Crusade Against Ethanol

[H D]

A post I just made in another thread prompted me to post this. I have been a proponent of non-ethanol gas for a while now. I'll copy what I posted in the other thread for one experience that I keep seeming to duplicate.



"Use non-ethanol gas if you can find it. I feel like a crusader against ethanol, but my truck runs so much better with non-ethanol. I just did a 260+ mile round trip to the off road park yesterday and I'm estimating that I'm still in the high teens on gas mileage, even with 35s and now a roof basket with a 35" spare on top. Averaged probably 60 mph on the way there and 70 mph on the way back (had to catch the Dawgs playing). I used 3/4 of a tank for the entire trip, there and back, including the strenuous activity I forced on it off road. If I just count the road miles and totally exclude what I did off road, I ran 266 miles (according to Google maps not my inaccurate odometer) on about 15, let's say 17 to be safe, gallons of gas. Conservative estimates put me at 15 mpg; more reasonable estimates put me over 17. Is anyone's stock STs with ethanol-abused gas getting 17 mpg in conditions less strenuous than I have required of my truck?"



Similar experiences by others? Disputes? Do I just have an awesomely fuel efficient ST and the non-ethanol gas isn't making a difference or is ethanol as evil as I believe? For the record, I run cheap Kroger gasoline with 10% ethanol in the Edge because we get a dollar off per gallon each month and only have to fill it up once per month. No fuel efficiency gains outweigh $1/off per gallon, lol.

 

[H D]

I think I've mentioned here before that running 40 psi in my 35" tires and non-ethanol gas was still netting me 20+ mpg. If the tires didn't wear unevenly in the center at that high of PSI, I'd still be doing it.

 

[Travis Stevens]

There isn't anywhere around here that sells non ethanol gas... I wish there was because I'm only getting about 12-14 Highway... Once I get the 4.56 gears in that should change a little bit... not that it matters to me since I'm running 35 inch tires and all lol

 

[Kevin Lang]

Is anyone's stock STs with ethanol-abused gas getting 17 mpg in conditions less strenuous than I have required of my truck?"

Mine is, and it has only ever run the 10%-at-minimum ethanol-laced gasoline that is everywhere in MD.



I wish I could tell you what my ST gets in highway driving running ethanol-free gas but Gas untainted by ethanol is rarer than hens' teeth here. Pumps proudly proclaim that they proffer 10% (minimum) ethanol, but seemingly none advertise that they are pumping out pure, ethanol-free gasoline. Considering the political leanings of MD as a whole, I am not surprised. We have state-sponsored signs pointing the way to the few E85 and LNG stations...:banghead: :boohoo:



I agree, end the bogus corn farmer kickback. :angry:

 

[mike burns 3]

I have a station near were I work that sells non-ethanol. I used to make a point to stop in a fill up on the way to work but I cant tell the difference so I just started getting gas at the cheapest place.

 

[EddieS'04]

All we have is 10% ethenol. I have started using the ethenol conditioner, for small engines. Even 10% messes up the carburators. Especialy 2 cycle motors.



I store 30 gallons durring hurricane season. For my generator. I used Lucas ethenol conditioner this year. Sta-bil makes some now also. The red sta-bil helps, but not as good as the yellow sta-bil. The yellow is a perservative and ethenol conditioner.



The big dogs in DC want to boost ethenol to 20% at the pumps. That will cause alot of problems for our cars. If they are not E85 ready.



The ethenol alcohol eats on steel fuel lines, o-rings and potted alluminum parts. When they are not ethenol ready. Ethenol arorbs moisture also.



Im glad my '04 is E85 ready. I still hate the stuff. It is hurting the consumer in many ways. The farmers may be getting supplements. It is the middle man getting rich though. Most likely half of DC has their $$ tied up in that market.

 

[H D]

Ok, so y'all are getting high teens on ethanol-tainted gas. I'm getting high teens with non-ethanol running 35" mud terrains and a roof basket holding a sailing mast of a 35x12.5 tire. Maybe it's not the gas, but I'll just keep paying for the non-ethanol. No sense in changing something if it's working. Not that it would really matter anyway as far as price savings. I only fill up once a month if I don't do a trip like Saturday's.

 

[Gavin Allan]

We have a few Top Tier stations that sell non-ethanol premium around here. I always get that for my small engines, especially two-stroke engines are not doing well on ethanol. My motorcycle seems to run better on the stuff too.



BTW: You can't fight city hall, and you can't fight BIG CORN.



Here is a paper on ethanol issues:

 

[H D]

My station has already said that they doubt they will have it long after the start of next year based on information from their supplier. The owner is telling me that non-ethanol gasoline will be all but impossible to find this time next year.

 

[Kevin Lang]

I have come into possession of an ancient International Harvester Farmall tractor. While it has been running ethanol-laced gas for a number of years now (E10 has been around MD for an eternity, it seems) and seems well enough, I do have concerns about the continued use of it with ethanol.



Even Wikipedia, a place that seems horribly biased when it comes to any topic even remotely political, seems disenchanted with ethanol. It even acknowledges the loss of efficiency due to lower energy density (if they keep this up I might suspect Wiki has something approaching integrity :grin.



So when President obama was telling us that we could solve our energy woes by inflating our tires, why didn't he mention the more-effective tactic of taking this impotent rot out of our gas? I ask, but I already know the answer. :banghead:

 

[H D]

If anybody isn't already aware, the agriculture lobby is the most organized and powerful lobby in the US. Check out the current farm bill if you have a couple years to devote to reading.

 

[Gavin Allan]

KL- you probably need to be concerned no only with ethanol, but the lack of lead additives that keep the older exhaust valves from burning. You probably need to use the lead additive.

 

[Gavin Allan]

Hugh is right. I was in Washington DC a few years ago, and the tour guide told us that the Dept of Agriculture was the largest federal agency- it had the most employees and its offices used the most square footage than any other agency.

 

[Gavin Allan]

If you have to use ethanol, at least make sure you are using gasoline that meets Top Tier standards:

 

[EddieS'04]

A friend of mine has a yamaha 850. He let it sit for a couple of months. The E10 asorbed koisture and settled in the bottom of the tank. Screwed up the carbs. After draining and new fuel. Also several fuel treatments. It is starting to run normal.

Made it sound like it had a burnt valve.

 

[Supercharged SVT]

Balance out - same mpg as most 4.6 3V guys here except my E85 blown machine = 487 Horsepower to the wheels - Premium Fuel on a Blown Machine would near $5 per gallon and i am still scoring $3.18 per gallon - shy of blowing out mufflers - its a win-win against big oil and for american horsepower

 

[H D]

Wanna drop a supercharged V8 ethanol machine into my truck for me?

 

[Kevin Lang]

- its a win-win against big oil and for american horsepower

Except for that 15% of your E85 that comes from "Big Oil".



Is "Big Corn" better than "Big Oil"?



Driving an E85-only machine in my area would give me "range anxiety" worse than driving a diesel car or a hybrid on a road trip as there are few stations around. Lots of signs, but they just point the long way to the few stations.

 

[Supercharged SVT]

there is an App for that - E85 Finder - I felt the same way until I got the App -



Big oil, made in china, it's a loose - loose for all America

 

[Kevin Lang]

Oil comes from China??



I'd still prefer to not use to drive what I, directly or indirectly, use to eat.



What happened to the days when the only widespread funky corn products were booze? HFCS, ethanol.



I'm trying to not even think about the ethanol that can be made from inedible plants that would consume farmland or the weird algae that our current administration showed some interest in. Especially since I don't have a single vehicle marked as flex fuel compatible. TBH I'm surprised it hasn't become a government mandate with the way things have been going.