10% ethanol
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,329
Likes: 0
10% ethanol
Always like to use premium Shell gas - however several of the Shell stations have been putting signs on the pumps, "may contain 10% ethanol." Is this going to be a problem?? I prefer not use the gas with ethanol.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 553
Likes: 0
From: Cape Coral Florida
they stuff is garbage in so many different ways, loss milage and now pings at 4k and thats shell 93 i was told to try mobile by another hopped up ls1 gto i hoped the tree huggers like the fact that ethanol creates pollution to make and i now burn more fuel to get to the same place more carbon dioxide all the way around and my cornflakes now cost more thank you tree huggers. esp ones who drive big suvs seems to be the trend. im all for a cleaner enviroment i spend everyday in LI sound but try again ethanol is a failer 
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 238
Likes: 0
From: allen texas
it doesn't seem to bother mine any. Ethanol just doesn't work well with cars that have any kind of mileage. It acts as a real strong cleaner and starts picking stuff up from the bottom of the tank and sending it through the fuel system messing up stuff along the way. Also loosen up a lot of deposits in the motor. Older carbureted cars have the most problems
Last edited by f355bird; Feb 28, 2008 at 02:28 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
There was an interesting article in one of the magazines where they took a Vette and converted it to E85. It required bigger injectors and reprogramming but they picked up around quite a few hp as I recall (over 20 but I don't remember the exact number). They put it out there as a performance mod. The issue was the mileage dropped by 50% 
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 3
From: East Hampton CT
Agreed...MTBE was way better as an oxygenator but horrible for the environment (as well as pregnant mothers).....E10 is worse. Sure Ethanol burns clean, increases octane, and decreases emissions...but at the price of at least 5-10% fuel economy reduction...the difference is easily offset. Not to mention that the increased ethanol is starting to wreak havoc on non fuel injected motors (boats, ATV's, motorcycles,lawn equipment) where it evaporates quickly and leaves behind a white powdery residue that clogs jets and passages in carbs. I've had to clean out all of my powersports carbs recently since the switch to E10. It's truly horrible, even carb cleaner doesn't dissolve the white residue (corrosion)....you need an ultrasonic cleaner to knock it all loose.
Running it won't hurt your car, but it sure drops hp and economy!
Running it won't hurt your car, but it sure drops hp and economy!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,080
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From: Houston TX
they stuff is garbage in so many different ways, loss milage and now pings at 4k and thats shell 93 i was told to try mobile by another hopped up ls1 gto i hoped the tree huggers like the fact that ethanol creates pollution to make and i now burn more fuel to get to the same place more carbon dioxide all the way around and my cornflakes now cost more thank you tree huggers. esp ones who drive big suvs seems to be the trend. im all for a cleaner enviroment i spend everyday in LI sound but try again ethanol is a failer
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
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St. Jude Donor '17
Le Mans Master
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St. Jude Donor '17
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,558
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From: Cape Coral FL
With the increased octane you could theoretically up your compression to say 13:1, tune for that, get much more hp and bump the mpg too. I think that would be the best way to deal with ethanol's performance hit. As far as reliability, I think you'd have to replace the gaskets and rubber fittings in the fuel system or the ethanol will dry them out and ruin them. Then there would be the risk of fuel leaks, fires, crashes, and death.
One large benefit is all the grain that the farmers are getting paid by the government to store via subsidies can now be sold for fuel.
Also, since you burn more gas, you'll be paying more taxes on it. I doubt they'll give you a tax break because you're burning ethanol.
Another advancement in technology forced upon us by the geniuses of the EPA.
I remember the EPA issued a mandate some years ago that all toilets would have to reduce the water usage from 3 gallons per flush to 1 gallon per flush. The idea was that it would save water. The problem with that was you needed to flush the toilet 3 to 4 times to get a good clean flush because they would frequently clog and ended up using more water than with the other toilet.
Better living through lawyers specifying technology.
One large benefit is all the grain that the farmers are getting paid by the government to store via subsidies can now be sold for fuel.
Also, since you burn more gas, you'll be paying more taxes on it. I doubt they'll give you a tax break because you're burning ethanol.
Another advancement in technology forced upon us by the geniuses of the EPA.
I remember the EPA issued a mandate some years ago that all toilets would have to reduce the water usage from 3 gallons per flush to 1 gallon per flush. The idea was that it would save water. The problem with that was you needed to flush the toilet 3 to 4 times to get a good clean flush because they would frequently clog and ended up using more water than with the other toilet.
Better living through lawyers specifying technology.
