

The fight over E15 is not over yet


Sources: Autoblog, Wisconsin Ag Connection

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RE: retarded
By Samus on 6/19/2012 11:30:13 AM , Rating: -1
MPG's will fall <2% going from E10 to E15.

Where is a non-auto industry-funded study showing E15 have a 'great risk of premature fuel system failure?' I'm sure we'd all love to read it. In many cases, injectors and fuel filters last longer with ethanol fuels due to its natural cleaning agent, alcohol, cleaning metalic parts. Anything that was sensitive to E10 won't be sensitive to E15. Anything compatible with E10 will be compatible with E15. It simply isn't enough of a chemical change to create a problem. Most modern fuel injection systems (since the 80's) use viton rubber throughout and with regular fuel system maintence (filter change, injector flow-benching/cleaning) most cars can run E85 with a ECU flash containing appropriate fuel maps. Yes, they will lose economy, because most engines don't take advantage of the higher octane. There are ways to match and exceed even pure-petrol fuel using E85 if an engine has high compression, forced induction and a tuned fuel program.

Since this is where the EPA sees us headed (with every manufacture now shipping turbocharged vehicles) perhaps they are simply providing the fuel as an incentive to make more efficient engines that take advantage of it.

And just as a reference, all octane boosters, fuel system cleaners, and additives, contain a great deal of alcohol, and many people pour that stuff into their tanks usually to resolve, not create, a problem.

RE: retarded

RE: retarded
By 91TTZ on 6/19/2012 11:52:46 AM , Rating: 5

Why would it last longer with alcohol? Gasoline is a very good cleaning agent also, and it seems to prevent corrosion of parts bathed in it.


While I'm sure you can optimize an engine to get the most out of ethanol vs. gasoline, the simple fundamental fact is that ethanol contains less energy than gasoline. Since the fuel source contains less energy is going to be on the losing side of that fight.

RE: retarded
Err, actually, ethanol is -corrosive- to metal.






RE: retarded
By NovoRei on 6/19/12, Rating: -1
