Winter,Ethanol,Running Rich
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 760
Likes: 1
From: Greenwich, CT
Re ethanol in gasoline:
Ethanol is added to the 'winter blend' in some locations as an oxygenate,
replacing MTBE as of a year or two ago.
Anhydrous ethanol is about the same density as motor gas, but contains
only about 70% of the heating value of gasoline.
Since the fuel injectors are a VOLUMETRIC flow control device, any ethanol
blended into the fuel supply will make the engine run relatively LEANER than
straight gasoline, all else being equal.
If the O2 sensor is working correctly, it's able to compensate for minor alcohol
addition to the fuel supply without user adjustment.
Ethanol addition doesn't make an engine run rich, so if you in fact have this
problem it's not due to the fuel blend. HTH
Ethanol is added to the 'winter blend' in some locations as an oxygenate,
replacing MTBE as of a year or two ago.
Anhydrous ethanol is about the same density as motor gas, but contains
only about 70% of the heating value of gasoline.
Since the fuel injectors are a VOLUMETRIC flow control device, any ethanol
blended into the fuel supply will make the engine run relatively LEANER than
straight gasoline, all else being equal.
If the O2 sensor is working correctly, it's able to compensate for minor alcohol
addition to the fuel supply without user adjustment.
Ethanol addition doesn't make an engine run rich, so if you in fact have this
problem it's not due to the fuel blend. HTH
