On Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:10:39 -0700 (PDT), ransley
wrote:
On Apr 19, 8:42Â*am, Hell Toupee wrote:
On 4/18/2011 7:38 PM, HeyBub wrote:
Â*From Popular Mechanics:
"Small-engine repairmen tell PM that ethanol mixed with gasoline is
corroding and damaging chain saws, string trimmers and other outdoor
equipment at an alarming clip. As a result, a new market is growing in U.S.
hardware stores: Ethanol-free gas packaged in small cans that sell at a
premium but promise to make your small engines last."
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home...ols/can-boutiq...
Urban legend. Those of us who live in states that have had 10%
ethanol/gasoline fuel for decades now have not had any problems with
it -- though for those who still insist, the gov't still allows gas
stations to sell pure gasoline for small engines, boats, and classic
cars. Just get it from the pump so labeled.
My snowblower has only ever had the E10 ethanol gas used in it. Bought
it in 1985. Still starts on the first pull. My brother-in-law uses the
ethanol fuel mix in his chainsaws with the same result: there are no
problems.
These claims made the rounds back in the 80s when the fuel mixture
changed. They've resurrected now because of the introduction of E15
and E20 ethanol mixtures into the marketplace. But the
higher-percentage ethanol mixtures are rarely offered, so they're easy
to avoid. As for the E10 mix, there's no issue with it.
Right, in Chicago where I am i think in the late 70s, early 80s we had
ethanol, all my motors last till the compression is shot, i get 15 or
so years out of my 2 and 4 stroke and no lawn guy or motor repair
service has ever said here to get real gas. Corrosion is old gas, and
old gas causes other problems like Varnish. That line i read about
blowing pistons is crap also since alcohol actualy raises compression
because it take a higher temp to ignite. Bad gas old gas would be the
factor, not alcohol. Just dont keep it around more than a few months,
dump it in your car. E15 E20 in theory should be the same. Are there
even issues with E85 in motor vehicles?
I'll take issue with a couple things.
First of all, in the T-Bird it wasn't the octane of the Alky that
killed the engine. The octane of the fuel itself was low ("regular"
grade euro gas in the seventies was something like 85 octane by our
RM/2 rating) and the 390 neaded a minimum 89.
They may have also had water in the gas.
Adding too much alky to the fuel mix causes engine damage because it
LEANS THE MIXTURE. If the carb calibration is not changed to handle
the fuel, alky leans the mixture by half. So, 10% alky leans the
mixture by 5%, 20% alky by 10%, etc. A lean mixture under power takes
out pistons.
Also, although alky DOES raise the octane, it is NOT because it"takes
a higher temperature to ignite" Octane rating is a measurement of
resistance to DETONATION, which is uncontrolled burning of
disassociated "end gasses" in the combustion chamber.
As for E85 in motor vehicles, dang right there are issues if the
engine is not "flex fuel" or "E85" calibrated. In fuel injected
engines Alky is LESS of a problem than in carbureted engines, due in
large part to the electronic controls that allow the engine to
recalibrate itself to provide the right mixture and the right ignition
timing to protect itself.
And YES, OLD gas is most often the issue - but OLD gas with alky is
not as old, chronologically, as old gas without. (alky fuel does not
store well)