This is not intended to be the end-all of posts on the topic of alcohol-based fuel additives, but you know what they say about Hell and good intentions. MTBE started out as the savior of the environment and we know where that ended up.

Some points on ethanol:

1) Yes, it raises octane. But unless your car has been engineered to make use of that, one gets a net reduction in both fuel economy and power when using ethanol.
Why?......

2) Ethanol, has, as I recall from memory, about 30% less thermal energy than the same volume of gasoline. So it produces less specific output per CC or ml. Mixed at 10% with gasoline, it should result in a fairly linear loss of power and more fuel will be consumed to make that the power it does. So that would be about 8 HP @ WOT. Maybe more in torque, depending on the spark and fuel mapping.

3) Unburned alcohols (esp if they glom onto the pintle of the injector) leave gummy, tenacious deposits that are hard to remove - and since most companies are new to ethanol 10, they likely have not re-formulated the fuel add pack to address this. Even the Top Tier guys have been cutting back on those "Federally mandated" additives levels for years - you think Arlen Specter or Hillary Clinton is out there testing the additives? Wanna buy a bridge? Those ads got the message right, the location wrong - what happens in the Beltway, stays in the Beltway.

I used to suggest using a quality fuel system cleaner at every oil change - now I would say that it is mandatory - using a continuous care product like SI-2 or Lube Control FP60 may even be a better way to go, because the gum/varnish from the new gas fromulations may have to be nipped in the bud, rather than removed surgically once they have grown.

4) So I used to be able to drive to Powhatan County, Virginia, away from Richmond Metro, and guy "good gas" without MTBE or other alcohols. This ensured the best power and reduced deposit potential for my S2000. That option is gone.

5) Polticos LOVE ethanol. It seems to have no downsides that the Common man understands. HP? Specific output? Clean injectors? Rubbish!! No poltical sound bite potential thgere, Senator! Oh, then there is Mr. Andreas, and ADM - a maor contributor to both parties, but especially one William Jefferson Clinton (after the Trial Lawyers and the Teacher's Unions). Yes, it will reduce our short-term need for foreign oil, and that is good. But we have tons of oil in this nation - ANWAR, off-shore, and the eventual unlocking of shale. ASt elast the word nuclear is being mentioned again. The French get about 90% of their electricity from old designs - we get about 20%. If the French can do it...well, you get it.

6) Ethanol - our cars supposedly can handle it at 10%; alcohol is tough on rubber - and fibrous materials like gaskets - I see some classic car carburetors, fuel lines, fuel pumps, etc etc. may have cough..sputter...strokes or mycocardial infarctions down the road.

7) Is it firendly to the climate? I will let the Global Warmists among you decide that - but if more fuel is consumed to travel the same distance....hmmmmmmmmm.

Ethanol is soccer Mom science (apologies to SM's in advance - it just is a handy stereotype in a world of Build a Bears and Denalis and Lexi) - sounds good, makes for a good sound bite and posterboard at Ukrop's, but so does Botox, and when you dig below the surface, looks can be deceiving. It is, IMO, at best a temporary adjunct - but where California once mandated MTBE to a skeptical oil industry, they are now making them pay a ton of $$$ to clean up a problem they did not create.

The Potomac 2-Step. If I could, I would sit this one out. Ethanol - fluoridation - where is McCarthy?

RR.

 

The newest C&D has a comprehensive piece on Ethanol. It shows both sides of the discussion but overall the realistic view is it is only great for farmers and Ethanol producers.

 

Where can we get SI-2 or Lube Control FP60 and is it just as easy as pour in your gas tank??

 

There is a link for FP 60 at "bobistheoilguy" web site. redline oil makes SI-2.

 

Just a question because I'm interested:
(we dont have the ethanol add in our fuel.. yet)
Are those cleaners designed to work with the ethanol in the gasoline?
No strange unexpected reactions possible between the ethanol and the cleaner?

 

That is an very good question.

I have wondered the same thing (all gas in my location is 10% ethanol) and would appreciate an informed answer.

 

Ive noticed my gas mileage has decreased with the 10% ethanol.. almost a dramatic decrease.

 

I've been using FP60 in my Integra and my S2000 for over a year now. I'd have to assume I've made the transistion from the old gas mixture to the new formulation sometime. I've had the S2000 for about 6 months now and I haven't felt any decrease at all in performance since the day I got it.

Couldn't find a direct link to answer the question if the additives react with ethanol, but I'm sure some searching around bobistheoilguy's and lubecontrol's forums would turn up some answers.

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi
http://www.lubecontrol.com/phpbb/index.php...a3995f74d348a96

 

A small change should be expected.. 10 gallons of the new fuel has the energy of 9.75 gallons of the old. If you averaged 20 mpg before it would be reasonable to expect 19.5 mpg with the new fuel.

It also costs a bit more at the pump (even more when you figure you subsidize it with federal taxes) so it is not a good deal.

EDIT: I need to clarify this. If you are in an area where the EPA requires oxygenated fuel the comparison may need to be with the gasoline containing 15% MTBE (where 10 gallons of fuel would have the energy of 9.93 gallons of gasoline). In this case the reduction in mileage is approximately 20mpg down to 19.9.

 

Wisconsin has had 10% ethanol for a long time actually (we are in the midwest after all). I use FP60 regularly, and have had no problems with it.