ETHANOL - Part 1
Tom Hodgson & Ron Pincoe Published in British Driven: the Headwater British Car Club News
Ethanol In Gasoline - The Issues, And What Can We Do About Them?
by Tom Hodgson & Ron Pincoe
The current information from several sources is that these issues fall into four types of potential problems. • Faster evaporation leading to rough running and misfiring on warm days. The MG Car Club consider this to be the most serious issue. In the U.K. they have only seen 5% ethanol until very recently.• Deterioration of rubber parts such as hose and gaskets• Phase separation when enough water is present•. Corrosion of metal parts and fuel tank linings. Burlen (UK) who make Amal and SU carburetors have made changes to the metals they use, for example, using nickel instead of zinc in some alloys.Below are some ideas on how we can be aware of and meet these challenges proactively.
Rough running:
In the U.K., the MG Car Club are doing some very interesting work trying to slow the rate of evaporation by adding heavier oil to the gasoline, such as adding up to 10% paraffin; this oil is known as Kerosene in Canada. Results have shown an improvement with the vehicles running more smoothly. We will certainly be monitoring their ongoing work with great interest.Testing of this sort, has to be done carefully, so as to not to run afoul of the various Ministries who collect the taxes on gasoline. In our case, this would be our Ministry of Transport and/or Canada Revenue Agency. It seems that the MG Club were able to get permission to carry out these tests in the United Kingdom. There are also a number of additives on the market that are aimed at this problem. If their literature is correct, they can solve all our problems, including some we did not know we had! The manufacturers of these additives claim their products will protect engines and provide better fuel economy.Since some of these additives are available here in Ontario, perhaps we could do some of our own evaluations. Some of our members might consider it worth the while to test these in their cars. Tom still uses ethanol free gas in his MG, but recently he picked up some additive to try out in another car.
Some places to find the additives are:
a. Shelbourne have Ethanol /Fuel stabilizer. 10 oz. Treats 68 liters (15 galls.)
b. Day Distributors of Newmarket have Pathfinder Lubricant.
c. VS P, sold by Moss, have three: (i) VSP Lead Replacement and octane improver (ii) VSPe,
Ethanol Protecter but no added octane mixture. (iii) EPS to protect against Ethanol only.
d. 4. Arch Oil have AR6200, which is a fuel emulsifier, also claiming to improve fuel efficiency.
Effect on rubber parts:
To take care of the rubber deterioration problem we can at least be sure we use suitable material for the hoses, etc. The Viton/ Hypalon from Burlen (UK) is probably the best, but expensive. Goodyear’s Nitrile /Hypalon is expected to be more reasonable and available in North America. Updated gaskets and new hose products are available if replacements are needed. Fortunately, serious fuel tank lining problems have not been reported as of yet.
Phase Separation:
The phase separation problem is likely to happen only when we start with high water levels in the gasoline. Unfortunately, this is a difficult issue to recognize or control. For example, should a gas station decide to make itself some extra profit, it would be very simple to add some extra water to the gas, since 10% ethanol will dissolve it easily up to about 0.6%.Long term storage is also a time when extra water can be slowly absorbed into the fuel. It is very beneficial to use a fuel stabilizer additive in the fall, prior to winter storage.
Corrosion of Metal Parts:
At the moment, the corrosion appears to be a much longer term issue, at least we hope so. When the Burlen company was asked for their input, they stated, “All our products today are suitable for petrol containing ethanol.” In order to accomplish this, they have modified their products to contain less zinc. Some agencies such as The Oil Companies European Association now say that they no longer recommend the use of Zinc, Brass, Copper, Neoprene, Nylon 66 and many
other products. Since we have used Brass and copper for plumbing for a
very long time, the corrosive effects must be slow. Fortunately, we are still able to find gas stations in Canada that are still selling fuels which are ethanol free. Ron recommends that our best bet is to look at the gas pump at the station. If there is a sticker on it that says, “may contain up to 10% ethanol,” stay away from it!
Most Petro-Canada stations in our area are fine, except for stations
that sell 94 octane since apparently they contain 10% ethanol.The sure safe fuel to use is Shell V-Power.
Shell’s web site states that all V-Power fuels in Canada are ethanol
free.So as long as we can purchase ethanol free fuel there is no need
for an additive, but it is wise to have some with you when travelling,
especially in the U.S. Hopefully the issues we have addressed will help
keep our Little British Cars motoring for many years to come, when
ethanol free gases are no longer available, and we do have to turn to
additives.
Part 2
by Lorne Goldman
If
I may paraphrase an old saying, a camel is a horse designed by
polticians and special interest groups. Such are the basic facts about
ethanol. And while it is noteworthy that we and our governments try to
lower the devastating effects of unhealthy emissions, ethanol was NOT the way to go.
1. It lowers fuel mileage. E10 gasoline, which is the gas we used in America,
actually gives you 2-3 miles per US gallon (.8 of kilomters less a litre) less than gasoline. E85, l with 85% ethanol for "flex" vehicles, loses one 7-8 miles per US gallon or (2.12 kilometer) less a litre.
2. In most countries, its production causes more emissions than smarter alternatives.
3. It attracts and captures moisture in the
fuel used and as the water is immiscible it forms a water layer and or droplets. When the
water hits the engine the fuel dosing maybe right in volume but not in mix so you run lean. With water absorbing into the fuel, there is the chance that rust
will form on the interior of the engine on the pasrts suceptible to this type of rot. . The particles that get into the gas from
rust flakes will clog up the fuel filter. It is
possible that these flakes will also cause damage to the pistons, rings,
seals, and any number of other components of the engine. This is mostr striking in classic cars..like Morgans.
4. Ethanol will also increases gasoline vapor pressure which may cause a vapor
lock in a carburetor. The resultant fuel starvation will prevent the engine
from starting. This is a big issue in higher altitudes and hot weather.
Make sure to be storing gasoline with an ethanol mixture properly and to
use it in a timely fashion. Try to remember to use something like Sta-bil with ethanol-added fuel.
5. Ethanol, a form of alcohol, is not good for seals and causes a quicker break-down of these key components.
Having a cleaning agent like this constantly in a small engine that was
not engineered for this fuel mixture ages it at a fast rate.
6. The ethanol in E10 gas breaks down quickly. The internet speaks
of experts who have stated that E10 begins to break down within 3
weeks. This breakdown creates clumps in the gasoline mixture at some
point which can clog the filter, carburetor, fuel lines, etc.
Small engine repair persons confrim that ethanol related problems have
become their major reason for repairs.
Ethanol is made from sugar cane and corn, the most important meat feed on the planet. It is used to nourish hogs, chickens and all types of cattle. Using it as a fuel, is one of the primary causes of the constantly increasing price of the most popular meats, eggs and milk. Added to the other factors listed above, the aggregate annual losses to the world's pocketbooks and the planet is stupendence.There are many much smarter fuel alternatives, but ethanol makes their development an uphill struggle.
So what is the reason for this insanity?
It is another example of system failure. Politicians need votes. Farmers want to increase their profits. The planet's second largest farming product is US corn and it takes up 72,700,000 acres of land. US
polticians pander for votes and use laws to force an increase in
the demand for corn. This increases the market value of corn and
they reap their return in key votes from the farmers who benefit. This
siliness has now spread to other countries and other governments...a
well-publized way to make the electorate think they are working for a
cleaner world, when the opposite is the case.