Ethanol Gas

[Clem Z.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

remember the brass float has a different density than the nitrophyl floats so the float setting in the books does not apply. when we used nitrophyl floats in race carbs we added lead shot to get them up to the weight of the brass float in holley carbs

[Jack H.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

The Filko brass float I referred to is made to replace the nitryl coated foam float for QJet. I'm not sure it's a matter so much of weight as it is of buoyancy...

Nonetheless, it installed transparently and has worked without a hitch for +6 years now and a little over 40K miles. I'd recommend this as a substitute to anyone doing a QJet rebuild who intends to log miles on and wants trouble free operation.

[Donald T.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

An interesting side note. The Corvette Z06 Indy 500 pace car will be runing E85. The pace car was retrofitted to run on E85, but no word on when/if the production car will also be able to run E85.

[Duke W.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

GM is pushing E85. It's part of their PR campaign to look "green", which has become just another advertising buzzword.

Unfortunately, ethanol mandates are causing undesireable economic consequences - like increased food prices, and doubt is increasing as to whether it represents a long term "solution" to reducing our dependence on crude oil.

BTW, IRL switched to straight ethanol from straight methanol fuel two or three years ago.

Duke

[Clem Z.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

GM is pushing E85. It's part of their PR campaign to look "green", which has become just another advertising buzzword.

Unfortunately, ethanol mandates are causing undesireable economic consequences - like increased food prices, and doubt is increasing as to whether it represents a long term "solution" to reducing our dependence on crude oil.

BTW, IRL switched to straight ethanol from straight methanol fuel two or three years ago.

Duke

a lot of the food price increase is caused by transportation costs so maybe now we will grow the food here in the USA instead of somewhere else in the world and flying it to the USA at great cost.

[Jack H.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

A small part of this problem (rising food costs) relates to short vs. long term ethanol source feed stock. Today we concentrate on corn in the US while other countries (e.g. Brazil) have used other organics like sugar cane.

So, in the short run, we're in a 'guns and butter' economic dilema. If we 'rob' the food chain of corn to make ethanol and don't INCREASE the overall supply, we'll see exactly what we're seeing...food price hikes.

Now, if/when we address the situation rationally (bring on additional supplies to serve demand), that's another issue. How much $$$ is spent each year by the Department of Agriculture to pay farmers not to plant? Why does that program persist when there's a supply crisis????

Is corn the best source for ethanol feedstocks? How much land is there in the US that's NOT under till that could be called on to produce our feedstocks? Many nations simply do NOT have the raw acreage that we're blessed with in the US to go this route (ethanol). In Europe, they're really land locked and ethanol simply isn't a viable alternative, home made, fuel source for those nations....

Last, this move remains in its infancy and the distribution channel is 'primative' compared to oil based fuels. There is no existing pipeline structure to move raw feedstock from the farm sources to the refining centers as there is for oil and gas. So, we truck it which is VERY un-economic...

When you consider the BTU equivalency of ethanol to gasoline (octane makes a good comparison), the economically rational consumer should refuse to pay more than 80% of the price of a gallon of gas for ethanol. But, that's NOT what I see in terms of posted pump prices....

Bottom line, there probably IS a place for ethanol in our overall fuel strategy, but we're nowhere near maturity in terms of plant and equipment yet. Plus, there should be a natural attraction to ethanol as growing the additional organic feed stocks SHOULD have a natural atmospheric cleaning effect (plants consume C02 and give off O2). So, the carbon footprint is neutral or nearly neutral compared to burning oil/gas that was originally created by plant life made millions to billions of years ago....

[Clem Z.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

A small part of this problem (rising food costs) relates to short vs. long term ethanol source feed stock. Today we concentrate on corn in the US while other countries (e.g. Brazil) have used other organics like sugar cane.

So, in the short run, we're in a 'guns and butter' economic dilema. If we 'rob' the food chain of corn to make ethanol and don't INCREASE the overall supply, we'll see exactly what we're seeing...food price hikes.

Now, if/when we address the situation rationally (bring on additional supplies to serve demand), that's another issue. How much $$$ is spent each year by the Department of Agriculture to pay farmers not to plant? Why does that program persist when there's a supply crisis????

Is corn the best source for ethanol feedstocks? How much land is there in the US that's NOT under till that could be called on to produce our feedstocks? Many nations simply do NOT have the raw acreage that we're blessed with in the US to go this route (ethanol). In Europe, they're really land locked and ethanol simply isn't a viable alternative, home made, fuel source for those nations....

Last, this move remains in its infancy and the distribution channel is 'primative' compared to oil based fuels. There is no existing pipeline structure to move raw feedstock from the farm sources to the refining centers as there is for oil and gas. So, we truck it which is VERY un-economic...

When you consider the BTU equivalency of ethanol to gasoline (octane makes a good comparison), the economically rational consumer should refuse to pay more than 80% of the price of a gallon of gas for ethanol. But, that's NOT what I see in terms of posted pump prices....

Bottom line, there probably IS a place for ethanol in our overall fuel strategy, but we're nowhere near maturity in terms of plant and equipment yet. Plus, there should be a natural attraction to ethanol as growing the additional organic feed stocks SHOULD have a natural atmospheric cleaning effect (plants consume C02 and give off O2). So, the carbon footprint is neutral or nearly neutral compared to burning oil/gas that was originally created by plant life made millions to billions of years ago....

also ethanol can not be "pipe lined" right now which adds to the cost as it must be trucked.

[Joel F.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

also ethanol can not be "pipe lined" right now which adds to the cost as it must be trucked.

It can be shipped via rail as well.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

It can be shipped via rail as well.

BIG trucks.

[Tom S.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

Ethanol has its place. But it needs to be made from waste and products other than food sources. There are many ways to go with it, it just won't have the same bang for the buck the politicians are getting out of corn. Tom

[Cecil L.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

This shows promise. They are working on other fuels as well.
Designer Aviation Fuel May Provide Cleaner, Greener, Cheaper Alternative


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Swift Enterprises Ltd. has unveiled a new general aviation fuel that is less expensive, fuel-efficient and environmentally friendlier than any on the market, said co-founder John Rusek. SwiftSwiftSwift Contacts


For Swift Enterprises Ltd.
Cynthia Sequin, media relations, 765-494-4192
765-413-6013 (mobile)
casequin@prf.org
OR
Swift Enterprises Ltd.
John and Mary Rusek, 765-464-8336
john.rusek@swiftenterprises.com
mary.rusek@swiftenterprises.com

[Tom S.]

Re: Ethanol Gas

It sounds like this might be a reliable source of fuel, I hope so I don't want to give up on ethanol, I just don't want to use corn or other food sources, it is not needed.. Tom