I hate the Ethanol Blends. Its just lousy gas, that costs the same as the pure stuff…but costs tax subsidies even if you never touch the stuff.
Also since the church of global warming is concerned more about CO2 Emissions than anything else…its the same! Then there’s this angle.
Can we quit this crap yet? Ethanol is for DRINKING! Don’t put it in your cars!
It eats plastic motorcycle tanks too… I seem to recall reading/hearing that some manufacturers are refusing to import bikes into the US because of our crap gas.
I’ve read (though I refuse to try it myself for obvious reasons, including Gen’s above) that mixing small amounts (2-4 oz per full tank) of acetone into gasoline improves fuel efficiency by upwards of 40-50%. Supposedly it helps vaporize the gas; contrary to popular belief, gasoline does not burn, but its vapors, mixed with air in the right proportions, EXPLODE.
I won’t try it because acetone – being the active ingredient in nail polish remover – is a powerful solvent, and dissolves most plastics VERY quickly and easily. (Personal true story: I almost destroyed an expensive graphing calculator in chemistry class when a few drops of acetone splashed out of the beaker.) Thus, it could ruin a fuel system or engine with any plastic components, but the theory is intriguing – and aesthetically WAY better than effectively burning perfectly good vodka/whiskey/rum (pick your poison) with gasoline!
The ONLY good thing about ethanol in gasoline is that it apparently makes said gas harder to freeze in places such as the Frozen North, where nighttime temps can approach -40F in the winter. Apparently the ethanol drives down the temp needed to freeze the gas in the tank. Not sure if it’s true, though…
It isn’t about the freezing or gelling point of gasoline vs. Ethanol. The only thing I can think of is the issue with water contamination in the fuel line. If you get water in your fuel line, the common solution is to add products like drygas or other fuel “drying” agents. These products are ethanol, methanol, or other alcohol. What this stuff does is allow the water to go into solution in the fuel where it can be dumped out the exhaust line as vapor.
The issue comes with HOW the ethanol is delivered. In that little bottle sealed at your auto shop or convenience store that is pure dry ethanol, so when you pour it into your tank you actually ARE doing SOME good. When the ethanol is pre-mixed at the refinery then put into a tanker truck, then put into the stations underground tank it has plenty of opportunity to come in contact with water either from air spaces in the tanks, or condensation, and because of the solubility it will take up the water, as well as any impurities in the water. Not only will this ethanol be less able to dry out the fuel lines, but it’ll bring in harmful water and contaminants.
So its mostly a myth.