motionclone
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L345DT with Lp mower, forks and grapple thumb, Bobcat 337 Midi Ex
Non ethanol gas
- Thread starter skeets
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Only one station within 130 miles of me carries E-free gas. It is 88 octane - but costs nearly $1 a gallon more than the regular (87 octane with 10% ethanol). I use it in all my small engines; the owner's manual for my new lawn mower specifically warns against using gas with ethanol in it.
And as an owner of a Can-am Defender I follow the Can-am forums and you are correct - running 91 octane in that Rotax engine causes all sorts of problems. But I've never heard an adequate explanation of why that would be. My Defender's owner's manual recommends 87 octane so that's all I've ever run.
Fact, 10% ethanol kills the mileage in my old carbed blazer by 15%! How is ethanol better? 10% ethanol added makes me buy 15% more.
Ethanol has almost made any small engines disposable due to most people not knowing anything about engines or how to clean a carb jet, dramatically increasing waste to landfills, wasted replacement costs. I help people all the time by cleaning the corn syrup out of the carb and saving them from buying a new lawn mower, generator, or whatever.
Yeah, let's take a major international food source and add it to fuel so it can decrease mileage and drastically increase the cost of almost all meat. That sounds like a great plan.
I am a simple man, but I have yet to see the upside to ethanol.
Ethanol has almost made any small engines disposable due to most people not knowing anything about engines or how to clean a carb jet, dramatically increasing waste to landfills, wasted replacement costs. I help people all the time by cleaning the corn syrup out of the carb and saving them from buying a new lawn mower, generator, or whatever.
Yeah, let's take a major international food source and add it to fuel so it can decrease mileage and drastically increase the cost of almost all meat. That sounds like a great plan.
I am a simple man, but I have yet to see the upside to ethanol.
You will get 10% better mileage. So compare prices. The ethanol is nothing more than filler. In NH the price differential is too much to make it worth it. When I was in MD I preferred it. I do use it in my garden equip including saw.
Yes, …Your “old carbed blazer” will suffer decreased mpg using ethanol-gas …because it is not “optimized” as newer vehicles are for that fuel. It was designed for gasoline…not E-gas. As technology realigns itself for E-gas, that trend reverses.
No, of course not, LOL…. IN fact, “environmentalists” like to point out that burning corn-produced ethanol is net-zero carbon fuel…because the growing corn recovers the C02 from the atmosphere….and that burning fossil fuels Adds to the carbon burden by taking carbon from the deep earth and releasing it to atmosphere when we burn it. I say HORTH THIT on that!…because the same corn is indiscriminate and absorbs the carbon produced by the burning of fossil fuel…. the obvious answer is simply to EAT MORE CORN. LOL
(Corn isn’t the most carbon-absorbing plant anyway… algae is….and there’s far more algae in the ocean than corn in the fields.)
But back to the future…. ethanol in gas is a net benefit from the standpoint of groundwater protection and corn does recycle carbon…. it’s just not the only plant or even necessarily the best overall method for ethanol production, IMO. Bio-diesel has shown to be capable of being produced from discarded plant material….(cornstalks perhaps..??…) Electric probably is the future … but lithium for batteries has it’s own issues. There ain’t no ”Free Ride….. but corn IS domestically produced and not imported. And E-10 is one reason, not the main one….but one reason nonetheless that we don’t import petroleum like we used to do.
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Sorry, but I have to disagree. My old carbed engines are no different than fuel injected when it comes to the amount of energy needed to rotate the crank. There is no magic happening in new engines that somehow work better with less energy. Ethanol has less energy! Nothing changes that. Pure gas has more energy, regardless of how the fuel gets in the combustion chamber. Of course fuel injection is more efficient than carbs, but lighter cars, lighter cranks, tighter piston rings, lower viscosity oils, etc, is how newer engines are more efficient. They would be even more efficient with pure gas. As far as I know, there is no technology that makes ethanol contain equal or more energy than pure gas.
I won't even get into the electric thing. I love my battery tools, but vehicles have a long, LONG way to go. Nevermind raping the planet for Lithium and all of the precious metals needed for electronics. But, yeah, "EV's are going to save the earth!" Let me know when we find those Lithium wells that we can pump up.
I had the opportunity to burn one tank of Sheetz alcohol free regular gas (90 octane and 3 cents less per gallon than the alcohol laced garbage). My Tacoma loved it. Better performance and slightly better fuel mileage, between 2 and 3 mpg. I'm positive on the mpg, as I calculate my mileage at every fill up. I hope that I can get a Sheetz local to me to get the alcohol free fuel.
Well there is a difference between old carb and new computerized fuel injection in that the mixture ratio is near optimal at all times and all fuels since the fuel injection will be adjusted as required. The old carb will just continue with whatever it was setup to do.
Just read the first statement, huh?
Yes, that is why this statement is in there, " Of course fuel injection is more efficient than carbs"
That doesn't change that ethanol has less energy for bang in a suck, squeeze, bang, blow scenario. No amount of computer control can change that. Fuel injection can give optimal performance of available energy in the fuel. Less energy, less performance, thus less efficient for ethanol.
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We don’t disagree with each other…. any engine, modern or older….if switched between pure gas and E10 will have a small loss of mpg on E10 compared to pure gas. My previous comment was only to point out modern engines are optimized for E10 and will suffer less than your “old carbed” engine.
I just checked the "stations" around where I live, and they are not stations, but retail stores that sell gasoline in small containers up to 5-gallon cans. Last time I checked, the 5-gallon can was over $100 or $20 a gallon for VP gasoline.E-free gas is available all around here, but is more expensive. All small engines get it---leaf blower, chainsaw, etc. and the boat when I had one, but the car and truck get the ethanol stuff.
Pure-gas.org - ethanol-free gasoline in the U.S. and Canada
Pure-gas.org is the definitive web site listing stations that sell pure gasoline in the U.S. and Canada.www.pure-gas.org
I go by the Richmond Raceway with my own container
and get 5 gallons Sunoco 260 GTX from the pump at the track.
98 octane, no ethanol, no metallic additives ( lead)…
www.sunocoracefuels.com
and get 5 gallons Sunoco 260 GTX from the pump at the track.
98 octane, no ethanol, no metallic additives ( lead)…
260 GTX: 98 Octane Unleaded Race Fuel | Sunoco Race Fuels
www.sunocoracefuels.com
Biker1mike
Well-known member
Equipment
B6200, Kubota 2030 Front Blade, King Cutter 60" finishing deck
I run 10% E in ALL my gas equipment. I add Sta-bil to the cans and I have never had a carb problem. 2 stroke is made with Stilh 50:1 which claims to take care of the alcohol issue. Saw may sit for months with gas in the tank and always fires right up and runs smooth. Straight gas cans get put in the truck after 6-8 months of sitting.
Mileage and horsepower are no longer an issue for me. If I wanted more power my truck would not have a V6. The cars are all 4 cylinders and do us fine. My right foot controls the mpg.
The little car has a quarter million miles and never had fuel issues.
E free is way to expensive for my wallet.
Mileage and horsepower are no longer an issue for me. If I wanted more power my truck would not have a V6. The cars are all 4 cylinders and do us fine. My right foot controls the mpg.
The little car has a quarter million miles and never had fuel issues.
E free is way to expensive for my wallet.
RCW
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Lifetime Member
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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
2017 Silverado 5.3l. gets e-gas. Nothing else does.
Like others said, e-free is quite a bit more here; doesn't justify the cost for the truck.
Like others said, e-free is quite a bit more here; doesn't justify the cost for the truck.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
re: ethanol in gas is a net benefit from the standpoint of groundwater protection
Not near me ! There was a paving company renting next door, dumped tandem load of 'extra' asphalt. I bought the place next door, informed paving company they had to move out in 2 weeks.,then I called Ontario Ministry of Environment to test my well for contamination(about 80-90 different chemicals ). All good, no Benzene or any other bad things BUT high in 'nitrates'. Hmm....dude says it comes from the farms 'upstream' of me. His main concern was small children. Seems nitrates can affect their brains somehow. I didn't read up as I don't have children.
Not near me ! There was a paving company renting next door, dumped tandem load of 'extra' asphalt. I bought the place next door, informed paving company they had to move out in 2 weeks.,then I called Ontario Ministry of Environment to test my well for contamination(about 80-90 different chemicals ). All good, no Benzene or any other bad things BUT high in 'nitrates'. Hmm....dude says it comes from the farms 'upstream' of me. His main concern was small children. Seems nitrates can affect their brains somehow. I didn't read up as I don't have children.
Magicman
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Lifetime Member
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M4900 Utility Special 4WD e/w FEL & 1530 John Deere "Traveling Man"
it's amazing that those big John Deere tractors and harvesters don't use any fuel nor produce any CO2. . 
I use E0 in everything off road- MX and race bikes, scooters, lawn equipment. They sit for long periods and the E infected fuel has proven to be troublesome in EFI and carb'd motors. Then again, the leaded race fuels I use are not kind to the valves and spark plugs. Back when I could go to the regional airport and get LL100, it was much better than the race fuels I use now.
E10 has pretty much been used exclusively in the wife's VW for 300k. No issues. Company car gets it too, and every so often I'll put E85 in it for giggles. Fuel economy doesn't justify it.
FWIW- North American fuels have an AKI number. It expresses the fuels resistance to compression ignition. AKI is based on the Octane scale and thats why youll see Octane Rating. Octane is a chemical C8H18 and may or may not be in the fuel in varying amounts. Ethanol has a high AKI. Like 113-115 or something. Blending it with fuel raises the AKI index of that fuel. It's a cheap way to make "premium" with a high AKI.
Speaking of "premium" fuel.... fun fact: To get the most power from an engine, use the LOWEST grade fuel possible without preignition. Most people think their high compression sports car needs 93 (or whatever the highest is at your elevation/ region). We actually found a 2% increase using 89 in a motor with 13:1 compression. Back to back dyno runs, same brand fuel.
E10 has pretty much been used exclusively in the wife's VW for 300k. No issues. Company car gets it too, and every so often I'll put E85 in it for giggles. Fuel economy doesn't justify it.
FWIW- North American fuels have an AKI number. It expresses the fuels resistance to compression ignition. AKI is based on the Octane scale and thats why youll see Octane Rating. Octane is a chemical C8H18 and may or may not be in the fuel in varying amounts. Ethanol has a high AKI. Like 113-115 or something. Blending it with fuel raises the AKI index of that fuel. It's a cheap way to make "premium" with a high AKI.
Speaking of "premium" fuel.... fun fact: To get the most power from an engine, use the LOWEST grade fuel possible without preignition. Most people think their high compression sports car needs 93 (or whatever the highest is at your elevation/ region). We actually found a 2% increase using 89 in a motor with 13:1 compression. Back to back dyno runs, same brand fuel.
Copied from a flying website, does explain why it is bad. Also E-85 will eat some plastic's that are used in an Car as I had to replace a fuel system in a customer car(was using E85 in a non E85 vehicle((it was cheaper to fill up))).
Funny you mention that. Ducati had a massive recall because the fuel tanks in some bikes were ballooning. Not so much because of incompatibility with E10/E15, but because the saturated vapor pressure/ temperature of the food fuel is so different than gasoline. Essentially, when a bike is in direct sunlight or parked in a garage while hot, the E would flash off and build pressure faster than the venting system could relieve the pressure.
armylifer
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BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
To try and answer Skeets original question, Non-ethanol should not be a problem in your Silverado. I use non-e in every gasoline vehicle I own. The one that benefits most is my 2017 KIA that has a 3.3 liter V-6 with Variable Valve Timing. That car has a computer that optimizes engine performance based on the fuel used. When I have used E-10 on occasions that I was not able to buy E-0, I got between 19 and 20 MPG. When I use E-0, I get between 28 and 29 MPG. On one trip with the KIA I got 29.9 MPG. My wife's 2010 Nissan Frontier gets up to 24 MPG with E-0 but only gets 19 to 20 MPG with E-10. I always get better MPG with E-0, with all my vehicles. When I can get it, I will only use E-0, regardless of price.