Ethanol

[Curtis L.]

Our State is going to mandate this stuff. What effect will it have on my C2 and C3s. Thank You, Curt.

[William C.]

Re: Ethanol

Depends on the concentration, at 10% likely not a problem, Opel built some cars in Brazil, (90%) and we had to upgrade all the rubber parts in the fuel systems. Same as the GM "flex fuel" vehicles, thay all carry upgrades to rubber hoses and such parts.

[Don H.]

Re: Ethanol

I have ran gasohol (10% alcohol) in my 65 for years with no problem. Don H.

[Donald M.]

Re: Ethanol

I read that concentrations as high as 85 PERCENT could be the norm!! That would necessitate a change of rubber components, such as fuel lines (tank to steel line, steel line to fuel pump) as well as fuel pump diaphragm If such a piece would even be available. And what of the carburetor? It has many small rubber seals (accel pump rod or diagphragm, needle valve tip, etc.) that if broken down would cause the carb to leak or flood uncontrollably. It's not a pretty picture. Ethanol and especially MTBE is death to old engines.

[Donald O.]

Re: Ethanol

Ethanol is not corrosive.
Methanol is and it eats rubber components, major problems using it. Methanol is what is used in the Indy cars

[Duke W.]

Re: Ethanol

Current EPA limit on ethanol in gasoline is 10 percent by volume and should not cause any problems.

California has about 8 percent ethanol year round, and many markets have ethanol in winter fuel.

"E85" (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline) is a completely different animal. It's not at all widely available to the public, but some GM "flex fuel" vehicles can use either E85 or gasoline. Most E85 capable vehicles are in city and state government fleets.

Despite GM's recent ads extolling the benefits of ethanol, the more in the fuel the more you are paying per unit of energy. Even at maximum recent oil prices of something over 70 bucks a barrel, ethanol is not economically competitive.

Duke

[Duke W.]

Re: Ethanol PS

Fuel system elastomers were upgraded about 1980 to handle so called "gasohol" (10 percent ethanol), which is about when it became available in some markets.

I remember buying some for a rent-a-car - I think in western Conn. - about that time when I was on a business trip in the Northeast.

Hopefully everyone's rubber fuel hoses are newer than 25 years. If not replace them ASAP.

Duke

[William C.]

Re: Ethanol

May not be corrosive, but the cars in Brazil literaly died on the road until Opel ubgraded the rubber components. I got involved because they (the German Engineers, whoe were in Germany, not on site) were blaming the electrical systems, part of which we ere manufacturing. Fixed the bubber in the fuel lines and the problem went away. Methanol, I believe will kill things way beyond rubber parts, but Ethanol does a pretty good job on rubber in fuel lines if not upgraded to live in an ethanol environment. Plus, fuel mileage is less as ethanol has less heat content per gallon of fuel.

[Mike M.]

Re: Ethanol

Ethanol has been prominent in the midwest for about 25 years.
At first it ate the foam carburetor floats. No such problems since with F.I. or Throttle Bodies.
There is a tax break (for the corn), so it is about 5-10 cents cheaper than regular per gallon.
Octane is typically 2 points higher than regular. All the pump gas with the higher octane ratings contain Ethanol.
Most of the State vehicles have run on 85% for a year or so and there are 85% stations popping up everywhere.
I've heard it mixes well with Octane Booster.
H. a. N. D.

[John H.]

Re: Ethanol

Many of today's production cars are E85-capable, my '05 Dodge Caravan (3.3L V-6) being one of them; however, there are less than 500 E85 pumps in the entire U.S. right now. The owner's manual goes on at some length about the downside to be expected of using E85 (drastically reduced range and fuel economy, long cranking times for cold weather starting, and recommendation for not using E85 at all with temps of 32*F and below, etc.).

The entire fuel system is unique on E85-capable cars; all stainless steel fuel lines, fittings and injectors, upgraded seals and gaskets, stainless steel fuel pump housing, plastic fuel tank, etc. Ethanol is extremely hygroscopic, and LOVES water.