Ethanol and Corvette
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Boise Idaho
Ethanol and Corvette
Question: How do Corvettes C5 and C6's get along with ethanol?
I live in a state that 91 octane is max unless I go to a station that adds
a 10% ethanol mixture. By doing that they rate the octane at 93.
I have always heard that ethanol is not good for engines. Would hate
to use it and trash a new L2 engine in a C6.
I live in a state that 91 octane is max unless I go to a station that adds
a 10% ethanol mixture. By doing that they rate the octane at 93.
I have always heard that ethanol is not good for engines. Would hate
to use it and trash a new L2 engine in a C6.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 10,084
Likes: 3,055
From: CA
Originally Posted by TabascoC6
Question: How do Corvettes C5 and C6's get along with ethanol?
I live in a state that 91 octane is max unless I go to a station that adds
a 10% ethanol mixture. By doing that they rate the octane at 93.
I have always heard that ethanol is not good for engines. Would hate
to use it and trash a new L2 engine in a C6.
I live in a state that 91 octane is max unless I go to a station that adds
a 10% ethanol mixture. By doing that they rate the octane at 93.
I have always heard that ethanol is not good for engines. Would hate
to use it and trash a new L2 engine in a C6.
Michael
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,200
Likes: 14
From: Playa Vista CA
Originally Posted by Michael A
Methanol is the one that's the really engine enemy. I believe GM says Ethanol up to 15% is OK (check your manual). I live in California, and they are already putting in Ethanol for 91 octane.
Michael
Michael
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 12,712
Likes: 2,270
Ethanol is the most common "oxygenate", and oxygenates are required in some parts of the country during the winter. In CA it is in our RFG II gasoline year round, but slightly less in summer than winter. It replaced MTBE that was recently outlawed.
Modern fuel systems are designed to operate on oxygenated fuels. Since ethanol oxygenated gasoline will absorb moisture more readily, there is increased potential for corrosion in the long term, particularly on cars that don't see a lot of mileage accumulation.
Duke
Modern fuel systems are designed to operate on oxygenated fuels. Since ethanol oxygenated gasoline will absorb moisture more readily, there is increased potential for corrosion in the long term, particularly on cars that don't see a lot of mileage accumulation.
Duke
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 12,712
Likes: 2,270
Originally Posted by Joezone914
Thanx a lot for that info. Out of curiousity does the 100 octain fuel out here need more ethanol meaning is it more harmful to my engine than it is fun?
Duke
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,200
Likes: 14
From: Playa Vista CA
Originally Posted by SWCDuke
I would not describe ethanol as "harmful". Useless and expensive is more appropriate. I believe that the 100 PON Unocal gasoline has about the same amount of ethanol as common blends. Ethanol is an octane enhancer, but the Unocal 100 PON is achieved primarily by the hydrocarbon blend.
Duke
Duke
Thank you very much for all the info.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,130
Likes: 54
From: Granbury, Pecan Plantation TX
Originally Posted by TabascoC6
Question: How do Corvettes C5 and C6's get along with ethanol?
I live in a state that 91 octane is max unless I go to a station that adds
a 10% ethanol mixture. By doing that they rate the octane at 93.
I have always heard that ethanol is not good for engines. Would hate
to use it and trash a new L2 engine in a C6.
I live in a state that 91 octane is max unless I go to a station that adds
a 10% ethanol mixture. By doing that they rate the octane at 93.
I have always heard that ethanol is not good for engines. Would hate
to use it and trash a new L2 engine in a C6.
Gasoline Octane
Use premium unleaded gasoline with posted octane of 91 or higher for best performance. You may also use middle grade or regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but your vehicle's acceleration may be slightly reduced.
Additives
Gasoline containing oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasoline. GM recommends you use these to contribute to clean air.
NOTE: Your vehicle is not designed for fuel that contain methanol. Damage caused by use of methanol would not be covered under your warranty.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 10,084
Likes: 3,055
From: CA
Originally Posted by SWCDuke
Ethanol is the most common "oxygenate", and oxygenates are required in some parts of the country during the winter. In CA it is in our RFG II gasoline year round, but slightly less in summer than winter. It replaced MTBE that was recently outlawed.
Duke
Duke
Michael
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 12,712
Likes: 2,270
The best science and engineering says that oxygenates have little value and are not at all justified because they increase fuel cost and fuel consumption while returning virtually nothing.
It's purely a political issue now. Write your Congressmen and Senators. The requirement is being driven by the EPA.
Duke
It's purely a political issue now. Write your Congressmen and Senators. The requirement is being driven by the EPA.
Duke
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,551
Likes: 0
From: Making my plane take off from a treadmill
If you wan't real oxegenated fuel go buy a can of VP Racing U4 fuel. we ran it on a c5 with a wideband tuned at 12.? across the bored on 91. with the U4 it was running at almost 16:1 (15.8:1) to be exact. that stuff is insane and it's leaded. only try it if you don't have cats and don't really care for your o2's
3rd Gear
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Octane
I live in Sweden and the only gas we have here is unleaded 95 and 98. That translates into more performance, right? That is fun and all, but the gas price here is steep to say the least, we´re talking 1,2$ per litre, not sure about the gallon price.
/Peter
/Peter
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 12,712
Likes: 2,270
There are at least three different ways to measure octane number - Research Octane Number (RON), Motor Octane Number (MON) and Pump Octane Number (PON), which is the arithmetic average of RON and MON.
In the US PON is the standard? An estimate of RON can be made by adding 4 to 5, and MON can be estimated by subtracting 4 to 5.
A different test is used for aircraft gasoline octane number, but the result is close to MON.
So which of the above methods are used for octane number rating in Sweden, or maybe there is a different standard in Europe?
Maximum performance is achieved if octane is sufficient to prevent any detonation that causes the PCM to retard the spark. In normal weather and driving conditions this is probably achieved with 93 PON.
Duke
In the US PON is the standard? An estimate of RON can be made by adding 4 to 5, and MON can be estimated by subtracting 4 to 5.
A different test is used for aircraft gasoline octane number, but the result is close to MON.
So which of the above methods are used for octane number rating in Sweden, or maybe there is a different standard in Europe?
Maximum performance is achieved if octane is sufficient to prevent any detonation that causes the PCM to retard the spark. In normal weather and driving conditions this is probably achieved with 93 PON.
Duke
Last edited by SWCDuke; Aug 16, 2004 at 11:09 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 45,290
Likes: 892
From: Texas
CI 1-4-5-8-9-10 Vet
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '10, '17
Originally Posted by SWCDuke
The best science and engineering says that oxygenates have little value and are not at all justified because they increase fuel cost and fuel consumption while returning virtually nothing.
It's purely a political issue now. Write your Congressmen and Senators. The requirement is being driven by the EPA.
Duke
It's purely a political issue now. Write your Congressmen and Senators. The requirement is being driven by the EPA.
Duke
Gotta get the Iowa, Nebraska, and IL vote, who cares if it really works? 
Only heard bad things about that Ethanol.>George
