what fuel is safe?

[brute4c]

Alcohol has about 55% the btu output of gasoline...so Kwai is exactly correct...the higher percentage of alcohol, the more power you take away from the gasoline.

[ColoradoSpringsRob]

This got me thinking that someone likely has put together a calculator to show some of the costs/benefits of ethanol (e85) vs. gas, and lo and behold, here you go: http://www.yellowhose.com/e85_calc.html

What this does not calculate is the detrimental costs of ethanol, and on and on...nor does this calculator allow you to select different octanes (e10, others) to determine how each stacks against the other.

[kwai]

If ethanol production wasn't subsidized and mandated to be used in gasoline, it wouldn't be used at all.

[ColoradoSpringsRob]

To your point Kwai...

'Ethanol’s lower energy density leads to worse gas mileage, which is why using E85 (E85 is 85 percent ethanol) in cars with a fuel system that accommodate it is usually a bad idea. The math carries to E10, which has up to 10 percent ethanol. A gallon of E10 has 96.7 percent of the energy in one gallon of gasoline, according to the DOE’s Alternative Fuels Data Center.' - (taken from https://www.cars.com/articles/2013/1...worse-ethanol/)

[kwai]

My 2000 grand cherokee (V8) gets more than 10-15% lower mpg (18) with ethanol than it does with pure gasoline (21).

[Barrman]

I think that 3.3% drop in energy is a bit low.

I know this thread started out as a way to make a 50 year old truck work on todays fuel mix. But, anytime we can include science, math and physics. Plus a good helping of regional politics in a thread. We all win.

[kwai]

meh. Go diesel.

[brute4c]

If ethanol production wasn't subsidized and mandated to be used in gasoline, it wouldn't be used at all.

Exactly! This is YOUR tax money supporting something detrimental to YOUR vehicle and YOU have to buy the detrimental fuel that YOU are subsidizing to then ruin YOUR fuel system....

We are not all stupid...but there are too many that are.

[Don Cavey]

I wanted to let this thread run a while before making a comment. Fortunately, I have not had a problem with the gas fouling the carburetor in my M715 or my Corvair. But I will not use anything but ethanol free gas in my small engines, generator, lawnmower, chainsaw etc.

I think more than anything else, I have been lucky. I have had problems with the push lawnmower getting slimy in the carburetor bowl.

As others have noted, I seem to get better gas mileage when I use ethanol free gasoline. What I do for my generator is to buy 5 gallons of ethanol free gas, put Sta-Bil in it and keep it for no longer than a year. If I have not used it, it goes into the car and the mileage goes up!

For the little that we drive these vehicles, it really isn't all that much more expensive. Typically, we have 87 or 89 ethanol free gas available here. I live near the Atlantic Ocean and we have a lot of boats here, hence the proliferation of ethanol free gas.

Now for the Corvair, it has 100LL in it right now. It likes that!

[Barrman]

I didn't mention 100LL earlier because of the possible tax issues involved. But, yes it does wake up an engine. Smells so wonderful out the exhaust pipe too.