Gasoline/Ethanol Blended fuels?

[phippsj]

Here in North Texas, we now can only buy gasoline with 10% ethanol. This is only supposed to be for the summer months.

Has anyone had experience with the blended fuels causing your gasser to run differently? I'm asking Desert Aircraft as well. Of course, I'm more worried about the DA50 in my Wildhare rather than the engine in my $40K suv.

[TeamFlatout]

Shouldnt do anything to your automobile, might make it run better. Your airplane will need to be richened up a bit. I am running 105 with ethanol in my 3W TOC120. It actually runs a little stronger and spools up quicker. Have ran 2 gallons through it and hasnt skipped a beat. I believe it makes the motor run a little cooler.

[phippsj]

Here is the reply from DA:


James,

We have not noticed any change in the performance or maintenance of our motors due to the added 10% ethanol. We are still using the 87 octane with 10% ethanol in all of our planes.

Thanks,
Jeff
Desert Aircraft

[KrisW]

Ethanol has an effective Octane rating of about 140, so adding 10% to gasoline allows the gas companies to use poorer octane quality gas and still achieve the octane rating for the total fuel blend. It's also touted as an "oxygenator" since it contains a good amount of oxygen in it's chemical compound when compared to normal petroleum based gasoline.

As for power . Ethanol has 50% of the heat energy content of Gasoline, and 10% Ethanol will also effectively lean your mixture approximately 5%, so you will probalby need to richen the mixture slightly to avoid lean-out problems. Be sure to check how your engine runs THOROUGHLY when switching to 10% Ethanol blended gas.

People may claim they see no difference, but there is a difference, albeit a small one that the majority of people will not be loking for or aware of.

[LawnJockey]

Does the Ethanol fuel affect the engine seals? I had heard that GM had to change the seals in the newer engines so that the E-85 gas could be used all the time. just wondering.

Bruce

[KrisW]

Newer model vehicles are designed to run on E-85. They have an "Ethanol Sensor" that tells the computer when the owner/user has high-Ethanol content fuel in the tank, and how much ethanol is actually contained (in case you mix E85 with regular gas). All their seals are designed to withstand both Gas and Ethanol. Vehicles not specifically designed for high Ethanol concentrations will probably not have compatible seals, AND will nt be able to adjust the fuel curves to handle the higher flow rates necessary with E-85 (about 75-90% more fuel is used)

Unless your vehicle is specifically designed as a "dual fuel" vehicle, and has an E-85 usage certification, I'd strongly suggest NOT using E85 in it.

[aerolou]

75% to 90% more fuel !!!!
I thought that is what would happen running E85.
Seems abit counter productive in the miles per gallon deparment does't it.

[KrisW]

	Quote: Originally Posted by aerolou
	75% to 90% more fuel !!!! I thought that is what would happen running E85. Seems abit counter productive in the miles per gallon deparment does't it.

Well. . yes . .it IS counterproductive . . Gasoline would have to hit $5.50/gallon for the cost/mile to be the same as $3.00 E-85

But, doesn't it just give you a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that you are keeping some poor multi-millionaire subsidized and tax protected industrial farmer from going to the poor house???

BTW .. YOU are already paying for the E-85. . before it ever gets to the pumps. . through your taxes being used to subsidize the program. No smart businessman worth his college education would dare market corn/ethanol production on his own. . he'd be broke in 2 seasons. The Governmnet picks up about 50% of the production costs of Ethanol for bio-fuel usage . .YOUR Tax dollars at work.