Are the materials in our cars' fuel system compatible with (resistive to the corrosive effects of) E85 right now?

Edit: The owner's manual states that 10% ethanol may be used provided the octane rating meets the requirements. This still does not answer the above question with a degree of certainty...

 

well guys, I was watching TV last night. and on the news last night, channel 11 news talked about the 10% ethanol. so it is true.

 

i would not fill up with E85, unless compatability or a a conversion is done. most likely a fuel system conversion to make sure it is compatible with the alcohol would be needed. however the corrosivity of it is very slow. it eats aluminum but we are taking a long time before it eats through it.. surface rust can be seen in a matter of days if the aluminum is not coated or hard anodized. anodizing does protect aluminum from corrosion from alcohol.

you will also want to ensure the injectors, fuel pump, regulator and filter are all compatible as well. alcohol will eat certain rubbers used for gaskets and seals. usually simply calling the manufacturer and asking if the components used are ethanol compatable works.

 

the only thing I don't know if the 10% ethanol applies to all grades of gas. it will be great if it only applies to 87/89 but they leave 93 alone. Well lets just hope it doesn't affect our gas milage too bad or any of the fuel components of the car ie: fuel injectors, fuel pump etc.

 

Channel 8 will be interviewing me today about the RFG coming to Dallas. The only real concerns I have are the hygroscopic and corrosion issues.

1) How much water will it absorb, and what will that do to the fuel system?
2) Will the water-loaded Ethanol separate from the Gasoline in the UST and cause larger amounts of RFG to be pumped than is safe for our fuel system materials?
3) As Mitsubishi recommends a max of 10%, what are the consequences of running a higher %?

I will espouse the superiority of the fuel overall, and clarify the gas milage issue. 10% ethanol would (at stoich) theoretically reduce milage by 3.4%. Thanks for the good data summary Kevin!

 

the octane rating of ethanol is much higher then gas. typically 108 (for E85). therefor adding more ethanol to your car may actually increase the octane rating (however i'm sure the chemists at the oil companies realize this... therefor i bet they use a lower grade gasoline to match the higher grade ethanol). this is pure speculation though, as i am not a chemist.

 

and thats awsome that you will be on tv ethan. make sure you bring up some of the socio-economic issues that also arise by moving a foreign dependancy of energy back home. oh yes, and let us know when it will be on. 'll tivo it or something.

 

Well...they said they are coming to "talk" to me for a few minutes. So who knows if it's on camera. I hope not...I did not shave today!

 

Well it's all regulated IIRC, so they would then have to make the RON and MON (R+M)/2 number known at the pump. To me, that means lower gasoline rating. If not, having 93 + and nice octane booster would be nice. (provided my car does not rust out )

 

I read yesterday that oil companies are phasing out MTBE in favor of Ethanol. The reason is because of ground water contamination.

They have had real trouble converting to it at the refinaries which is part of the reason why gas has jumped in price so much this past week.

 

Just filled up yesterday at Texaco, and right under the digital display. The sticker was their "Contains 10% Ethanol"

Getting tuned tomorrow, so well see how it does................

 

so it begins, I haven't seen it myself, but I guess its slowly getting around to all the gas stations. I'm not saying its a bad thing, but we still don't know how this "new" gas will react with our cars fuel system/engine.

 

My mother has a 67 Mustang w/ a 390 in it. In the 70's they had Ethanol fuel in California for a while. She said that the stang loved it and ran really well with it.

I'm not too concerned about the switch over and agree that overall it will be a good thing for our country. However, my parents make their living in the oil industry so I don't want to see Gasoline go away for at least another 20 years. Keep tuning your EVOs to burn more gas please .

 

well I filled up yesterdy @ Shell near my house, and there was the sticker "contains up to 10% ethanol". so ill drive like ive been driving and see if my mpg goes down. anyone else notice the sticker when filling up?

 

Hmm, I'm a bit confused by this post. It was my understanding that we've (Dallas & Houston folk) had this 'reformulated' gas for about 7(?) years now? Has the precentage or formula changed? I know it has been a 10% alky mixture for some time now.

-Brad