Ethanol blends up to 15 percent

[toomanymodz]

I just saw this article today. Looks like our govt is allowing the Ethanol to increase up to 15%. Around here it is currently 10%:
U.S. Said to Allow Rise in Ethanol Content in Gasoline Blends Up to 15% - Yahoo! Finance

I wonder what affects that will have on our turbo Buicks?

 

[Mark T-TB]

Article today in AutoWeek on-line indicated that this has been "proposed", but not yet approved - more testing is required.
Just can't see how this will work with 20-30-40 year old cars
Who is it that thinks this is a good idea?

 

[SilverSleeper]

Just can't see how this will work with 20-30-40 year old cars
Who is it that thinks this is a good idea?

The people who want you to junk your 20 year old car and bail out the automakers by buying new stuff. Brought to you by the inventor of cash for clunkers.....!?!
Kinda like forced computer upgrades.
"Sorry, but we don't support your antiquated platform anymore, you'll just have to buy a new one. Thanks!" -The Govm't.

 

[pdzz]

Yep it's going to 15%! Supposed to be for 2007 models and newer. Don't worry they'll still charge more even though their cutting the gas. I can't find any stations that sell straight gas anymore..

 

[Dabigguy]

Doesn't the ethanol corrode steel fuel lines? Also, doesn't it take almost twice as much ethanol to produce the same amount of output from gasoline? Where is the savings if 10% of your fuel only makes 50% of the power.....that's a loss of 5% total efficiency, right?

 

[Rivical]

I bought a new rototiller last year who's mfr must have expected this shift from food to fuel all along. It says on the top of the tank. "Do Not use fuel with over 10% Ethanol".
Not that I'm big on eating US (patented) 'corn products', But in the current economic trend, many will be starving while we drive on their potential food supply. All while the farmer's continue to get a subsidy not to plant all their land.

 

[Mark T-TB]

Doesn't the ethanol corrode steel fuel lines? Also, doesn't it take almost twice as much ethanol to produce the same amount of output from gasoline? Where is the savings if 10% of your fuel only makes 50% of the power.....that's a loss of 5% total efficiency, right?

Car & Driver or Autoweek did some "real world" driving on the E85 sometime recently... I thought that the fuel consumption goes up about 30%(?) with the E85. This also coming at a time when EPA mandates increased fuel mileage from new cars
This whole thing has a nasty odor to it... it makes no economic or environmental sense to increase to 15% ethanol in gas - just another short-sighted law.
I've already had it ruin the carb on my snowblower and gas trimmer - can't wait to see what it will do to the GN, the Tiger (1966), and Thunderbird (1965) fuel systems ( ... not sure what "new" cars would replace any of those)

 

[chadly]

When I move to Iowa in 2002 I found the 89 octane was cheaper than the 87. This still is the case. However the 89 contained 10% ethanol. I tried an experiment in my 2000 chevy prism. 10 tanks of 87 octane recording the mileage per tank and the price per mile. I then did the same with the 89 octane. In my car it was cheaper to put the more expensive 87 octane in as it got better mile/gallon and was then also cheaper/mile. However due to the 89 being cheaper it was close to a wash.

 

[klrv6]

Fuel consumption goes up with current engines. Now, what if they had factory turbos that would adjust for increased octane to take make the mileage the same or better. If running higher compression, ethanol will begin to put out better mpgs.

 

[1fast6]

Bush administration must have bought up a ****load of corn crops while in office. Now there cashing in.

 

[Little6pack]

Article today in AutoWeek on-line indicated that this has been "proposed", but not yet approved - more testing is required.
Just can't see how this will work with 20-30-40 year old cars
Who is it that thinks this is a good idea?

Nothing the goverment does is a good idea!

 

[Turbo Indian]

I have been tracking the wifes mpg in her 03 VW GTI VR6.
87 octane 10% blend 23.605 mpg
93 " " " 26.104 "
93 " 100% dino 29.034 "
this is an average of 3 tanks of each.

on another note, I have read several problems with the blended gas in outboard boat motors. the Mercury is having less issues than others but the problems are there with 10% I can only imagine what it will be like @ 15%.