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Ethanol Free Gas In a 20 Year Old Vehicle?


Cypress Sun

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With a possible hurricane around the corner, I may have to purchase about 50 gallons of non-ethanol gasoline for my generator. Of course, there is to chance that the power never goes out or the the hurricane turns away after purchase. My vehicle is 20 years old with approximately 140K miles on it with a Ford V-6 motor. It's never had any other fuel other than regular gas at first and then the 10% ethanol fuel when we were forced to go to that. 

 

Would it be safe to use the unused ethanol free gas in my vehicle? I don't know if it burns hotter/colder, if it will harms gaskets, rings/pistons, valves, etc, due never being introduced to the engine. From what I've read on here, some of ya'll have considerable experience in this area (and other areas) and I would like to draw from your knowledge.

 

Thanks in advance.

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Howdy,

Yes.

If you have doubts, just mix in four or five gallons a week with pump fuel.

Afaik the ethanol is what causes problems. Not the other way around.

Best

CR

 

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And don't forget,

if you plan on holding on to the gasoline for any length of time

(in-between hurricanes)

then be sure to add1702034347_Sta-bilFuelStabilizer.png.55efb56448c5e4facb612c595ad138aa.png to the gasoline in the can.

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Ron is correct.  The ethanol that is mixed in most pump gas is bad for our engines and fuel systems.  It's corrosive, which is why those alternative fuel vehicles have different gas tanks and fuel systems from regular vehicles.  I would love to have access to alcohol free gas for my car.

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Only thing ethanol free gasoline will do to your car is improve the fuel economy.  :)

 

Many older cars can be harmed by gasoline with ethanol added. As CBB stated ethanol gasoline will damage older rubber and composite components.

 

In case you were not aware do not put any gasoline in your car with more than 10% ethanol added. Higher concentrations of ethanol will damage vehicles that were not designed for it.

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When I use 10% ethanol fuel in either the car or the pickup, my fuel efficiency drops by 20-30% (depending on the vehicle). I never buy it unless I am at a station where I have no choice.

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https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/03/gas-with-ethanol-can-make-small-engines-fail/index.htm

 

Especially bad for outboard motors where a failure to start will leave you with human power only.

 

Ethanol free gas stations - https://www.pure-gas.org/

 

 

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Here on the western slope of Colorado quite a few stations have ethanol free gas, designated by a blue price sign. Have not seen any on the commiefornia east slope centered around Denver.

My wife uses the ethanol free in her 2018 Fourrunner and gets about 2.5 mpg better than adulterated gas. Price per mpg ($2.46 ethanol @ 19.5 mpg = 12.6 cents per mile and $2.65 @ 22 mpg = 12 cents per mile is roughly equal so hard to tell a financial benefit. In my 2012 Kia Sorento I get a little over 1 mpg better with ethanol free so not really a savings for me. A mechanic friend told us the percentage of ethanol varies by the station selling it as Colorado only specifies "up to 10% ethanol". Most of my small engine power tools like chain saws, generators and leaf blowers specify to not use ethanol gas as it can possibly damage the engine.

 

Regards

 

:FlagAm: :FlagAm: :FlagAm:

 

Gateway Kid

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2 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

Don't get me started on ethanol.  Bad stuff all the way around. Especially in small engines.  We only use ethanol free gas in our small engines now. 

 

Don't have that non-Ethanol stuff here.

I only use premium grade gas in my 34+ yo Jeep and small engines.

I do use Lucas Fuel injection cleaner, as it does appear to significantly reduce the water absorption of the Ethanol and the corrosion that water will cause to the carb. bowl and jets.

OLG

 

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Thanks to all who responded. I trust you're opinion a helleva lot more than the internet.

 

I really don't know what the government was trying to solve with ethanol. Caused more problems than it solved. Like putting sawdust in Parmesan cheese, makes it look like more but it's just a filler.

 

Around here, there are plenty of places to buy ethanol free fuel....WaWa's for one and they seem like they are positioned about 8-10 miles apart. Didn't used to be that way. To get e-free, it was about a 30 mile round trip.

 

CBB, I've never seen 93 octane e-free gas.

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Howdy,

There is one pump in one station in town with no alkehaul gas.

It is priced higher than premium but not crazy high.

I run it during real cold weather and when the honda seems sluggish.

I have not measured mpg, but that is very innnterrestink.

Best

CR

ps my camaro needed lead added to prem.  I got tired of the skull crossbones on the cans.

 

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43 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

 I really don't know what the government was trying to solve with ethanol.

 

All about politics,  large corporations,  and making environmentalists feel good.

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42 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

Thanks to all who responded. I trust you're opinion a helleva lot more than the internet.

 

I really don't know what the government was trying to solve with ethanol. Caused more problems than it solved. Like putting sawdust in Parmesan cheese, makes it look like more but it's just a filler.

 

Around here, there are plenty of places to buy ethanol free fuel....WaWa's for one and they seem like they are positioned about 8-10 miles apart. Didn't used to be that way. To get e-free, it was about a 30 mile round trip.

 

CBB, I've never seen 93 octane e-free gas.

They used to have it years ago before the whole ethanol thing.  I've learned to live without it, but it's a bummer.  As WC said, it's all about politics and putting money into the pockets of politicians and big agriculture.

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2 hours ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

They used to have it years ago before the whole ethanol thing.  I've learned to live without it, but it's a bummer.  As WC said, it's all about politics and putting money into the pockets of politicians and big agriculture.

 

Remember Sunoco 780?  That was good stuff.

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Several stations here sell the no ethanol gas. I use it in all my small engines and my boat.

 

I thought the gov't did it because they thought it would result in less oil being imported.

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You can remove the e from any grade of gasoline by pouring a quart or more of H2O in the five gallon can of gas and shaking it up, let it set and the water will mix with the e and settle to the bottom of the can. Nasty looking stuff but it works. This came from a website that deals with getting e free gas when none is available. No I don't remember which one. But it works, try it with a small amount of gas and prove it to yourself.

kR

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