Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad
Originally Posted By: WylieCoyote
Never had an issue that could be traced back to Ethanol. However, I did have a problem that I traced back to using non-Top Tier fuel. A few years after running my new '05 Sport Trac on Racetrac gas, the fuel gauge started getting lazy.
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Top Tier is very good fuel, regardless of octane or alcohol content. But the additive is effective at *very low* concentrations. Google reveals some tests done by VW on the additives typically found in Top Tier fuels. Concentrations below what is found in the fuel was still effective.
So, you could probably fill up on third-party or independent low-additive or no-additive fuels, provided you follow that up with some Top Tier every x number of fills. Maybe every fifth or so (just a guess).
E0 is not available here (or if it is, you don't know it, as all public road vehicle fuel is allowed "up to" 10% Ethanol, and they don't have to tell you if it does or does not contain alcohol up to that amount).
Oil from the Husky Energy refinery has the most alcohol content, right at 10%, but it also has higher octane at the same or slightly lower price (regular is 89, premium is 94, versus 87 and 93 at Top Tier stations).
Alcohol is funny in some ways ... it mixes perfectly with both water and petroleum, so it can clean out water in your fuel tank, but at the same time it contains at least 5% water (if it is refined to more than 95% purity, as soon as it is exposed to the atmosphere it absorbs the 5% from the air). It's also corrosive to some materials, although road vehicles aren't made from alcohol-susceptible materials anymore and haven't been for quite a while. So it makes a good winter fuel (no gas line antifreeze will be needed) but not so good in summer.
I've never noticed much difference in fuel consumption but it does have slightly less energy than gasoline so over a 1000 miles or so there must be a noticeable penalty. Probably not noticeable over lesser mileage though. I'd say it's similar to small differences in tire diameter as far as fuel cost goes.
I don’t know about Canada but all gasoline in the us has to have a certain amount of addative in it no mater what it is.
Ethanol added to fuel is over 99.9% alcohol before it is denatured. It does not absorb 5% water from the air not to mention it is never in contact with air unless it is in a tank small enough to not have and internal floating roof. 5% would be a massive amount of water to have in anything and take a very very long time accumulate from the air.
