Low-mileage trips vs ethanol in gasoline

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jul 3, 2014
Messages
131
Location
united States
I own cars that are driven short distances at a time, so I rack up mileage at a very slow rate. Therefore, it can easily take me weeks to burn through a full tank of gasohol (E10+gasoline).

I know something like ISO-Heet can be used to help remove water from the gas lines, but would it (or another product) also help to prevent issues where ethanol negatively affects parts of the engine?
 
Do not add an dry gas to gasoline that contains ethanol...ever!

Dry gas is alcohol, and ethanol is alcohol. Don't increase the alcohol percentage of your gas.
 
If you can avoid ethonal all together. Some places its a lot harder then others but ethonal is all around a complete failure.

Mile for mile ethonal costs more
Plus
It eats away at any rubber and plastics it come in contact with. It does take time but I'm willing to bet you have gas in your car. Ethonal should be removed from gasoline all together.
 
Thanks, salv, I learned something new. Do you suggest something else for my situation?

3800Series: I wish I could avoid E10, but that's the only thing the stations near me sell.
 
Yeah, don't need Heet.

Also, a few weeks isn't too long for gas, should have no issue. Plus cars nowadays are made to run on E10, so they should have no problem.

There are a few additive companies (Stabil is one off the top of my head) that market something to add to ethanol gas, I think it's more geared towards old machines or OPE that weren't initially made to run on E10.

I wouldn't bother adding anything, just keep driving the car regularly.
 
Yeah I hear you, when I was up north in "corn central" you couldn't find anything without ethonal. Down here tho we have a lot more choices. Pretty much every non chain sells non ethonal
 
Originally Posted By: cookiemonster
I own cars that are driven short distances at a time, so I rack up mileage at a very slow rate. Therefore, it can easily take me weeks to burn through a full tank of gasohol (E10+gasoline).

I know something like ISO-Heet can be used to help remove water from the gas lines, but would it (or another product) also help to prevent issues where ethanol negatively affects parts of the engine?


Weeks are not an issue for using up a tank of gas. Maybe months. Forget any drygas.
 
Having used E10 for well over 30 years in everything I own, I can assure the original poster that he'll be just fine without any extra additives. I only fill my pickup up a couple times a year, and in the 5 years I've owned it I've never had a single issue.

Originally Posted By: 3800Series
Yeah I hear you, when I was up north in "corn central" you couldn't find anything without ethonal. Down here tho we have a lot more choices. Pretty much every non chain sells non ethonal


Interesting. I'm in one of those "corn central" states and nearly all of the stations have both E0 and E10 available. And the funny part is? We actually know how to spell the word "ethanol".

Originally Posted By: 3800Series
If you can avoid ethonal all together. Some places its a lot harder then others but ethonal is all around a complete failure.

Mile for mile ethonal costs more
Plus
It eats away at any rubber and plastics it come in contact with. It does take time but I'm willing to bet you have gas in your car. Ethonal should be removed from gasoline all together.


Again, interesting in a bizarre sort of way. I've been using ethanol for 30 years or more, and I have yet to have any of those failures you claim it causes. I've used it in vintage equipment (70 year old Ford tractors), small engines including my 40 year old John Deere 210 and my 757 zero turn, several 2 stroke engines, and every one of my vehicles.

I can't say that I know anyone in our area that does not use E10, and I don't know of anyone experiencing those failures that you claim it causes.

Since you're such a self appointed ethanol (please note the correct spelling) expert, I'd like you to tell me when I can expect the massive failures you claim it causes.
 
Same here. I have used E10 since the late 70's / early 80's in carbed engines, TBI, port injected, lawn equipment, generators, etc. I have never had any issues with ethanol. I have added fuel stabilizer for long term storage situations, since living rural, it is often a good idea to keep 30-50 gallons of gasoline and diesel on hand for the winter months. We have had up to a week without power occasionally, so the fuel reserves can come in handy.

In my experience, any folks who have had issues with E10 were no higher of a percentage than folks who have had fuel related issues with gasoline. I am sure one can dig up some folks who have had issues with E10, but I would be willing to bet that it was because of something they did and not what the fuel did. But the internet sure makes it sound like ethanol is the leading cause of engine failures in America. Well, my vehicles and equipment never got the memo.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top