prostreeter

81 corvette should i run ethenol or non ethenol

Revi

It doesn't matter. Whatever is the most convenient to buy.

cv67

Faster Rat

If it will sit for a long period of time, better to not have any ethanol in the system. Attracts moisture and deteriorates fuel system components.

PainfullySlow

Ethanol is the devil. If you have the option, run without.

pigfarmer

All I can get around here is 10% ethanol gas - definitely NOT E85. I use the 93 octane and throw a can of SeaFoam in it every few tanks. I definitely make sure the gas it's stored with has that stuff in it. Hasn't caused me any problems this season after about 1600 miles.

Been using the same gas and SeaFoam for years in my bike, lawn equipment, snow thrower, generator etc. No problem with any of that whatsoever. My F150 gets slight worse mileage with ethanol, that's all I've noticed.

A good friend disagrees and goes out of his way to lug jerry cans home. Whatever works for you I guess is the answer.

Indiancreek

Ethanol can kill small engines if let sit to long. I've done a lot of repair to fuel systems on them. If I had to guess 80% of the repairs that are brought in are related to ethanol. I think the ethanol will separate if let sit like over winter. I see damage to aluminum that looks like the separation line in the carbs. I don't know why it would change in cars or trucks. The small engine carbs are significantly smaller so more easily damaged. I can't prove it but I wouldn't doubt that ethanol may be responsible for the rusting out of fuel lines that have seemed to accelerated over the last 20 or so years. Just my opinion.

ntfday

IMHO, ethanol would die without government subsidies and it should. It costs more energy to produce than it's worth and takes up land that could and should be producing feed for livestock.

pigfarmer

Well, could very well be. Interesting. I'm pretty careful to clean and service everything and make sure the fuel is fresh as I mentioned above before I put my stuff away. I never leave gas in small engines - drain the tanks and fuel bowls and run them dry. Not everybody does that and even non-ethanol gas can booger things up if left to sit. I never could understand how people can tie up a chunk of $$ in equipment and then not do simple maintenance.

As for E10, crap I really don't know. There are a lot of strong opinions about it and no doubt they have merit. Just don't have any alternative and so far so good with what I've been using it for. I just had a bleak thought that my 'vette's been around almost 50 years. I wonder if decades from now there will even BE fuel of any kind to run it on. Of course at that point it won't be my problem ......

Nowhere Man

it was in the gas when the car was new. no one seemed to care until someone told you it was bad

ntfday

In 1981?

Faster Rat

No way. Started in Brazil in 1976. Only amounted to 1% of total US gasoline sales in 2000.

Nowhere Man

http://www.fuel-testers.com/ethanol_fuel_history.html

derekderek

And it is all about the subsidys. It takes almost a gallon of gas to distill a gallon of ethanol.

BLUE1972

Your car will run ok on the 10%.

Earlier years with higher compressions will not be as happy. Remember you have to burn 25% more ethanol / alcohol to produce the same power - thus the mixture leans out / power drops. (2 to 4% depending on how much ALC in the fuel)

Use Stable or Marvel Mystery - to preserve the fuel as the alcohol will absorb moisture and eventually corrode the tank, lines and fuel system.

I keep the tanks as full as possible to reduce moisture in the tank.

ntfday

AIRCRAFT:
FAA banned ethanol a long time ago (around the 1960's) for use in aircraft. - 2006 FAA and EEA issues statements to the public, warning never to use ethanol in aircraft, since ethanol blends are now widespread at (non-aircraft) gas pumps.

I guess they don't want aircraft to start falling out of the sky.

Mark Ca

Any problems adding boostane to 91 octane?

doorgunner

To each his own......after 5 years of trying different gasoline I have found that a quality ethanol gasoline gives better mpg over cheaper fuels, even though it costs 30 cents per gallon more.

Same deal with non-ethanol......the price differential is worth the benefit to the fuel system FOR ME.

7T1vette

Ethanol-added gasolines will get you LESS fuel mileage than 100% gas. I check my mileage at every fill, and 10% ethanol gets me about 5% worse mileage. And since E10 gas is about 5% less money, it's about a wash, financially speaking. And, if I am driving the car regularly, I don't care which gas I use.

I buy ethanol-free gas when I can. And if I am going to let the car sit for any amount of time, I'll fill it with 100% gas before storing it.

74Ken

It's not about the car running well on Ethanol gas or not, it's whether you have a carb or not. Ethanol gums up carbs.
It collects moisture in your gas tank and gums up fuel filters as well.

My rule is this:
Ethanol free gas for all of my toys (anything with a carb) and regular junk in my daily driver (fuel injection).

Make your own decision. I made mine after having 5 engines gummed up at the cottage.