Fuel without Ethanol
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 183
Likes: 41
From: N.E. Ohio
Fuel without Ethanol
Have located a source of fuel without ethanol close to my home . I would like to know your thoughts on using that fuel in my 1989 car . I do believe that when my car was new their was no ethanol added to gasoline so I would be going back to using ethanol free gas . Would there be any benefits or downside to doing so ? I would think this would be optimal for winter storage .
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 183
Likes: 41
From: N.E. Ohio
Thanks for the feedback . I just don't want to be the guy that switches to it and then has a problem with seals or other fuel system related components .Those of you that have used it , did you stick with it or go back and forth between it and ethanol blend ? Sorry for all the questions as I have become older and more paranoid . lol
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,146
Likes: 1,730
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
it is all I run in my 88 now, I actually get 0.5mpg better with it in that car.
If it were more available and not as expensive I'd be running it in every vehicle.
If it were more available and not as expensive I'd be running it in every vehicle.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 330
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
Thought it was advised to never run ethanol in the older years, concerns about gaskets and what not, originally not designed for it. Also tuning would be off in the ECM. Works okay in 85-89?
I had an incident with my '87, I put ethanol in since I was a newb and She tanked right away, ran really bad. Barely made it the mile or so to the garage. Drained the tank and put in real gas, back to normal.
My brain is now trying to tell me I failed and put 87ish octane as well, instead of premium, but I'm not sure about that.
I had an incident with my '87, I put ethanol in since I was a newb and She tanked right away, ran really bad. Barely made it the mile or so to the garage. Drained the tank and put in real gas, back to normal.
My brain is now trying to tell me I failed and put 87ish octane as well, instead of premium, but I'm not sure about that.
Last edited by kael; Jun 21, 2021 at 12:39 PM.
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Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 4,195
Likes: 1,318
From: LeClaire Iowa
Thought it was advised to never run ethanol in the older years, concerns about gaskets and what not, originally not designed for it. Also tuning would be off in the ECM. Works okay in 85-89?
I had an incident with my '87, I put ethanol in since I was a newb and She tanked right away, ran really bad. Barely made it the mile or so to the garage. Drained the tank and put in real gas, back to normal.
My brain is now trying to tell me I failed and put 87ish octane as well, instead of premium, but I'm not sure about that.
I had an incident with my '87, I put ethanol in since I was a newb and She tanked right away, ran really bad. Barely made it the mile or so to the garage. Drained the tank and put in real gas, back to normal.
My brain is now trying to tell me I failed and put 87ish octane as well, instead of premium, but I'm not sure about that.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 344
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From: Ontario, Canada
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,227
Likes: 697
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
Thought it was advised to never run ethanol in the older years, concerns about gaskets and what not, originally not designed for it. Also tuning would be off in the ECM. Works okay in 85-89?
I had an incident with my '87, I put ethanol in since I was a newb and She tanked right away, ran really bad. Barely made it the mile or so to the garage. Drained the tank and put in real gas, back to normal.
My brain is now trying to tell me I failed and put 87ish octane as well, instead of premium, but I'm not sure about that.
I had an incident with my '87, I put ethanol in since I was a newb and She tanked right away, ran really bad. Barely made it the mile or so to the garage. Drained the tank and put in real gas, back to normal.
My brain is now trying to tell me I failed and put 87ish octane as well, instead of premium, but I'm not sure about that.
Last edited by Cruisinfanatic; Jun 22, 2021 at 11:34 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,192
Likes: 750
From: near the thumb in the mitten
The fuel system is designed for up.to 10% ethanol. In 2005 gasoline was reformulated and MTBE was eliminated replaced with ethanol . Prolonged use of over 15% may cause fuel system failures. IDK there's a benefit of "Pure Gas" over Top Tier.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,432
Likes: 3,285
From: Hartford WI
Have located a source of fuel without ethanol close to my home . I would like to know your thoughts on using that fuel in my 1989 car . I do believe that when my car was new their was no ethanol added to gasoline so I would be going back to using ethanol free gas . Would there be any benefits or downside to doing so ? I would think this would be optimal for winter storage .
I would dump any car with Multecs I own simply because I don't want to be chained to that one gas station. If I had Bosch, screw the little bit of power loss or MPG. That I have to fill up at a certain station only will not fly with me. Not for a daily driver. I want to be able to fill up without having to drive to that one place.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
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From: LeClaire Iowa
I was under the impression you could have top tier pure gas. Like BP non- ethanol 91 which is both. Dan
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,432
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From: Hartford WI
AFAIK, pure gas is just that. No ethanol. Top Tier has more detergents. I use TT simply because it's there. I also use E10 because I don't want to have to search around or have to find a spot to fill up. Since I don't have Multecs, when I see the last bar on the gauge or lower, I fill up wherever I am at. I don't have to time it to whether I can make this trip work with the amount of gas I have left. The little bit of extra is cool but not enough to justify being tied to only those places that sell pure gas at 93 octane
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 4,195
Likes: 1,318
From: LeClaire Iowa
AFAIK, pure gas is just that. No ethanol. Top Tier has more detergents. I use TT simply because it's there. I also use E10 because I don't want to have to search around or have to find a spot to fill up. Since I don't have Multecs, when I see the last bar on the gauge or lower, I fill up wherever I am at. I don't have to time it to whether I can make this trip work with the amount of gas I have left. The little bit of extra is cool but not enough to justify being tied to only those places that sell pure gas at 93 octane
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,432
Likes: 3,285
From: Hartford WI
Seen 91 mostly but more than 10 years ago, outside my house was a gas station with 93 and everything but that one was E10. It was NOT listed on the pure gas site. There are a few in WI that ARE listed with 93 and even someone carrying 100 octane
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 183
Likes: 41
From: N.E. Ohio
I'm missing your point . I'm pretty certain ethanol was added around 2005 . So my 1989 model for it's first 16 years had to run on gasoline without ethanol since it was only added in 2005 . So , how could a car manufactured 16 years prior to ethanol be designed for up to 10 % ethanol ? I'm sure no GM engineer saw that one coming and was being pro active ,
Last edited by DALE53; Jun 22, 2021 at 11:28 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,227
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From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
I'm missing your point . I'm pretty certain ethanol was added around 2005 . So my 1989 model for it's first 16 years had to run on gasoline without ethanol since it was only added in 2005 . So , how could a car manufactured 16 years prior to ethanol be designed for up to 10 % ethanol ? I'm sure no GM engineer saw that one coming and was being pro active ,
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 183
Likes: 41
From: N.E. Ohio
So your saying my 1989 was fueled with ethanol added fuel right from the get go ? I'm not trying to be combative , just trying to understand . It's just not something I ever paid attention to , the evolution of gasoline . lol