No more Ethanol free gas in Canada?
- Thread starter JWC86
- Start date
I heard it was the opposite. They start with 85 oct and add the ethanol for the +points.The way I understand it is that the highest octane gas has no ethanol, (94)
It's when you want a lower octane level and then it mixes with the lower octane gas which has ethanol.
At least this what the chicken entrails tell the soothsayer!!
I posted on this earlier. It’s over in Ontario. All gasoline purchased has 10% ethanol.The way I understand it is that the highest octane gas has no ethanol, (94)
It's when you want a lower octane level and then it mixes with the lower octane gas which has ethanol.
At least this what the chicken entrails tell the soothsayer!!
There really isn’t a technical correlation between octane rating and the presence of EtOH. Here in southeastern Wisconsin you cannot purchase E0 regardless of the octane rating. Not even at the Milwaukee Marina.The way I understand it is that the highest octane gas has no ethanol, (94)
It's when you want a lower octane level and then it mixes with the lower octane gas which has ethanol.
At least this what the chicken entrails tell the soothsayer!!
This is aftermarket hose that is available over the counter. Not necessarily the same quality as whatever is put on cars from the factory now.
Me too until Huayi Chinese carburetor on my Loncin OHV chonda on my new Toro junk snowblower.
But. It may just be a plugged gas filter straw in the tank. Carb looked clean when I tore it apart. Idle and mid throttle works OK.
Surges on WOT under load or not.
Couple of notes:
#1 - Ontario rules seem more restrictive at first glance (even after NOTA comment about not raising above 10%) but only apply to regular gas - 89 octane and above are exempt - so not the problem
#2 - Federal rules seem to be driving the changes we are seeing (eg my local Canadian Tire in Bowmanville no longer selling E0) and do not have useful exemptions but do seem to be average-based and so sales of small amounts of E0 are not blocked as long as the overall mix meets the rules... it's just a big PITA for the refiners and distributors
#3 - if you look at pure-gas.org there has been a huge drop in the number of stations offering E0, but the number of remaining stations is sufficiently small that it has become practical for people (including me) to regularly test gas from the remaining stations rather than relying on what may be out-of-date stickers
#4 - there is not much available in major city centers but an hour's drive from most parts of the province gets you E0
If nothing else this means we can get through another winter with fresh E0 without having to drive to the US border just to pick up fresh gasoline. I don't know how long this will last but I recently cycled 2 20-litre cans through the truck and refilled with E0 marine from Smokes, and will be doing the same with the other 2 20 litre cans on Sunday from the Shell in Cobourg.
Bonus points to Smokes for having a dedicated hose for E0 Marine 91+ gas so I don't have to dump the first few litres into my truck.
In case things get worse in the future I am exploring two approaches in parallel - first making sure I have a good protocol for rotating E10 through generators and similar low-usage equipment, and second making sure I have a good source of good quality E0 even if it is stupidly expensive.
I am going to try to pick up at least one 5-gallon drum of Sunoco Optima as well as look into buying 5 gallon drums of VP Racing SEF in Ontario. There are a number of VP Racing dealers but it's not clear if any of them offer canned fuel in anything over a 1 liter can.
#1 - Ontario rules seem more restrictive at first glance (even after NOTA comment about not raising above 10%) but only apply to regular gas - 89 octane and above are exempt - so not the problem
#2 - Federal rules seem to be driving the changes we are seeing (eg my local Canadian Tire in Bowmanville no longer selling E0) and do not have useful exemptions but do seem to be average-based and so sales of small amounts of E0 are not blocked as long as the overall mix meets the rules... it's just a big PITA for the refiners and distributors
#3 - if you look at pure-gas.org there has been a huge drop in the number of stations offering E0, but the number of remaining stations is sufficiently small that it has become practical for people (including me) to regularly test gas from the remaining stations rather than relying on what may be out-of-date stickers
#4 - there is not much available in major city centers but an hour's drive from most parts of the province gets you E0
If nothing else this means we can get through another winter with fresh E0 without having to drive to the US border just to pick up fresh gasoline. I don't know how long this will last but I recently cycled 2 20-litre cans through the truck and refilled with E0 marine from Smokes, and will be doing the same with the other 2 20 litre cans on Sunday from the Shell in Cobourg.
Bonus points to Smokes for having a dedicated hose for E0 Marine 91+ gas so I don't have to dump the first few litres into my truck.
In case things get worse in the future I am exploring two approaches in parallel - first making sure I have a good protocol for rotating E10 through generators and similar low-usage equipment, and second making sure I have a good source of good quality E0 even if it is stupidly expensive.
I am going to try to pick up at least one 5-gallon drum of Sunoco Optima as well as look into buying 5 gallon drums of VP Racing SEF in Ontario. There are a number of VP Racing dealers but it's not clear if any of them offer canned fuel in anything over a 1 liter can.
Hmm... OK, looks like there is a time window for editing and I missed it.
The part I haven't figured out yet re: what to do when stuck with E10 or worse is how to deal with intermittently-used equipment like generators.
For seasonally used equipment the best practice for E10 seems to be to pump out the tank at the end of the season (or even more frequently) and leave the tank empty until next use, but what I currently do with generators is (a) keep the tank full of stabilized E0, (b) run every month or so, (c) turn off the fuel valve and run the carb mostly empty between runs.
For generators and E10+ fuel I'm starting to think that a completely different protocol might be best - run the generator much less frequently, eg once or twice a year, then pump out the gas and keep the tank empty between runs.
That doesn't help with fuel storage (I normally keep 80 litres / 20 gallons) but presumably stabilized E10 in a nearly-full fuel can with no venting should be good for at least a few months.
In theory this should all be easier once I retire and have time to rebuild carbs as needed, but the problem with that strategy is that I am not very good at it now plus I will be even older. Bleah... I was quite happy with spending a few extra $$ for E0 in exchange for all my OPE just working when I needed it.
The part I haven't figured out yet re: what to do when stuck with E10 or worse is how to deal with intermittently-used equipment like generators.
For seasonally used equipment the best practice for E10 seems to be to pump out the tank at the end of the season (or even more frequently) and leave the tank empty until next use, but what I currently do with generators is (a) keep the tank full of stabilized E0, (b) run every month or so, (c) turn off the fuel valve and run the carb mostly empty between runs.
For generators and E10+ fuel I'm starting to think that a completely different protocol might be best - run the generator much less frequently, eg once or twice a year, then pump out the gas and keep the tank empty between runs.
That doesn't help with fuel storage (I normally keep 80 litres / 20 gallons) but presumably stabilized E10 in a nearly-full fuel can with no venting should be good for at least a few months.
In theory this should all be easier once I retire and have time to rebuild carbs as needed, but the problem with that strategy is that I am not very good at it now plus I will be even older. Bleah... I was quite happy with spending a few extra $$ for E0 in exchange for all my OPE just working when I needed it.
Thanks for the info. We have a vp racing station in Harrington (north of Kingston). They're the only station I know of still claiming to have ethanol free. I will be going there with my Oldsmobile for it's final gas before storage and a bunch for storing my lawn equipment.
I believe most people in our area are still under the impression that 91 has e0 and that's what everyone puts in their ope.
Yep, that's what I see around here as well... seems like over the last decade or two everyone has come to think of octane and ethanol as being inexorably linked together, as if the ethanol in regular gas somehow reduces the octane rating rather than increasing it.
I don't keep a huge stash for financial reasons and fear of fire, so I don't
I'm speaking from personal experience, friends and family as well as many people that work on this equipment.
Maybe not.
Got fuel today at Wolf Energy, gas station located on a reserve just south of Parry Sound.
Regular gas was priced about 13 cents a litre lower than the closest Esso, and pump had "ethanol free" sticker along with this banner.
Different rules for different folks?
After over what, 30 years you’d think those OPE manufacturers would step up their game. Or perhaps they just like selling parts.
What do you suggest? A EFI system on a lawn mower?
Metals and elastomers that are resistant, much like automobiles have been for decades.
Ya all the modern carb autos are running great. This ethanol doesn’t even seem to affect them… guess it’s the metal they use and the elastomer materials…
Canada is so woke even the gasoline has gone woke.
First Nations. Can’t say more. It wouldn’t be woke.Maybe not.
Got fuel today at Wolf Energy, gas station located on a reserve just south of Parry Sound.
Regular gas was priced about 13 cents a litre lower than the closest Esso, and pump had "ethanol free" sticker along with this banner.
Different rules for different folks?
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