I just filled up at the local gas station (Unocal 76 in the SF Bay Area of Northern California, USA) and noticed a new sticker put on the pump: "The gasoline dispensed from this pump may contain Ethanol.". Interestingly, the sticker appeared over the highest octane side on all the pumps, so I don't know if it means that only the highest octane gasoline has ethanol or whether all grades of gasoline may have ethanol mixed in. So here are my questions:

- Is it safe/good to use gasoline with ethanol in our cars? I know alcohol is much more corrosive than regular gasoline, so was the car designed to handle ethanol?

- Anybody know if ethanol is only mixed in with the highest octane grade gasoline or is it being added to all grades?

- Should I look for another brand of gas (I know this has been discussed before, but I didn't find any discussion on ethanol)? Or is this a hopeless cause because all brands will be mixing ethanol into their gasoline.

I'd like to hear other's views on the goodness of using gasoline containing ethanol with our S2K. Thanks.

 

It's funny you mention this. I noticed the sticker two weeks ago at the station here in San Jose. I stopped putting gas at 76 since beacuse of the same concerns. I Also noticed not all 76 stations have the ethonal label.
How can this be? Maybe they are not required by law if the % of ethonal in the gasoline is less than x%.

 

I believe, going from memory and thats not always the best, that the owners manual addresses the issue of ethanol in the gas and the percentage that is acceptable

 

In Western Canada, ethanol gas is sold primarily at 'Mohawk' stations. There are 3 grades. The lowest grade has no ethanol. The middle has 5% and the highest has 10%. It is with ethanol that they can get the extra 2 points of octane. In cold climates like ours, ethanol is a good fuel line antifreeze. I fill up a few times each winter for that reason with no apparent ill effects. Most cars (I don't know for sure about the S2K) will allow up to 10% ethanol. What to avoid is high levels of Methanol. A small amount like what you would have in a bottle of normal gas line antifreeze is OK.

 

You may use up to 5% by volume as long as it contains cosolvents and corrosion inhibitors to protect the fuel system. Owners manual, page 248

 

Ooops, that was methanol, Ethanol up to 10% by volume.

 

There is a difference between "can use without damage" and "good for the car." I hate oxygenated gas. I have no Dyno numbers to back it up but, seat-of-the-pants, it used to affect my GSR (probably screwed up the OBD-I averaging system and forced retarded timing).

 

Ethanol is corrosive to the fuel system in higher concentrations. I have had to replace alot of fuel injectors because of customers using cheap off-brand gas. Not good when you have a v-8 and each one is $150 plus labor-ouch

I think you will probably be ok using it if you buy it from a quality source. They have better control over the concentration in the fuel...and avoid the "dry gas" it doesn't work anyway.

[Edited by Roceye on 04-27-2001 at 08:37 PM]

 

I have always used and loved 76 gas. Does it have much ethanol? I will check the pump next time I fill up.

 

I just thought I'd bump this since I went to the gas station today. And for the very first time, I saw a sign that said the gas contains no more than 10% ethanol. This was at a Chevron station in Virginia. Of course, I went home and did a search to see if the 10% was ok. I'm good to go