Will You USE Blended Ethanol Gas in Your Car? Will it help?

**Zacha341** · April-13-22, 05:40 PM

Biden waiving ethanol rule in bid to lower gasoline prices...

https://apnews.com/article/biden-bus...f4813334aeae64

We will not be putting this in our cars [which thankfully take the lower priced 87 octane gasoline].

Will this small 'savings' not rise grain and other prices related to corn, corn feed, etc. How's about risking your car engine?

That could end up quite expensive!

**Honky Tonk** · April-13-22, 06:00 PM

My last vehicle ran on regular gasoline and E85 Ethanol. COOL! I can save $.27 a gallon! It didn't work that way. Turns out Ethanol isn't as combustible as gasoline, so as I saved at the pump my mileage went. Savings were null. Also, if your vehicle isn't designed to run on higher amounts of Ethanol, you could end up with mechanical problems down the road.

**Zacha341** · April-13-22, 06:35 PM

Yeah. I've heard it runs a bit 'watery' in regards to performance and mileage. I don't own race-fast-cars, but I'll stick with the gas I already use.

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

...Turns out Ethanol isn't as combustible as gasoline, so as I saved at the pump my mileage went. Savings were null. Also, if your vehicle isn't designed to run on higher amounts of Ethanol, you could end up with mechanical problems down the road.

**MikeM** · April-13-22, 06:09 PM

If your car was built in the last 20 years then it's certified to run E15. I won't be burning it because there's like 12 stations in the state that sell it. Meanwhile, you've all been burning E10 for a decade, so what's another 5%?

**Danny** · April-13-22, 06:17 PM

What a Summer Blend a corn fuel.

**Zacha341** · April-13-22, 06:41 PM

Say what? Which?

Originally Posted by Danny

What a Summer Blend a corn fuel.

**Zacha341** · April-13-22, 06:38 PM

One of our cars is exactly 20 years old in great shape @ over 200K [a Toyota].

I doubt this is rare in this city [older cars], and economy, increasingly.

I'm not takin' a chance to save a small fraction, relative to expensive and avoidable engine problems.

Originally Posted by MikeM

If your car was built in the last 20 years then it's certified to run E15. I won't be burning it because there's like 12 stations in the state that sell it. Meanwhile, you've all been burning E10 for a decade, so what's another 5%?

**Jimaz** · April-13-22, 06:53 PM

I vaguely recall someone advising {for old cars, lawn mowers, snowblowers, etc.} to buy gas at a marina. Boat engines typically don't handle ethanol well. It had something to do with ethanol dissolving plastic parts over time.

I have no idea whether that's true. Can anyone confirm that?

**EASTSIDER BALDUCK** · November-13-23, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

I vaguely recall someone advising {for old cars, lawn mowers, snowblowers, etc.} to buy gas at a marina. Boat engines typically don't handle ethanol well. It had something to do with ethanol dissolving plastic parts over time.

I have no idea whether that's true. Can anyone confirm that?

Proximity to water[[lakes/rivers) moist air and hydroscopic ethanol makes milk. Engines do not run on milk.

**Johnnny5** · April-13-22, 06:58 PM

All this will do is create havoc for those with gas powered boats, lawnmowers, chain saws, etc. The high ethanol content on the fuel destroys gaskets, seals and rubber hoses especially in equipment that sits for long periods. It's also less stable than regular gasoline so it can't be stored as long as it will separate and can lead to all sorts of issues, even in cars that are made to run it.

**Zacha341** · April-13-22, 07:01 PM

^ I sure wouldn't run it in some older BMW or Mercedes models with all their plastics. The rodents have a grand time as it is when they sit too long.

**ABetterDetroit** · April-17-22, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

^ I sure wouldn't run it in some older BMW or Mercedes models with all their plastics. The rodents have a grand time as it is when they sit too long.

Funny you brought that up. I know someone who went through hell and back with that problem on his Toyota. It didn’t have to sit long either, it would happen overnight.

https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-...s-can-proceed/

**wilderness** · April-14-22, 06:33 AM

RE: marina

In older small engines [[boats, mowers, chain saws, weed wackers and more) ethanol causes quick plastic deterioration and/or carburetor issues.
In Northerm MI, most stations sell something called REC GAS [[instead of premium), which is quite expensive. In most instances, REC does not include ethanol [[some do). Snowmobilers use REC.
The box stores also sell non-ethanol gas in a quart can. More expensive than REC at the pump.

**jcole** · April-14-22, 07:17 AM

There are stations all over the state that use Rec Gas; just do a search. I know for a fact there is one in Warren on 10 Mile and Ryan. There is another at Metro and Jefferson. Don't even try to get it at a marina unless you pull your boat up to the dock. In that case, there are several in SCS in the million dollar strip. My SIL's generator, which is loaned us for several days last summer, prefers Rec Gas. Quite a bit of it sold down river.

**JBMcB** · April-14-22, 08:25 AM

Using a food source as fuel is a terrible idea. I'm 90% sure this is trying to prop up the corn industry as fewer companies are using corn syrup as a sweetener. If the price of corn goes down, you grow something different.

As for if I'll be using it, definitely not. I drive a plug-in hybrid, and I use so little gas I end up using the ICE just to burn off the old gas every couple of months. The high-ethanol gas decomposes much faster than the low-ethanol gas. My wife's car is a diesel truck, so again, definitely not.

**Rocket** · April-14-22, 09:22 AM

Will not be using it.

It increases oil consumption [as it takes slightly more than a gallon of petroleum to make a gallon of ethanol, and then your car gets about 5% less mileage with ethanol blend].

It also increases smog, especially when it's warm out, which is why many states ban it's use in Summer.

Also, we further strip the nutrients out of the soil growing all the extra crops.

And we use up huge amounts of potable water to irrigate the corn crops.

It's bad for older cars and power equipment.

And increases cost.

So it
- increases the demand for oil,
- increases pollution,
- is bad for the soil
- increases the use of fresh water
- and is bad for cars that aren't flex fuel.
- And makes gas more expensive.

So in typical Pres Biden fashion, he creates a problem, then makes it even worse with one of his 'solutions'.

**MikeM** · April-14-22, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by Rocket

Will not be using it.

It increases oil consumption [as it takes slightly more than a gallon of petroleum to make a gallon of ethanol, and then your car gets about 5% less mileage with ethanol blend].

It also increases smog, especially when it's warm out, which is why many states ban it's use in Summer.

Also, we further strip the nutrients out of the soil growing all the extra crops.

And we use up huge amounts of potable water to irrigate the corn crops.

It's bad for older cars and power equipment.

And increases cost.

So it
- increases the demand for oil,
- increases pollution,
- is bad for the soil
- increases the use of fresh water
- and is bad for cars that aren't flex fuel.
- And makes gas more expensive.

So in typical Pres Biden fashion, he creates a problem, then makes it even worse with one of his 'solutions'.

Of course it wasn't a problem when Donald Trump pumped it to buy votes, lol!

And it wasn't a problem when President Bush enacted the ethanol mandate in the first place.

And it won't be a problem now, since you can't really buy it around here.

**jcole** · April-14-22, 01:40 PM

Yeah, they sell quite a bit of it in Iowa, home of corn.

Originally Posted by MikeM

Of course it wasn't a problem when Donald Trump pumped it to buy votes, lol!

And it wasn't a problem when President Bush enacted the ethanol mandate in the first place.

And it won't be a problem now, since you can't really buy it around here.

**Rocket** · April-14-22, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by MikeM

Of course it wasn't a problem when Donald Trump pumped it to buy votes, lol!

And it wasn't a problem when President Bush enacted the ethanol mandate in the first place.

I certainly didn't say that. Didn't even infer it.

It's always been corrupt. The system forces it.

The extra icing on the cake this time is that the Pres had the nerve to say it will LOWER gas prices. He actually said that, on national tv! LOL

[Anything to mask the 8.5% inflation number that came out yesterday. At this rate we'll hit 13.5 by December.]

**Zacha341** · April-14-22, 06:28 PM

Yeah-ahh. You don't have to be a GOP Trump-a-votin' devotee to acknowledge this pattern!

Originally Posted by Rocket

...So in typical Pres Biden fashion, he creates a problem, then makes it even worse with one of his 'solutions'.

**detmsp** · March-24-23, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by Rocket

Will not be using it.

It increases oil consumption [as it takes slightly more than a gallon of petroleum to make a gallon of ethanol, and then your car gets about 5% less mileage with ethanol blend].

This is just flat out wrong. It takes more than 2 gallons of petroleum to make a gallon of gasoline. So if you're right that it takes slightly more than a gallon of petroleum to make ethanol, then it uses HALF the amount of petroleum, not more.

**EASTSIDER BALDUCK** · November-13-23, 12:48 AM

Originally Posted by detmsp

This is just flat out wrong. It takes more than 2 gallons of petroleum to make a gallon of gasoline. So if you're right that it takes slightly more than a gallon of petroleum to make ethanol, then it uses HALF the amount of petroleum, not more.

Petrol yield is 70% from Texas Sweet.

**Rocket** · November-13-23, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by detmsp

This is just flat out wrong. It takes more than 2 gallons of petroleum to make a gallon of gasoline. So if you're right that it takes slightly more than a gallon of petroleum to make ethanol, then it uses HALF the amount of petroleum, not more.

They use the rest of the gallon of petroleum to make other things.

Think Diesel, Jet Fuel, Asphalt, Plastics, some of the clothes you may be wearing, etc.

Using more than a gallon of diesel for instance to make a gallon of ethanol is insane. And that's before you factor in that ethanol is less dense, meaning we actually increase our use of petroleum by perhaps 15% in doing it.

Also we further strip the land of the necessary minerals that are supposed to be in our food, and we waste horrific amounts of water irrigating crops used for ethanol, while many places are having water shortages.

Destructive insanity, whose only purpose is to get votes for politicians in Iowa's early primary.

**Meddle** · April-14-22, 02:05 PM

What a load of silliness. You've been using it for years. You just don't know and won't know. There are very few places you can get gas without it.

Yes, it can damage older yard equipment and some foreign made replacement parts, but generally only after extended storage ... leaving it in the fuel system over the winter for example. Recommendations are to run them dry of all fuel.

It does not cause harm to motor vehicle engines which have been designed for it for many years.

Y'all need to turn Murdoch's propaganda channel off.

**Wesley Mouch** · April-17-22, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

What a load of silliness. ...

What do we need. To grow more corn for gasoline, to try to keep prices down? Or to grow more corn to feed poorer countries around the world who are seeing fertilizer prices 'skyrocket', who may desperately need the calories in their diets?

Hint, if you need it.... one of these two things is being enacted explicitly to minimize gas price increases.