ok to use gas with 10% ethanol

jaslo · May 24, 2004

Is it ok to use gasoline that has 10% ethanol? Just wondering because here in Missouri at the break time stations it is the same price as regular unleaded. I thought it might help my mpg and performance. But I dont really want to use it if its going to harm anything.

intruder217 · May 24, 2004

Is there anything in the owners manual about ethanol fuels?

ness5575 · May 24, 2004

i am sure that someone will correct me if i am wrong here, but I believe that here in the milwaukee/chicago area we are forced to use gas with 10% ethanol to help prevent pollution/smog.

if i had the choice i would not put this in my truck. i live near the border of the counties that require this "reformulated gas"(rfg), if i fill up with normal gas i will get 1.5-2 mpg better than if i fill up with the rfg.

rfg is also killer on 2 cylce engines (boats, snowmobiles) and other small engines like that found on lawn equipment.

robsawatsky · May 24, 2004

I believe all vehicles certified for North American use in the last several years can accept 10% ethanol blends.

My 2000 Chev manual:

"In addition, gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be available in your area to contribute to clean air. General Motors recommends that you use these gasolines"

AZ-Z71 · May 24, 2004

Yeah, I think we have that here as well in AZ to help with smog. They run that I think 6 months outh of the year and then another blend the other six months.

Elwood 2000 · May 24, 2004

Running Ethanol will NOT harm your engine in any way, shape, size or form. I run 89 octane with 10 percent ethanol and have for over 70k miles with NO problems. I actually get just a tad over 1 mpg better with the 10% ethanol blend.

Help American Farmers, burn ethanol!!

www.e85fuel.com

ness5575 · May 25, 2004

thats interesting that you get better gas mileage with the ethanol. i write down every fill-up in a little notebook in the truck, and i mark when i fill up with regular (non-ethanol gas), and I get nearly 2 mpg better. my gf's jeep is the same way - almost 2 mpg better.

conartist007 · May 25, 2004

Yeah, ethanol has less conbustable elements so theres less energy to be sent to the engine so lower fuel mileage is to be pretty much expectable.

robsawatsky · May 25, 2004

Lab testing on engines indicates a fuel economy decrease of about 2.5% with a 10% ethanol blend. However this is with exactly the same base gasoline and identical operating conditions, the real world isn't quite like that.

A saw some real-world graphs a researcher compiled of fuel economy over several months. The deviations from average are quite astounding. Given the large variety of influences in fuel economy, trying to validate mpg changes of less than 10% to any one factor seem rather difficult.

Richman · May 26, 2004

Here in Minnesota, we have been using a 10% ethanol blend for MANY years with no problems noted in vehicle performance. I have traveled throughout the whole country and have never noticed a decrease in mpg using the ethanol blend. I have noticed a lot of horrer stories in states contemplating switching to blended fuel, but never heard them in states using it and have seen no proof and have known no one having such problems. There is much new technology and many new plants being planned, including a 40,000,000 gal/yr plant being built near here that is ultra efficient. Let's face it, ethanol is here to stay so get used to it. If your state isn't mandating it now, it probably will soon.

Quadrasteer · June 2, 2004

The first thing that I noticed with the ethanol in my '02 SD was a lack of power. Then an almost 2 mpg drop in my mileage. I thought the throttle body needed to be cleaned. Then I noticed the 10% sticker on the gas pump. I crossed the line from NY into NJ and got the good stuff (you would think NJ needed the ref gas more), the mpg and performance went back up. Alcohol is NG for engines and any rubber parts that it contacts!

Charlie in TX · June 2, 2004

"Helping the farmer", sounds good but it in no way shape or form helps me. As a mater of fact it costs me. It raises the price of corn at the store. It raises the price of feed given to cows, chicken and other livestock, raising there price. It pushes land that was in production of other grains, beans, ect to corn, increasing the price of all other products. In short, it sucks.

Gasahol has less BTUs per gallon than dinosour gasoline. It will swell rubber gaskets used in carberators. It will eat away aluminum.

So, if I drive into a station and there is a pump with gasoline and a pump with gasahol. I will reach for the gasoline everytime.

Elwood 2000 · June 2, 2004

"Helping the farmer", sounds good but it in no way shape or form helps me. As a mater of fact it costs me. It raises the price of corn at the store. It raises the price of feed given to cows, chicken and other livestock, raising there price. It pushes land that was in production of other grains, beans, ect to corn, increasing the price of all other products. In short, it sucks.

Fine, let the American Farmer die. Then all your crops will be IMPORTED from South America. You think you are paying high $$$ for food now, wait until a third world country has our country by the nuts via FOOD SUPPLY.

If more ethanol is produced, soybean acres won't be moved to all corn. There are so many uses for soybean products it is not even funny.

Charlie, I hope you are happy in your little world, because if your world becomes the REAL world, we are all in trouble.

Charlie in TX · June 2, 2004

"Helping the farmer", sounds good but it in no way shape or form helps me. As a mater of fact it costs me. It raises the price of corn at the store. It raises the price of feed given to cows, chicken and other livestock, raising there price. It pushes land that was in production of other grains, beans, ect to corn, increasing the price of all other products. In short, it sucks.

Fine, let the American Farmer die. Then all your crops will be IMPORTED from South America. You think you are paying high $$$ for food now, wait until a third world country has our country by the nuts via FOOD SUPPLY.

If more ethanol is produced, soybean acres won't be moved to all corn. There are so many uses for soybean products it is not even funny.

Charlie, I hope you are happy in your little world, because if your world becomes the REAL world, we are all in trouble.

"My little world"? Thanks for the personal attack. I will not do the same to you.

I will say, nice to see you can't dispute the facts of my post.

As far as South American or any other imported product. I don't care were my food comes from (or truck or fuel or any other product) as long as it is the best value for my dollor. I am one of the current 14 million or so Americans still in manufacturing. If I don't supply my cust. the best value, I expect they will also look elsewhere.

By the way, our family farm died and was divided about 20yrs ago.

dickwells · June 2, 2004

I am in general agreement that the gasahol gives worse mileage but the concerns about hurting gaskets or aluminum are related to the use of methanol (wood alcohol) and not related to ethanol use in current cars.