The average gallon of gasoline coming out of a gas pump in the US contains 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent ethanol. This blend is known as E10 and it is safe for use in 2001 or newer cars, trucks, and SUVs. Reaching the Limits Of E10
Is it safe to run a car with high ethanol content?
These vehicles have been specifically modified to accommodate high blends of ethanol and are completely safe to run on any type of gasoline that you choose. Ethanol has been blended with other fuels for a long time. About 97 percent of all fuel we purchase today has some degree of ethanol in it – mostly at about ten percent volume.
Can my car run on E10 ethanol blended petrol?
Many European vehicles, turbocharged, or performance vehicles require a minimum octane rating of 95 or 98 and should not be refuled with E10, 91 or 94 fuel grades. The following table lists vehicle models the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries says are able to run on E5 or E10 ethanol blended petrol.
How many cars use ethanol in the US?
Those model years represent more than 90% of vehicles on U.S. roads. The ethanol industry says the fuel is one of the most tested in history and has no effect on vehicle drivability. More than 20 billion miles have been driven in cars and trucks using Unleaded 88, a number that continues to grow.
Is ethanol bad for You?
One of the bad things that happens with ethanol is that your mileage will actually decrease. The New York Times stated that E10 gasoline, which is the gas we use in America, actually gives you 2-3 miles per gallon less than gasoline.
Can I put 10 percent ethanol in my car?
All gasoline engine vehicles can use E10. Currently, only flex-fuel and light-duty vehicles with a model year of 2001 or newer are approved by the EPA to use E15. Flex-fuel vehicles can use any ethanol-gasoline blends up to E85. The energy content of ethanol is about 33% less than pure gasoline.
Does 10 ethanol gas hurt the engine?
A Department of Energy study found that E15 caused hotter operating temperatures, erratic running, and engine-part failure. But even gas with the usual 10 percent ethanol (E10) could help destroy small engines.
Does E10 damage your engine?
E10 petrol's higher bioethanol content is corrosive to rubber parts, gaskets, seals, metals and plastics, which causes engine damage, so it could dislodge deposits in older engines and fuel systems, causing blockages. It should only be used with expert advice, which means pretty much never.
How much ethanol is safe for my car?
The EPA and an academic study have said that fuel containing 15% ethanol is safe for cars, trucks and sport-utility vehicles made in 2001 or later — which make up more than 90% of the vehicles on U.S. roads. Many car manufacturers have okayed the use of E15 fuel in their vehicles made in the past 10 years.
Does ethanol clog fuel injectors?
Ethanol is corrosive. Ethanol is most corrosive to ferrous metals (metals that contain iron, such as steel). This corrosion leaves behind salt deposits and a jelly like substance, both of which can clog fuel filters, fuel pumps and carburetors.
Does ethanol cause engine problems?
Since the ethanol is hygroscopic, it absorbs water from the air, causing the fuel blend to separate. Ethanol can be extremely damaging to small engines and high-powered sports equipment, leading to corrosion of the engine and fuel system.
What cars Cannot run on E10 fuel?
There are a couple of exceptions however which shouldn't be used with E10 petrol:Fiat Barchetta (1.8 litre 16V)Fiat Bravo/Brava 182 (1.6 litre 16V)Fiat Doblò (1.6 litre 16V)Fiat Marea (1.6 litre 16V, 2.0 litre 16V)Fiat Multipla (1.6 litre 16V)Fiat Palio (1.6 litre 16V)Fiat Punto 188: (1.8 litre 16V)More items...•
What problems can E10 fuel cause?
It is believed that the higher bioethanol content in E10 petrol could dislodge deposits in older engines and fuel systems, causing blockages; it could also cause some seals, gaskets, metals and plastics to corrode.
What cars are affected by E10 fuel?
Is my car E10 compatible? If your vehicle was built after 2010 it is compatible with E10 petrol. Most cars built between 2000 and 2010 are also compatible but there are some exceptions, including models from major brands such as Audi, Ford, Mercedes, Toyota and Volkswagen.
Will higher ethanol hurt my car?
Ethanol can damage many parts of your car at concentrations above 10%. Ethanol can destroy gas tanks, fuel pumps, gaskets, and attract moisture into your fuel. Engines can be completely ruined over time if they're not designed for ethanol.
Does ethanol damage fuel lines?
E85 contains up to 85% ethanol and the rest is gasoline. It can be harmful to fuel lines, fuel pumps, and other fuel system components that aren't resistant to ethanol.
Does ethanol affect engine performance?
In addition, ethanol has higher evaporation heat, octane number and flammability temperature therefore it has positive influence on engine performance and reduces exhaust emissions.
Is it OK to put ethanol gas in my car?
E15, often sold at the pump as Unleaded 88, for its octane rating, can safely be used in all cars, trucks and SUVs from 2001 on. Those model years represent more than 90% of vehicles on U.S. roads. The ethanol industry says the fuel is one of the most tested in history and has no effect on vehicle drivability.
Can you run ethanol in a regular engine?
Pure ethanol – 100% ethanol or E100 – could theoretically be used to power cars, but generally isn't, for numerous reasons: Ethanol is bad for cold-starting, because it doesn't burn as quickly as gasoline. (It has a higher octane, if you're interested.) Pure ethanol would be useless as fuel in the winter months.
What is Ethanol?
Ethanol (CH 3 CH 2 OH) is flammable alcohol distilled from plants, chiefly corn. According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, about 98% of gasoline sold in the US contains some amount of ethanol.
Can Old Cars Use Ethanol?
Generally, old cars should avoid ethanol gasoline as much as possible. However, the dose makes the poison, and low levels of ethanol usually don’t do an appreciable amount of damage. However, years of frequent ethanol use can wear out an old motor under the right circumstances.
What is the bad part of ethanol?
The bad part is that we use more energy to make ethanol than the ethanol will produce. This reminds me about the United States penny. We use something that holds a value of $0.01 but it costs $2.41 to produce a penny. What I do not understand is with a tax break being issued for ethanol we set a minimum value on corn. Which increases the cost of corn for food production. Sooner or later the price of the tax break will increase, and thus increase food production - etc. And if you have agricultural animals, you know that prices have jumped over the last couple years. Even bird seed has increased quite rapidly.
Why do we use ethanol over gasoline?
One of the political reasons for using ethanol over gasoline is to prevent America from heading into a greater mercy hold of foreign oil producing countries. Which is a good reason for a purely political nation.
What is ethanol?
Ethanol is the same type of alcohol that is found in an alcoholic drink. It's often used in motor vehicle gasoline as an additive. Our gasoline today contains roughly 10% ethanol, E10. With this fuel composition, it has close to the same amount of energy potential that straight gasoline does, only 2-3% less. And if you want to use ethanol fuel (E100), it takes 1.5 gallons of E100 to equal the same amount of energy given by 1 gallon of gasoline. So you ask why this would be so bad besides the increased cost of running a higher ethanol rated fuel? Why are people starting to use this gas more? Let's take a look at some of the bad and good about ethanol gasoline. We will talk about some general good news, bad news, and how ethanol effects small engines a little more specifically. I always like hearing the bad news first.
How much ethanol was produced in 2011?
So in 2011, with the total acreage of land used for corn puts the United States at a total of 23,845,600,000 gallons of ethanol in one year of 100% of all corn is put towards ethanol. If we changed over to E85 we could produce 27,422,440,000 gallons of E85 if there was no waste.
How many miles per gallon is E10 gas?
The New York Times stated that E10 gasoline, which is the gas we use in America, actually gives you 2-3 miles per gallon less than gasoline. E85 is a flex-fuel with 85% ethanol loses 7-8 miles per gallon.
How long does it take for E10 gas to break down?
The ethanol in E10 gas breaks down quickly. An MTD area representative informed me that E10 begins to break down within 3 weeks. This break down creates clumps in the gasoline mixture at some point and this may clog the filter, carburetor, fuel line, etc. To help prevent this a person should purchase a product such as Sta-bil and add it as directed to their gas. This will help prolong the life of the gas and keep it from harming your small engine as much. Talking with an area small engine repair shop, the E10 breaking down is the major cause of equipment being sent in. And after inspection, diagnosis, repair and testing it generally cost between $50.00 and $60.00 even when the issue is simply bad gas. They drain the system and add new gas that has a stabilizer in it after diagnosing the issue.
Why is Flex Fuel important?
And this increases the cost of food products, which creates competition for the ethanol fuel. Notice that this is the second time that I have mentioned this - it is important. And 328 gallons of ethanol can be created from 1 acre of land.
Why are We Using Ethanol?
Initially, ethanol was added to cars back in 1979 to help reduce carbon monoxide emissions and comply with the government’s air-quality regulations. That’s great news, right? Who doesn’t love saving the planet?
Why is ethanol used in agriculture?
So, a large part of why we’re now using ethanol is to lower the cost of gas, and subsidize farmers. Corn has become a major stream of revenue for farmers, who would probably rather be growing food, but can’t seem to make ends meet by doing so. Therefore, we have an abundance of ethanol, and it has got to go somewhere.
How much ethanol was produced in 2014?
For one, the United States produced 14 billion gallons of ethanol in 2014, which is up 4 billion gallons since 2009. Which, wouldn’t be much of an issue, if not for the fact that our modern engines no longer require the use of ethanol to reach the government’s air-quality regulations.
Why does ethanol separate from gas?
And finally, when an ethanol/gasoline mixture sits stagnant in a gas tank for a long time, it can separate due to a process called phase separation. Phase separation, in short, happens when water finds its way into your gas tank and mixes with the ethanol.
Can ethanol cause problems?
But on the flip side, if you’re driving an older vehicle, the ethanol may be causing problems. Alcohol is a highly corrosive substance that’s hard on plastic, rubber, and even some metals, and over time it will eat away at your vehicle’s most vulnerable components. Additionally, alcohol in an old engine can start to dislodge the build-up of carbon deposits from inside the engine. That may sound like a good thing, but that buildup can actually move into places where it chokes the engine’s fuel supply.
Is ethanol a renewable fuel?
Ethanol is a shortened name for ethyl alcohol, which is a renewable (as long as we can grow crops) fuel source made from plant material. Ethanol is a clear, colorless liquid that in the United States we make almost exclusively from corn. It’s estimated by 2030, ethanol could replace up to 30% of U.S. gasoline demand.
Is ethanol good for cars?
Ethanol is not for every engine, but for some engines it’s a perfectly fine. Older vehicles are more susceptible to the problems caused by the ethanol/gas mixture (water in the gas tank, stagnant gas, rubber hoses, etc), so if you’re driving a classic, we recommend checking out this website for a complete list of gas stations with ethanol-free gasoline. But if you’re driving a vehicle built in the last 10 years, we say you’re good to go. Fill up with your recommended fuel octane, and don’t sweat it from there.
What percentage of gasoline is ethanol?
About 97 percent of all fuel we purchase today has some degree of ethanol in it – mostly at about ten percent volume. So, unless you are committed to fueling up with premium 92-octane gas, you’ve already been burning ethanol. At the moment, E10 gasoline is very common throughout much of the United States.
What Is Ethanol?
Ethanol is a fuel made from ethyl alcohol— the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. It is commonly distilled from plant sources such as corn, grain, grass, and sugar but can also be made from discarded newspaper and other organic substances. As a fuel for your vehicle, it is commonly blended into standard gasoline at about ten percent volume (E10). However, more gas stations are offering higher ethanol content fuels such as 15 percent (E15) and 85 percent (E85).
Why is ethanol better than petroleum gas?
Since ethanol is higher in octane than petroleum gas, it can help you achieve better vehicle performance by increasing horsepower. While more horsepower used to be a key indicator that you would be paying more at the pumps, this is no longer the case.
How does ethanol affect food?
The ethanol production process itself actually creates both animal feed and various food supplements, such as corn oil and syrup, as byproducts. In addition, the introduction of domestically produced biofuels into the fuel system lowers the transportation cost of food and in turn reduces global food prices.
How does ethanol help the United States?
In the United States, ethanol fuel production supports farmers and has created thousands of domestic jobs. It has reduced our dependence on foreign oil and its increasing use brings our nation closer to energy independence. Because of this, the pressure to drill in environmentally sensitive places will be greatly reduced and there will be less need for the construction of new pipelines.
Does ethanol improve horsepower?
Ethanol Improves Engine Performance. Ethanol on its own has a much higher octane rating than normal gas. This means that if you choose to use higher blends of ethanol gasoline, the performance of your car may improve dramatically in the areas of horsepower and torque.
Is ethanol a popular fuel?
As legislation continues to be amended and ethanol becomes a more popular fuel choice across the country, we will begin to see higher-percentage blends at gas pumps.
What is the common mixture of gasoline and ethanol?
The common mixtures AT THIS TIME are E-10, E-15, and E-85. The number after the E is the approximate percentage of ethanol mixed with gasoline.
What is the difference between E-10 and E-15?
E-10 should be viewed as a liquid containing 90 percent fuel, and 10 percent inert filler; E-15 a liquid containing 85 percent fuel and 15 percent inert filler. Also, while the volatility of ethanol is less than that of modern gasoline, the mixture of the two seems to increase the volatility of both. For carburetors manufactured ...
Is ethanol good for older cars?
Many states have jumped on the political bandwagon of pushing ethanol; which may be EXTREMELY DETRIMENTAL to older vehicles. Without going into the politics and/or cost both fiscal and to the environment of using ethanol, this article is designed to help at least keep the older engines running with ethanol fuel. Since we are carburetor specialists only, we will not get into the necessary modifications for fuel tanks, fuel pumps, fuel lines, etc., and leave this area for other specialists.
Does ethanol damage aluminum?
Ethanol-laced fuels will also attack certain metals, especially aluminum. This is probably due to the water solubility property of ethanol. Best advice I can give to minimize this issue is to drive the vehicle more often, not allowing the fuel to get old in the carburetor.
Can you replace a carburetor with a more conventional carburetor?
If one has a more conventional carburetor (no air valve) then the suggestions for post-1935 carburetors may be followed.
