How far to go to avoid ethanol

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Haven't posted in quite a while. Sorry if I've missed any recent discussions on this topic.

Unless I absolutely have no choice, I avoid putting ethanol in my vehicle. Ironic, since I live in Iowa.

Recently signed up for BP Visa with driver rewards, which I really like. My dilemma is, around here only their premium fuel is ethanol-free, the 91 octane, and it costs 90 cents per gallon more than regular. I buy all my gas on the BP card and I have several of my monthly utilities billed to it so I can get more points and once or twice a month I build up enough to get a dollar off per gallon or so.

I could sit down a do a bunch of math, I guess, but wondering if anyone has done a back of the envelope calculation on it already. I don't mind paying a little more to be ethanol free, but at what point is the premium just not worth it? Opinions?
 
If you look beyond the political stuff, it performs satisfactory in most applications. I wouldn't go out of my way to avoid it.
 
We have ethanol free less then 2 blocks away. Its pretty common down here. How ever they charge a good $0.50-$0.60 premium which I don't really feel is worth it.

If you get luck you can find them within $0.10, last year when it was still up I was able to get ethanol free for a few penny's less. However I live two towns over from my job so I normally buy the cheaper ethanol gas at Exxon and Mobil.

Unless I'm fueling a boat, mower, or saw I don't really have a problem with ethanol. $1.86>$2.35
 
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
If you look beyond the political stuff, it performs satisfactory in most applications. I wouldn't go out of my way to avoid it.


It performs fine in applications where the engine is used weekly or monthly. In engines that are seasonal (mower/snowblower)or sporadic (generator) I would (at the end of its intended use period) run it dry, then add a cup of premix and run it dry again.

Iowa grows all the corn, so I can see resistance to E0 in that state.
 
Why avoid it? I don't support it as a full-on alternative fuel, since it requires special hardware to work whereas butanol is much more nearly a "drop-in" replacement for gasoline.

But as a 10% additive, its actually quite good. Keeps the fuel system clean and dry, boosts octane. So long as all the polymer components of the fuel system are compatible, its just fine.
 
I go out of my way to seek E0 for my vintage motorcycles, cars & lawn equipment but for my daily driver I use E10 regularly
 
+1 with what Chris142 sez.

In our area: we've been on E10 for over 2 decades now, so everything including automobiles, OPEs, etc. all runs on E10.

Fact check: gasoline is a highly refined, yet unstable fuel type. It will begin with deteriorate the moment it leaves the refinery stack.

Typically, it would last about 30 days or so within a car tank; but will be less if you keep it in a non- ideal environment (high ambient temperature swings, high ambient moisture environment, etc.)

Those complaints you typically "saw" on the echo-chamber called "internet" are mainly from users who don't even know how to store fuel properly given the circumstances, letting alone how to service their equipments properly. and Boy! Those small engine and motorcycle shops simply luv to lay blame on ethanol gasoline as an excuse.

I dope my E10 gas (standby for backup generator use) the moment I have it dispensed from the pump, with the strongest fuel stabiliser available (I'm using B&S Advanced formula fuel treatment for OPE related use these days), and then keep them in a relatively cool, dry, low ambient temperature fluctuation environment. It's good for approx. 3 yrs and perhaps more.

Also: rotate the stored fuel (doped) on a regular basis----I'm currently using my batch of 2gal doped stored gasoline (3+yrs old) and use them in my B&S mower, Honda generator, Honda (BE) pressure washer, etc. By the time when it all used up, I'm going to get some fresh new fuel and dope it before putting it into storage again.

E10 is not evil, the way I see it. You can spend all the time you want on the "echo chamber" day-n-nite and simply scared the sheet out of yourself with a lot of 1/2 truths...me? I sleep soundly at nite even with E10 in all my equipments including cars.

Q.
 
It's not worth it. $0.90 per gallon is huge.

I recently tried a tank of E0 91 octane, which cost $2.999/gal when E10 87 octane, which I usually buy, was $2.299/gal.

My car's lifetime average is 33.9 mpg. On this last tank I drove 350.6 miles on 9.251 gal, which cost $27.74. That trip included more highway driving than normal, but regardless - if I had gotten my average 33.9 mpg at $2.299/gal it would have been 10.342 gallons and cost $23.78.

So I spent $3.96 extra on the last tank because I bought E0 91 octane instead of E10 87 octane.
 
Here in St. Louis there are no ethanol free gas stations.

According to Puregas, every ethanol free station only sells their ethanol free gas in 91 or better octane.

Since my vehicle does not need premium gas AND premium gas has a significant up-charge, any increase in MPG would be negated by the cost of the gas and the distance I would have to drive to get said gas.

Since my truck is an E-85 capable vehicle, it has stainless steel fuel lines and such so higher ethanol fuel does not hurt my vehicle.
 
I'm doing it. I'm giving up my (probably unreasonable) bias and switching to 87 E10.

I'll spring for the E0 for my mower and other power equipment, though.
 
Over 100k miles you'll burn 3000+ gallons of fuel. That is $1500-$2900 extra in fuel to prevent what? I'd wager the $1500+ in pocket you'll never have a problem.
 
Originally Posted By: Quest
+1 with what Chris142 sez.

In our area: we've been on E10 for over 2 decades now, so everything including automobiles, OPEs, etc. all runs on E10.

Fact check: gasoline is a highly refined, yet unstable fuel type. It will begin with deteriorate the moment it leaves the refinery stack.

Typically, it would last about 30 days or so within a car tank; but will be less if you keep it in a non- ideal environment (high ambient temperature swings, high ambient moisture environment, etc.)

Those complaints you typically "saw" on the echo-chamber called "internet" are mainly from users who don't even know how to store fuel properly given the circumstances, letting alone how to service their equipments properly. and Boy! Those small engine and motorcycle shops simply luv to lay blame on ethanol gasoline as an excuse.

I dope my E10 gas (standby for backup generator use) the moment I have it dispensed from the pump, with the strongest fuel stabiliser available (I'm using B&S Advanced formula fuel treatment for OPE related use these days), and then keep them in a relatively cool, dry, low ambient temperature fluctuation environment. It's good for approx. 3 yrs and perhaps more.

Also: rotate the stored fuel (doped) on a regular basis----I'm currently using my batch of 2gal doped stored gasoline (3+yrs old) and use them in my B&S mower, Honda generator, Honda (BE) pressure washer, etc. By the time when it all used up, I'm going to get some fresh new fuel and dope it before putting it into storage again.

E10 is not evil, the way I see it. You can spend all the time you want on the "echo chamber" day-n-nite and simply scared the sheet out of yourself with a lot of 1/2 truths...me? I sleep soundly at nite even with E10 in all my equipments including cars.

Q.


Despite what many nay-sayers you'll find on here have to say about it... most informed people will tell you this.... Not worth worrying about in most applications.. only slight concern ( other than normal "old fuel" issues ) in a few others..

Use it..

BurrWinder
 
If my vehicle was carbed,I might care,but electronic controls can handle ethanol just fine....I go out of my way for Efree gas for mower,ATV,chainsaw,trimmer.
 
I've been running ethanol for over 20 years in everything from chain saws/blowers/generators and newer cars and also 30-50 year old cars and motorcycles with no issues. I do however maintain my stuff.
 
I run E0 in all my small engines or anything valuable....In the older cars I run E10 cause I don't think they care...

Keep in mine E0 has 6.5% more energy, so that will gibe better mileage...
 
In this perpetual "echo chamber" called the "internet", information gets recycled, regurgitated and then spit out over and over again, and fear-mongers, echo dittoheads are the ones that keeps spreading FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt).

Be wise when using the internet these days, over 80% of the info is now what you want to believe in.

Q.
 
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
I run E0 in all my small engines or anything valuable....In the older cars I run E10 cause I don't think they care...

Keep in mine E0 has 6.5% more energy, so that will gibe better mileage...



Careful guy! It may or may not give better fuel mileage.
 
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