Ban Ethanol
Champion
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,096
Likes: 2
From: Iowa
Everybody I know with a negative opinion on ethanol based on personal experiences have used it incorrectly. Like dumping E85 into an older car. Older carburetors are not very ethanol friendly. It sounds like that's where your negative experiences have come from. As far as carburetors, I'd say (unless you have an ethanol carb) I wouldn't expect great results from ethanol. You could definitely make an argument on that. Although I've never had an issue personally with 10% ethanol. Our discussion is all over the place, though. E10, E85, carbs, injected, small engines, cars/trucks.....every one is a different discussion.
Ethanol is still fairly new. Companies that sell fuel related products often protect themselves by putting an ethanol warning on them....because they haven't tested them thoroughly enough to have the answers. That goes for engine manufacturers, too. That doesn't always mean they aren't safe for ethanol use, they just don't want to warranty it without long term testing.
Take a few minutes and read that link I posted. It's short and covers some of the more common myths (some right in this thread).
At most pumps in my area I have every option (0%, 10%, 30%, 85%) and it's not hard to source E98. So on the subject of being forced, I agree. I like having as many freedoms as possible. But it's like a seatbelt law...I don't care for being told I have to wear it, but I do anyway, so whatever.
Ethanol is still fairly new. Companies that sell fuel related products often protect themselves by putting an ethanol warning on them....because they haven't tested them thoroughly enough to have the answers. That goes for engine manufacturers, too. That doesn't always mean they aren't safe for ethanol use, they just don't want to warranty it without long term testing.
Take a few minutes and read that link I posted. It's short and covers some of the more common myths (some right in this thread).
At most pumps in my area I have every option (0%, 10%, 30%, 85%) and it's not hard to source E98. So on the subject of being forced, I agree. I like having as many freedoms as possible. But it's like a seatbelt law...I don't care for being told I have to wear it, but I do anyway, so whatever.
And just FYI - I never have run E85 in a carb engine - only E100 just for kicks
Didn't work very well...So I'll reconsider ethanol, I still need to figure out why ethanol messes up small engine carbs before I use it there.
Never seen it happen myself, the only way water gets in gas is if you pour it in there. There is not enough water in the air in the tank to impact the fuel at all.
If you stuff is 30 years old then you might have issues with non ethanol resistant rubber/fuel lines, but all the modern stuff works fine with it.
As for the residue - do you happen to use stabil? Nothing screws up carbs more than dumping red stabil into ethanol, stuff turns to jelly after while.
If you stuff is 30 years old then you might have issues with non ethanol resistant rubber/fuel lines, but all the modern stuff works fine with it.
As for the residue - do you happen to use stabil? Nothing screws up carbs more than dumping red stabil into ethanol, stuff turns to jelly after while.
I still have a unanswered question: Why is it that using ethanol in gas causes carbs to corrode and varnish faster? I know that using fuel with ethanol does do that, even on engines 5 yrs old, whether it is the ethanol or not doing it IDK, but I need to have a answer for that...
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Well, "new" is subjective. As far as gasoline goes, I feel ethanol is fairly new to the industry. The plants are still evolving, and there are a lot of unknowns, yet.
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Sorry, jockey. I wasn't saying you ran E85 in a carb. I was suggesting your negative experience was with ethanol in carburetors (in general).
As for your unanswered question, I really wish I had an answer...but I haven't had that experience, personally. I've seen some heavily varnished carbs, but usually just because old gas had been sitting in them for a very long time (or they were just really old, themselves).
As for your unanswered question, I really wish I had an answer...but I haven't had that experience, personally. I've seen some heavily varnished carbs, but usually just because old gas had been sitting in them for a very long time (or they were just really old, themselves).
Banned Goober Smoocher
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 8,916
Likes: 1
Guys, guys GUYS.
You say that if we think that ethanol is so bad, then don't use it.
Herein lies the problem with that statement: government mandates.
It is nearly impossible for me to buy straight gas in my area due to the fact that a vast majority of stations IN my area are name branded, ethanol gas. So because the government is pushing this **** on me, I CAN'T BUY STRAIGHT GAS. Anywhere.
I think there is like a total of 5, unbranded, ethanol-free gas stations in a 100 mile radius of my house.
THERE IS THE ISSUE. You want this ****, go for it. It makes no difference to me. I want the FREEDOM to CHOOSE what I put in my truck. The government is taking my FREEDOM away from me in that regard so as to push up gas and food prices to drive everyone into the cities.
And for the record, if you can't look at the price of food, and the price of fuel and see the correlation between the two, you need to jump off a f*cking cliff, my man.
Either way, I'm done with the buffoons that preach the ethanol crap.
You say that if we think that ethanol is so bad, then don't use it.
Herein lies the problem with that statement: government mandates.
It is nearly impossible for me to buy straight gas in my area due to the fact that a vast majority of stations IN my area are name branded, ethanol gas. So because the government is pushing this **** on me, I CAN'T BUY STRAIGHT GAS. Anywhere.
I think there is like a total of 5, unbranded, ethanol-free gas stations in a 100 mile radius of my house.
THERE IS THE ISSUE. You want this ****, go for it. It makes no difference to me. I want the FREEDOM to CHOOSE what I put in my truck. The government is taking my FREEDOM away from me in that regard so as to push up gas and food prices to drive everyone into the cities.
And for the record, if you can't look at the price of food, and the price of fuel and see the correlation between the two, you need to jump off a f*cking cliff, my man.
Either way, I'm done with the buffoons that preach the ethanol crap.
Champion
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,096
Likes: 2
From: Iowa
Sorry, jockey. I wasn't saying you ran E85 in a carb. I was suggesting your negative experience was with ethanol in carburetors (in general).
As for your unanswered question, I really wish I had an answer...but I haven't had that experience, personally. I've seen some heavily varnished carbs, but usually just because old gas had been sitting in them for a very long time (or they were just really old, themselves).
As for your unanswered question, I really wish I had an answer...but I haven't had that experience, personally. I've seen some heavily varnished carbs, but usually just because old gas had been sitting in them for a very long time (or they were just really old, themselves).
I'm still not a fan of it, but I can certainly put a few myths away...
Like all the others say, just leave the choice for people out there, and everyone will be happy
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Too much hostility around here over the subject. First it's "ban ethanol", then it's about freedom to choose. Seems like your beef isn't with ethanol, but rather your government. I believe we all have some distaste over that.
I'm in here just to be part of the discussion, and am only discussing facts and personal experiences. I'm not pushing any opinions. God forbid turn a discussion into anything other than a non-factual bashing.
3 pages into this and I still don't know what the argument is. Is it ethanol? Or is it the government? I'm discussing ethanol. I have no desire to be part of the government discussion. I already said I weigh in on the side of Freedoms.
I'm in here just to be part of the discussion, and am only discussing facts and personal experiences. I'm not pushing any opinions. God forbid turn a discussion into anything other than a non-factual bashing.
3 pages into this and I still don't know what the argument is. Is it ethanol? Or is it the government? I'm discussing ethanol. I have no desire to be part of the government discussion. I already said I weigh in on the side of Freedoms.
Record Breaker
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,530
Likes: 1
From: Lakefield, Ontario
Too much hostility around here over the subject. First it's "ban ethanol", then it's about freedom to choose. Seems like your beef isn't with ethanol, but rather your government. I believe we all have some distaste over that.
I'm in here just to be part of the discussion, and am only discussing facts and personal experiences. I'm not pushing any opinions. God forbid turn a discussion into anything other than a non-factual bashing.
3 pages into this and I still don't know what the argument is. Is it ethanol? Or is it the government? I'm discussing ethanol. I have no desire to be part of the government discussion. I already said I weigh in on the side of Freedoms.
I'm in here just to be part of the discussion, and am only discussing facts and personal experiences. I'm not pushing any opinions. God forbid turn a discussion into anything other than a non-factual bashing.
3 pages into this and I still don't know what the argument is. Is it ethanol? Or is it the government? I'm discussing ethanol. I have no desire to be part of the government discussion. I already said I weigh in on the side of Freedoms.
Champion
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,497
Likes: 1
From: MN
More thought on ethanol. Ethanol is derived from corn and the corn they are using for it is mainly grown in Mexico. Corn prices have skyrocketed in Mexico as a result of the demand for more corn, leaving it even harder for the poor people of Mexico to get food for themselves. Yes obviously they don't eat ust corn. But how much of their staple foods are derived from it? Lots of their bread and wheat products use corn in them, causing the price of those to rise. See the chain? That reason alone is more then enough for me to not use Ethanol, I will not contribute to that for environmental reasons. As I said, just more "food" for thought (pardon my awful pun...).