Does anyone here actually (knowingly) use ethanol?

[Sonoman]

I'm totally clueless about that crap, except I know it has caused some serious financial damage to those who invested in ethanol refineries.

Is there some sort of sign/symbol on the pumps at the 'gas' stations that lets one know that one is using ethanol-based fuel?

Maybe I should pay better attention, or maybe it is just some Mid-West thing.

Sonoman

[notesdev]

1. You do

It's mixed in your gasoline @10-15% as per the law

So you get some engine damage (if your car isn't built with it) along with your higher food prices and agricorp welfare.

[daa]

3. I don't think they sell real gasoline anymore

But look at the bright side. No one in Washington is serious about deficit reduction it is just bullshit. Maybe now they will get back to the economy and health care and jobs.

[Mopar151]

15. VP Racing Fuels

Sells 94 octane "SEF" (Small Engine Fuel) which has no ethanol, and is formulated to be extremely stable in storage - for stuff like generators, rescue saws, water pumps, and chainsaws - that HAS to work without the gas turning to crap in storage.
There are a couple addatives to make E-gas more stable, and prevent "phase sepereation" if it sees a little water.

We make hi-test for our hillclimb cars by mixing 93 octane E-10 with 110 octane leaded VP "purple" - 25-50%, depending on compression ratio.

Links : http://seffuels.com/ , http://www.vpracingfuels.com/page469663.html

[Canuckistanian]

30. Interesting

I never knew there were so many specialty fuels.

[Blue_Tires]

21. I think a couple of states still do (Florida maybe?)

[SpiralHawk]

5. "Hip hip hooray for AgriCorp Republicon Welfare!" - RepubliCons (R - CorporOSocialistas))

[former9thward]

22. Is there a Democrat from the Midwest who opposes it? I know of none.

[WatsonT]

34. Al Gore was a Republican?

See that's what I love about this site, you learn new things every day.

[amerikat]

2. All gasoline around here contains 10% ethanol.

There should be a sticker on the gas pump that says what
% ethanol is in the mix. I'm in upstate NY near Albany.

[geardaddy]

20. Same here in MN

Sticker says 10%.

In WI, there's usually one pump that's ethanol free.

[RebelOne]

37. Same here in North Georgia.

All the pumps have a notation that the gas contains ethanol.

[Warpy]

4. Gasohol is mandated by law in the winter here

to cut down on extreme pollution here in the valley.

My old truck used to run a little rough on it. My 5 year old Kia doesn't notice the transition, at all.

So, yes, I use it knowingly. I think the ethanol is 10% by volume.

Most pumps label it "oxygenated fuel," but we all know what it is.

[taught_me_patience]

6. Ethanol is great if you run high-boost turbo applications

It helps prevent detonation. I know a guy putting out over 1,000HP on a turbo 4-banger running 40+ pounds of boost on E85 gas. There is no need for race gas anymore.

[Mopar151]

24. Grasshopper, you have much to learn....

Street E-85 is not THAT reliable - and ethanol has a bit lower octane rating than methanol. And I'm fairly sure that he's "over-fueling" to prevent detonation, and that it does'nt make that power for very long (8-10 sec?).
and for us "classicists", you need a new carburetor to run it, and a scienced-out fuel system.

[taught_me_patience]

31. Actually, E85 has much higher octane than normal gas

Which really helps prevent detonation in high boost. Yeah, my friends car makes 40lbs for just a few seconds (doesn't even begin spooling until 5k rpm). But you could make a nice 300 hp with a four banger running 20 lbs of boost that could run all day.

I think that it's time for "classicists" to move to fuel injection and turbo! Imagine being able to infinately tune the car for optimal fuel mixture under every single condition.

http://www.raceone85.com/

Q: What is the difference in ethanol and methanol?

A: Both fuels have an excellent intake air charge cooling effect. Ethanol (grain or ethyl alcohol) is a biofuel made through the distillation of renewable resources like corn, sugar cane and switch grass. Yes, this is the same process they use to make alcoholic beverages like liquor. Fuel ethanol is 180 proof when produced. 15% regular 87 octane gasoline is added to E100 to add a little lubricant as well as ease the initial cold startup. Methanol (wood alcohol) is produced through a chemical process. By its nature methanol is more corrosive and provides 35% less energy then E85 so you have to burn 35% more of it to make comparable power. E85 cost the same or less then regular unleaded gasoline, methanol cost $4.00 - $5.00 a gallon.

Q: What type of performance can I expect from making the switch to E85?

A: It has been our experience that E85 with its 105 octane rating and high tolerance to detonation is superior to premium pump gas and equal to and in most cases better than 110 octane race gas.

[Mopar151]

32. Give me 10 grand to change over....and I still might not

The problem with street E-85 is twofold - the gasoline base may be real crap, which isn't a problem MOST of the time - but water and time cause E-blended fuels to "Phase seperate" into watery ethanol and really lousy gas. and what will happen with 40 psig of boost when it sucks up a slug of 75 octane gas?
There are race grades of E-85, which are A) made with good gasoline base and B) shipped and stored in light-proof, sealed steel container, so it has little chance to pick up water.

Google up Kinsler or Hilborn fuel injection, and see what EFI with enough fuel and air flow for a 500+ horsepower race engine costs. I built a really nice engine for a degreed, well regarded computer programmer. One look at the prices, and he's decided his 650 Holley, scienced out by me, works just fine - and he could likely write the code for an EFI system. And yes, we've seen turbos, including some really trick stuff, including top rally teams and the big dogs in time attack. We;ve supposedly seen some top drifters, but I swear their Mommas dropped 'em on their head....

[taught_me_patience]

35. Thanks! I'll have to check it out.

The Mopar guys I hung with in the past were very interested in megasquirt efi. What do you think of it? Of course... we were Mopar turbo guys... I had a 91 spirit r/t... 300hp is A LOT in those cars.

[jberryhill]

7. I used to mix it with Kool-Aid, but have long since moved on. nt

[yella_dawg]

8. George HW Bush was a major investsor in ethanol production

G HW Bush owned a significant percentage of the US ethanol production capacity ten years or so back. I don't know about now. There's a significant subsidy on ethanol production, and a lot of ethanol refineries are doing pretty well.

[AngryAmish]

9. Every day when I get drunk.

[Abq_Sarah]

10. Unfortunately, yes

And it plays hell with the carburetor on my jeep CJ.

If it were up to me, I'd never use any gas that contains ethanol but the powers that be have decided I should have no choice in the matter, repair costs be damned.

[Mopar151]

23. The addative may help you

Link: http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/default.aspx

[winston65]

11. you can't not use it here in Texas-

Every pump is labeled 10% ethanol. The ethanol lobby is pushing to make it 15%. It will ruin gasoline powered lawn equipment. Lawn mower repair shops are thriving and the gas producers continue to insist that the product causes no harm. An industry in 'fuel additives' has now arisen claiming that their products will mitigate the harmful effects of ethanol. So you get screwed at the gas pump, the crap will ruin your lawn mower, the mower repair shop are reaping a windfall. Plus your taxes go to ethanol subsidies. Don't it feel good to pay an industry to screw you?

[Rosie1223]

Yes, I use E85 in my car.

It is usually designated by a yellow handled pump at the station.

[IDemo]

12. I don't. You might be able to find a no-ethanol station here:

http://pure-gas.org/

[HopeHoops]

13. All of the pumps around here clearly state "May contain up to 10% ethanol". So yes.

[Pirate Smile]

14. It is in the gas I always get - which is the cheapest unleaded.

[Maru Kitteh]

16. In every single tank of gas. And in my wine. n/t

[Lance_Boyle]

17. Only in my beer and liquor.

I drive a diesel.

[damntexdem]

18. I do, but I don't inhale.

And I always use ethanol in my beer. ;-)

Gas pumps will state the ethanol content of gasoline with ethanol. I have never had any problems with 10% ethanol in the gas.

[Javaman]

19. Naaa, crack still works for me. nt

[alarimer]

25. It is in every single gallon of gasoline.

So we all do, whether we know it or not.

[Omaha Steve]

26. I have since 1977

At that time only two Omaha stations offered it. Cleaner burning & higher octane. Used in over a dozen cars, my 57 Chevy, and an old pick up. Never had a problem in over 400,000 miles.

[3waygeek]

27. I've used E10 in cars since the mid-70s

and never had any issues. Growing up in Iowa, E10 was always available, and often less costly than non-ethanol blends. AFAIK, stations are legally required to label their pumps as to ethanol content, although the signs aren't always specific (e.g. "this fuel may contain up to 10% ethanol"). Back in the day, some less scrupulous station owners used methanol, which was a bit more destructive to plastic & rubber components than ethanol; some of the negatives associated with ethanol probably stem from that practice.

Nowadays, I drive a diesel, so ethanol/methanol blending isn't an issue. Modern diesels are as clean as gasoline engines & get higher MPG.

[Motown_Johnny]

28. all the fuel I use is 10% ethanol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_ethanol_fuel_mixtures

^snip^

E10 is also commonly available in the Midwestern United States. E10 has also been mandated for use in all standard automobile fuel in the state of Florida by the end of 2010.<8> Due to the phasing out of MTBE as a gasoline additive and mainly due to the mandates established in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, ethanol blends have increased throughout the United States, and by 2009 the ethanol market share in the U.S. gasoline supply reached almost 8 percent by volume.<9>[10

[NoGOPZone]

29. This website tells what states require ethanol notifications right on the pumps.

http://www.fueltestkit.com/state_guide_ethanol_laws.html

[WatsonT]

33. I'd rather not, but all the gasoline around here has it

I'm guessing nationally as well although I haven't looked in to it.

It's not good for the budget, the economy, or my mpgs. And according to more than a few mechanics it's not so great for the engines as well.

[lightningandsnow]

36. Only on the weekends.

:P

[madokie]

38. You have to search out a gasoline station that has real gas anymore

there is supposedly 2 different places that supposedly sell regular gas without ethanol in this whole region. I'm not sure that either actually sells regular with out ethanol as for the average joe there is not much difference that they can see. I know I can't tell the difference between the two. If you use premium you can almost bet it will have ethanol in it and has for years as thats how they increased the octane. I simply can't tell any difference.