Ethanol

[ekimv65]

Morning,

Has anyone looked into the use of ethanol in their X5's? I see the stations that offer it at "super 91 or E-20" not sure what that means, but, would be curious as prices here are about .40 cents cheaper per gallon.

Just a thought.

[Weasel]

Ethanol actually is less efficient than regular gas and is worse for the engine. Normal gas being a petroleum product has lubricating properties and is the "upper cylinder lubricant" for the engine. While ethanol is a grain alcohol similar to everclear that has a less potent punch on combustion and no lubricating properties at all. Basically the more ethanol in the gas the worse the gas is for the longevity of your engine.

[ekimv65]

Thanks for the heads up Weas!

[motordavid]

E20 is a term used to designate a gasohol or gasoline/ethanol mix of ~80% gasoline,
and ~20% ethanol.

Many of the ethanol added blends are usually in the 90-10 ration, though the net is full of anecdotal info that suggests that 10%, by volume, is creeping up.
The US EPA recently approved a 15% blend, for sometime soon...

The higher ratios of ethanol, eg E85, are to be used only in the "flex fuel" systems.

In the US, the ethanol craze is pandering to the corn farmers, and unlike Brazil and some other countries that mfg'r their ethanol from non-corn crops, it grew here
as favoritism and specific appeasement to a select part of the country, and as typical in anything the gov't does, it was without foresight and the infrastructure necessary to readily transport volumes of ethanol.
My 50 cts...
GL, mD

[mywidebody02]

So here in the states are there any gas stations that don't use ethanol? I have not found any and the min. I found is 10%.

[motordavid]

Originally Posted by mywidebody02

So here in the states are there any gas stations that don't use ethanol? I have not found any and the min. I found is 10%.

Yes, there are stations with no ethanol...
On our last trip up to NJ a couple weeks ago, I found some along the way,
in VA, and NJ.

Coming down to FL from NC last weekend, I found a couple, though I was surprised a Shell Brand big stop&go station had the 10% sticker on their pumps...hit and miss. Maybe more difficult where you are in CT.

The net has pages of "up to date" non-ethanol listings, but from reading a few, it seems many stations, regardless of "brand", are increasingly moving to the 10% ethanol sticker.

Here's a site that seems on the ball, but the info is anecdotal, and changing like the weather:
Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada
GL, mD

[SlowRider]

Originally Posted by motordavid

The higher ratios of ethanol, eg E85, are to be used only in the "flex fuel" systems.

In the US, the ethanol craze is pandering to the corn farmers, and unlike Brazil and some other countries that mfg'r their ethanol from non-corn crops, it grew here as favoritism and specific appeasement to a select part of the country, and as typical in anything the gov't does, it was without foresight and the infrastructure necessary to readily transport volumes of ethanol.
My 50 cts...
GL, mD

On the money, motordavid.

And let's not forget that biofuels burn dirty and could actually be worse for greenhouse emissions than petroleum gas.

I'm off to go enjoy a high fructose corn syrup beverage now...

[MRV99]

You will find less MPG the more ethanol you have in your gas which will eat away the .40 difference. Lake of the Ozarks has a bunch of NO Ethanol gas stations because ethanol absorbs water, boats do not want that in the tanks. I got 50miles more on my tank of gas using it. As soon as I filled up with the 10% ethanol, I was back to the same MPG as before.

[ekimv65]

Originally Posted by motordavid

Yes, there are stations with no ethanol...
On our last trip up to NJ a couple weeks ago, I found some along the way,
in VA, and NJ.

Coming down to FL from NC last weekend, I found a couple, though I was surprised a Shell Brand big stop&go station had the 10% sticker on their pumps...hit and miss. Maybe more difficult where you are in CT.

The net has pages of "up to date" non-ethanol listings, but from reading a few, it seems many stations, regardless of "brand", are increasingly moving to the 10% ethanol sticker.

Here's a site that seems on the ball, but the info is anecdotal, and changing like the weather:
Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada
GL, mD

Thanks for the link Doc!

[Wayne's World]

Ethanol is da debbil.

Big proponent of NO ethanol here. But my local non ethanol stations just keep closing down or giving into the ethanol craze.

Its terrible for your engine and while its a couple cents cheaper at fill up - it will cost more in the long run.

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