 per gallon. There is another station a few miles away that charges $8.00 a gallon.

 

That is the one I knew about. js312 was just cluing me in on a few others close by too.

 

is it the wording or the fact that I get it?