My Maintenance Schedule has stripped a gear...

[JR]

We are seeing up to 15% blend here in PA. Most places it's 10%. Very rare to find 5% anymore. Impossible to find ethanol free.

I know its no consolation but just be thankful PA actually label ethanol % at the pump. Ohio is one of very few states that requires zero, zilch, nada for labeling (unless E85). It should be illegal given manufacturers have shunned anything higher than E10 in older vehicles, not to mention small engines.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

I know its no consolation but just be thankful PA actually label ethanol % at the pump. Ohio is one of very few states that requires zero, zilch, nada for labeling (unless E85). It should be illegal given manufacturers have shunned anything higher than E10 in older vehicles, not to mention small engines.

Wow - didn't know that for Ohio.

Here in VA we have several stations that have ethanol free. Southern States has all three grades in Ethanol free. The GTX is happy about that!

 

[JR]

Wow - didn't know that for Ohio.

Here in VA we have several stations that have ethanol free. Southern States has all three grades in Ethanol free. The GTX is happy about that!

I'm not sure how current all of the info is but there is some good stuff here if you poke around a little.

http://www.fuel-testers.com/state_guide_ethanol_laws.html

I was probably a bit misleading in my above post - there are stations that do label their pumps, but it is not mandatory. Especially larger chain gas stations. Only thing I can think of is being they operate in multiple states they have one set of policies rather than try and figure out each individual state...

You are lucky to have ethanol free stations near you. There are none that I'm aware of anywhere near here

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Thanks for that link.

Yea, I am lucky. I even have it delivered in bulk to my house. That makes it easy to run in all the equipment. I still go and get 5 gal containers of the premium stuff to run in small equipment since most require premium gas (chainsaws, blowers, etc).

 

[mwilson]

I have been trying to get the story of how the Ethanol Re-appeared in Maine.

Apparently everyone thought it was illegal in Maine with the exception of Avgas, come to find out it's not. The amount of stations carrying it has increased at a surprising rate.

I can quit my Sta-Bil habit now....

 

[Ozymandias]

My schedule has stripped a gear too, the Durangos thermostat seal decided to stop sealing and left me stranded without coolant.
Crap, have so much else to do and now this..

 

[jgillott]

So when I told you all that I had a hole my oil pan.......I wasn't kidding. I filled this thing up Friday so I could move it out of the way. Spent the weekend in Pittsburgh and this is what I found when I got home.

 

[Ozymandias]

You need a longer dipstick...

 

[jgillott]

You need a longer dipstick...

There's just something wrong with that on so many levels. ..

 

[Shiner]

You need a longer dipstick...

I DON'T hear that often...….of course, I could be hard of hearing.

 

[Wayne M.]

HARD of hearing he said.
Ok Justin, when are you calling Sno Depot?

 

[jgillott]

HARD of hearing he said.
Ok Justin, when are you calling Sno Depot?

I have a Cummins pan and associated parts on the way. It will be here Tuesday.

 

[Wayne M.]

Dang it. I was hoping to see someone install that piece of bling.

 

[jgillott]

Dang it. I was hoping to see someone install that piece of bling.

I couldn't justify the cost.

 

[JR]

I have been trying to get the story of how the Ethanol Re-appeared in Maine.

Apparently everyone thought it was illegal in Maine with the exception of Avgas, come to find out it's not. The amount of stations carrying it has increased at a surprising rate.

I can quit my Sta-Bil habit now....

Maybe not for long....this is a real kick in the groin


https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/ep...15-waiver-and-improve-rin-market-transparency

https://cqrcengage.com/amacycle/app/act-on-a-regulation?2&engagementId=498019

I encourage everyone to sign the petition!

 

[Shiner]

I have lived with ethanol from it's first introduction. Contrary to what many believe, it is not as harmful as many make it out to be. Methanol....that's a whole different story. That being said, I believe it should be mandatory to have at least 1 dedicated pump/tank for non-blended fuel. Mileage is better with non-blended, however the cost differential makes it not competitive in autos. When it was a dime difference, mileage increase made it worth it. Now it is 30-40cents higher per gallon than ethanol blends. 15% doesn't seem to have a penalty over 10%. We raced with E-85 and had success with our set-ups. Upon further study, we have heard/found information, that talks about 47% being the cut-off point for max mix for performance gains without getting into the negatives of E85 or straight alcohol. What I mean by this, is fuel delivery system is able to keep up, up to this point. After that, everything has to be upsized,etc. Our test mule for this is going to be an old school 460 Ford in a 66 Fairlane.....this summer. Nothing real insane, but fun, none the less. I have been burning Ethanol blends since introduced as I always had muscle cars that needed help via the octane bump. To each his own, but I like the availability of more fuels, especially when it cuts the amount "needed" to be imported....helps to keep old muscle cars cruising, etc. Just my $.015 worth.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Well Shiner, Unless I've read your post wrong, I guess we will have to agree to disagree. I've worked on older engines with carburetors and have had to deal with the results from Ethanol mixed fuel sitting in the carbs. Not fun! That same vehicle with pure gasoline can sit for months with no ill affect.
This would be for older muscle cars, classic cars, motorcycles, small engines (mowers, scooters, tractors, etc).

I will agree that equipment properly engineered for ethanol should have no ill affect.

 

[JR]

Not heeding manufacturer recommendations on things like this is kinda like not following service recommendations, you may well get away with it on the short end but eventually it will catch up to you. Ford, GM and Chrysler say E10 or less in vehicles prior to 2013 excluding flex fuel vehicles . The owners manual for the wifes 08 Merc spells this out for warranty claims. Virtually all small engine manufacturers say the same and i can see why . Even with E10 I've torn apart carbs for friends and family members that were chalk full of corrosion because they let them set full of fuel during the off season. I had to rebuild the carb in my MS460 after only 4 seasons since the last rebuild, I was surprised at the amount of white corrosion all through out it. Ive previously left gas in my saws year round because they get periodically used even during the off season but after this last rebuild they will all get drained at the end of this spring when I'm done with the bulk of my firewood work.

 

[Wayne M.]

Marvel mystery oil is marvelous.
Not getting into the difference between Ethanol and Methanol, I know Methanol as a fuel is most hydroscopic and corrosive. I was involved in dirt track racing where Methanol is used, and I can speak first hand of what it can do.
We had to treat the fuel with a “top oil” which seemed to me by looks and smell to be MMO. End of season routine required purging the entire fuel system with a heavy 50/50 2 gallon mix of the stuff to just run through the system.
If this wasn’t done, you’d have a pile of white powder junk come spring.
From that experience, I started treating my 4 cycle fuel with some MMO, and I’ve been real lucky. Seems that 2 cycle mix does the same thing, to add protection to the system.
As I mentioned, I had a time where I used E85 a lot, and never had issue in a flex fuel vehicle. Spark plug life is half however. I know E85 is great for racing, provided you have the right carburetor and upsized fuel system.

 

[jgillott]

I've started running a tank of E85 through the 2010 (it is a flex fuel vehicle) once a month or so. Believe it or not, it seems to burn less oil when I get a tank through it once in a while than it does when we run regular 10% ethanol fuel. I'm not sure what it cleans out or frees up, but it makes a noticeable difference.