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Gas that contains ethanol

SAWYER

Lifer
I just noticed this at a place I normally get gas, on the 87 and and premium there is a sticker that says it could contain 10% eth. Will this cause any mpg issues with a normal car(2001 Focus)?
 
No, you're fine. Some people claim a difference in power. Ethanol has less energy than gas so in theory you could notice a change in power or mileage, but it's doubtful you'll see a real world change of any meaningful amount.
 
Originally posted by: Sawyer
I just noticed this at a place I normally get gas, on the 87 and and premium there is a sticker that says it could contain 10% eth. Will this cause any mpg issues with a normal car(2001 Focus)?

Ethanol has less energy than gasoline so you might see a drop in mpg.
 
Gas stations in the mid-west have been running 10% ethanol since the 70s they just didn't tell you about it. Only recently has the Fed mandated that they place a sticker on the pump to announce it.
 
Originally posted by: Billb2
The theory is that what you loose in mileage, you get back in lower cost for the gas.

ahahahahahahaahahahhaahahah!

*breathe*


hahahahahhaahhahahahahahaha!

*sucking wind*



anyway, the ethanol is there as an oxidizing agent because it's more friendly than the old oxidizing agent and makes corn states happy.

*grumbles about corn states*
 
A you don't need premium in a Focus
B Ethanol at 10% + is better for turbo charged vehicles
C Ethanol replaced the anti knock agent made from Natural Gas because it was found to be carcinogenic so now its basically in all fuel

"Since 2003, ethanol has grown rapidly as the oxygenating factor for gasoline. Ethanol replaced MTBE for oxygenating fuel, since almost all states now have banned MTBE, due to groundwater contamination, health and environmental concerns"

"MTBE is manufactured via the chemical reaction of methanol and isobutylene. Methanol is derived from natural gas, and isobutylene is made from crude oil or natural gas."
 
On average, I have gotten 10% lower mpg in every vehicle I've ever compared 89 octane E-10 versus regular 87 octane.
 
MTBE was used in gasoline because ethanol was expensive at the time, and MTBE is made from gasoline production leftovers that oil companies would otherwise have to pay to dispose of.

MTBE has completely contaminated the water supply of San Diego.
http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/deh/water/sam_mtbe.html

MTBE is one of the most water-soluble substances known, and 1 cup can make over 1 million gallons of water smell and taste like turpentine.
 
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
On average, I have gotten 10% lower mpg in every vehicle I've ever compared 89 octane E-10 versus regular 87 octane.

Yup. And it's not $.40 gallon cheaper than the regular stuff. Boo!
 
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
On average, I have gotten 10% lower mpg in every vehicle I've ever compared 89 octane E-10 versus regular 87 octane.

BS If your car was able to run e85 you would only get around 20% less so I don't buy 10% less running e10. Maybe if you were running gas with 10% water in it.
 
Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
On average, I have gotten 10% lower mpg in every vehicle I've ever compared 89 octane E-10 versus regular 87 octane.

BS If your car was able to run e85 you would only get around 20% less so I don't buy 10% less running e10. Maybe if you were running gas with 10% water in it.

I don't care if you believe it or not, I've repeated the experiment a number of times.
 
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
On average, I have gotten 10% lower mpg in every vehicle I've ever compared 89 octane E-10 versus regular 87 octane.

BS If your car was able to run e85 you would only get around 20% less so I don't buy 10% less running e10. Maybe if you were running gas with 10% water in it.

I don't care if you believe it or not, I've repeated the experiment a number of times.

That does seem very strange. What kind of car is this?
 
Originally posted by: DonaldC
Originally posted by: Sawyer
I just noticed this at a place I normally get gas, on the 87 and and premium there is a sticker that says it could contain 10% eth. Will this cause any mpg issues with a normal car(2001 Focus)?

Ethanol has less energy than gasoline so you might see a drop in mpg.


..I used to get near 20 mpg in my dodge dakota on the road. now I get 18 or less with the eth mix.
 
Originally posted by: Bignate603
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
On average, I have gotten 10% lower mpg in every vehicle I've ever compared 89 octane E-10 versus regular 87 octane.

BS If your car was able to run e85 you would only get around 20% less so I don't buy 10% less running e10. Maybe if you were running gas with 10% water in it.

I don't care if you believe it or not, I've repeated the experiment a number of times.

That does seem very strange. What kind of car is this?

1991 Geo Prizm, 2000 Chevy Prizm, and a 2004 Chrysler Sebring.
 
Originally posted by: IGBT
Originally posted by: DonaldC
Originally posted by: Sawyer
I just noticed this at a place I normally get gas, on the 87 and and premium there is a sticker that says it could contain 10% eth. Will this cause any mpg issues with a normal car(2001 Focus)?

Ethanol has less energy than gasoline so you might see a drop in mpg.


..I used to get near 20 mpg in my dodge dakota on the road. now I get 18 or less with the eth mix.

Hey, that's like... 10%, huh? 😉
 
I'm wondering how you did this experiment? Did you run the two fuels back to back in the same kind of weather?

I'm mentioning this because ethanol is put in during the summer, where the car is dealing with hotter weather (engines prefer cooler intake air) and also you're more likely to have your AC on which will bring down your mileage.
 
Originally posted by: Bignate603
I'm wondering how you did this experiment? Did you run the two fuels back to back in the same kind of weather?

I'm mentioning this because ethanol is put in during the summer, where the car is dealing with hotter weather (engines prefer cooler intake air) and also you're more likely to have your AC on which will bring down your mileage.

Yes. Be kind of pointless otherwise, wouldn't it?
AC usually causes 1mpg loss by itself. I've decided that's acceptable 😛
 
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: Bignate603
I'm wondering how you did this experiment? Did you run the two fuels back to back in the same kind of weather?

I'm mentioning this because ethanol is put in during the summer, where the car is dealing with hotter weather (engines prefer cooler intake air) and also you're more likely to have your AC on which will bring down your mileage.

Yes. Be kind of pointless otherwise, wouldn't it?
AC usually causes 1mpg loss by itself. I've decided that's acceptable 😛

I asked because somebody mentioned this...

..I used to get near 20 mpg in my dodge dakota on the road. now I get 18 or less with the eth mix.

It sounded like there may have been a period of time between when he measured the mileage for the different gas. Comparing mileage in November when it's cool to August when you have your AC cranked and the air is hot could believably cause that 2 mpg difference.
 
No doubt in my mind that winter blend/ ethanol decreases mpg.

That and the fact that if you warm your engine up for any length of time, you see quite a bit of loss in mpg. An idling engine gets 0 mpg.

Ethanol will decrease your mpg nonetheless
 
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