15% Ethanol

[getnpsi]

Its been e10 for as long as i have been driving. With a turbo vehicle, I can tune to make great power with higher doses and e-85. HOWEVER no retail infastructure in California (very regional pumps not along any of my routes or near the house) to make it logical to convert my older car over. Anything with a carb and their operators are going to be hurt by higher and higher doses of E. I believe in the all or nothing approach. Fix the price to where it makes sense for people who drive 500 or more miles a week, or ditch the idea.

Another thing is ethanol raises the effective octane rating of the fuel, but in California we can only purchase 91 octane. Guaranteed higher doses of Ethanol will still be set to 87-91 octane offering zero gains created by higher compression or more agressive ignition timing profiles.

 

[Loobed]

What is the purpose of E15? From what I understand, the 15% of ethanol added costs more to produce than the 15% of gasoline it replaces, and mileage is reduced. Has anyone done a study to see if the reduction in smog is offset by the loss in mileage. If ethanol reduces smog by 1ppm, and it takes you 2 more million parts to get to your destination, then smog has not been reduced.

 

[SteveSRT8]

There needs to be some recognition for the many hazardous products produced when you burn ethanol in a vehicle designed for gasoline.

They might not be called 'smog' but they are very dangerous.

 

[MNgopher]

Agree or disagree with it, the purpose of E15 is to fulfill mandates from the federal governement to increase the consumption of ethanol (which interestingly gets even harder now that our fuel consumption is dropping as it is). Flat out, it is a subsidy to corn farmers, and a poor attempt at reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. It is clearly not based on reducing air pollution (which was the original purpose - where it worked in older equipment to clean up cold weather emmissions).

To be blunt, if the product is labled to be illegal to use in pre-2001 vehicles, how can they legally take away E10? Mandate that its illegal to own and operate a pre-2001 vehicle?

As far as states/locations that don't have an option for E0, all you can do is work with your state/federal legislators to make it happen. Minnesota has had mandatory E10 by state law for well over a decade now, but still makes E0 availible for use in equipment that E10 is not compatible with. Harder to find, yes, but it is availible (and expensive!).

 

[Kestas]

For all this talk about E0 being available in the Midwest, there are no stations near me that sell it. Driving 20 miles out of my way into the ghetto is not my idea of "choice" in buying fuel.

If you can find a station near me in Livonia, MI that sells E0, let me know. I think there are fewer than one in 300 stations that sells E0.

 

[MrWideTires]

lol, living on the coast of Florida has its advantages, widely available pure gasoline (because many people have boats), though it's labeled as recreational fuel.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher
Flat out, it is a subsidy to corn farmers, and a poor attempt at reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
To be blunt, if the product is labled to be illegal to use in pre-2001 vehicles, how can they legally take away E10? Mandate that its illegal to own and operate a pre-2001 vehicle?


I feel certain that this is indeed the intent, just as ridiculously high fuel pricing is perceived as helping green energy programs!

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
For all this talk about E0 being available in the Midwest, there are no stations near me that sell it. Driving 20 miles out of my way into the ghetto is not my idea of "choice" in buying fuel.

If you can find a station near me in Livonia, MI that sells E0, let me know. I think there are fewer than one in 300 stations that sells E0.


Kestas, you can get E0 (premium only)right across the border in Ontario. (not that it would be worth the bother...)

I know that this Ethanol thing is a farm subsidy in disguise, and I guess that's okay given that Farm folk had not had an easy go of things for some time. I don't understand why they don't make pure gasoline available for those who want it, and E10 for those who want that. Let the market decide...

 

[Kestas]

Where? I recently made four trips to Windsor. Canadian gas would be too expensive for my car, but I could at least get a few gallons for my power equipment. I have no problem declaring it at the border.

 

[steveh]

We have some Renew gas stations that sell E20 and E85.

 

[ahoier]

Originally Posted By: cchase
It's ironic that most of the posters in the Midwest can buy E0 and I haven't seen it in years on the East Coast.
Yea....that has me odd too......but it's likely more tax dollars for the midwest states to "ship it" to other states

I just learned of a little mom and pop-ish gas station up the road that carries E0......I'm tempted to try it.....though I heard they charge more for it (no tax credit, like they get for E10 I guess, so they make up for it that way).

So you pay a little bit more (I think last I heard, was right at 4 bucks a gallon.....) but hey, if that extra couple cents, gets me an extra 50+ miles on my tank of fuel......sounds like a win to me

We have a couple "marinas" around here too I heard that sell E0......but it's a pain in the behind if you aren't a member, partly due to the fact that the pumps are at the docks.....so you have to bring a gas can and fill up that way

 

[NismoMax80]

found this but can't see the submit button to sign the petition:
http://www.fuel-testers.com/fuel_choice_petition_2011.html

maybe it's my pc, or their site is buggy.

 

[NismoMax80]

This doesn't sound good for pure gas:

Quote:
Justin,

We do have a 76 branded station in Harrisburg, PA. They receive fuel from our Cahokia, IL terminal, which is most generally supplied with product from our Wood River, IL refinery.

All of our stations are independently owned and operated. The owners of the stations would make the decision to offer no ethanol fuel individually. The blending of ethanol has been mandated both on a federal level as well as in some local areas. The Energy Independence and Security Act, signed by President Bush in December of 2007, requires refiners in the U.S. to blend ethanol at increasing rates each year for the next 15 or so years. As a result, our company and others will be blending ethanol in more and more regions in the future.

Web Consumer Services
1-800-527-5476


btw so 76 is telling me the lone station in my area receives its gas from 785 miles away??? I don't get it. Is this the norm that many stations are supplied from far away states?

 

[Stephen_G]

I, actually welcome the use of more ethanol in fuel.

MTBE is nasty stuff, i would rather put up with the lower fuel economy than to deal with the groundwater contanimation MTBE is known for. My home town has aquafers for its entire water supply, MTBE gets in that, everyone is screwed.

and in New Jersey, there are no E0 stations.

 

[bayfieldkid]

Living like a conforming sheep is how the rest of us are forced into more government regulations and rules. I Live in one of the most beautiful places in the country and I want real Gasoline, not that [censored] most places have now. Instead of bending over, stand up to these jack booted thugs and say NO NO NO....
don't live in fear of something that probably won't happen.

 

[bayfieldkid]

reviving some old posts here... I went through the Midwest last Winter. Put a Tank of that Government Sponsored spew in my tank mileage went from 31 to 23. No thanks I'll stick with real gas please.