10% alchol being replaced by 15%??

[ramoffroader]

Food for thought. Went to my local small engine, chainsaw, woodspitter dealer. Bought a new generator. Reading the tag on the fuel tank found out the generator is designed to run on gas containing 10% ethanol. Sounded good seeing all the local stations have the stickers on the pumps saying the gas is E10. Then the dealer gave me the bad news. He was asked buy one of his lines to go around to the local stations and take fuel samples for testing. What he found out was every station tested the gas had a higher content of ethanol than stated on the pump. He said it ran from 10% all the way up to 23%. I run a ethanol additive and drain the carbs on all my small engine already. So just because it says E10 does not mean its E10.

 

[Dargo]

Food for thought. Went to my local small engine, chainsaw, woodspitter dealer. Bought a new generator. Reading the tag on the fuel tank found out the generator is designed to run on gas containing 10% ethanol. Sounded good seeing all the local stations have the stickers on the pumps saying the gas is E10. Then the dealer gave me the bad news. He was asked buy one of his lines to go around to the local stations and take fuel samples for testing. What he found out was every station tested the gas had a higher content of ethanol than stated on the pump. He said it ran from 10% all the way up to 23%. I run a ethanol additive and drain the carbs on all my small engine already. So just because it says E10 does not mean its E10.

Unfortunately, that's pretty common. I don't think I've ever seen a testing sample where more than a couple out of a few dozen places tested were at only 10%. I get copied on testing from auto repair shops who pitch in for local testing (since it causes problems in a LOT of cars; mostly when people say "my car seems to run rough and my fuel economy has really gone down", thinking they have a mechanical problem. I think in general a good safe average seems to be about 13.5% alcohol and about 1 to 1 1/2% water. That means that, at best, you are getting 85% gasoline.

Small 4 stroke engines seem to be the quickest destroyed by the garbage fuel we get now from the vast majority of gas stations. I thought the small 4 stoke engines were junk when it turns out that it's our friendly fuel distributor trashing your small engines for you. I'd bet the station that had 23% alcohol also had about 3% water. The increased alcohol helps the engine run with high concentrations of water in the fuel. That's pretty pathetic to think that when you think you are filling up with "gasoline" that you may only be getting 75% gasoline and 25% filler.

 

[Patches]

Shhhh; Don't tell Duffster that

 

[schoolsout]

Had to replace fiberglass gas tank in one of our boats due to ethanol...it eats the resins used

Marine industry complains

Ethanol will eat any older hosing over time. We use ethanol free stuff in smaller engines, as well.

Also, keep in mind that ethanol is "hydrophillic" or something like that and absorbs more water (moisture) so if you leave any tank with less than full or more than empty, the change in temps from night/day will cause gas to expand and when it contracts at night, it will pull in moisture from air.

 

[schoolsout]

hydrophilic

only one "L"

 

[Dargo]

Also, keep in mind that ethanol is "hydrophillic" or something like that and absorbs more water (moisture) so if you leave any tank with less than full or more than empty, the change in temps from night/day will cause gas to expand and when it contracts at night, it will pull in moisture from air.

Having higher (more than stated on the pump) allows gas stations to literally use a garden hose and put a hundred gallons or so in their tanks each time they have them filled. As long as they have enough alcohol in their gas, they get by with this. Really a bummer not getting what you pay for at the pump; especially with prices as high as they are.

 

[clemsonfor]

Having higher (more than stated on the pump) allows gas stations to literally use a garden hose and put a hundred gallons or so in their tanks each time they have them filled. As long as they have enough alcohol in their gas, they get by with this. Really a bummer not getting what you pay for at the pump; especially with prices as high as they are.

How do you know who not to buy gas from? The one when you pass eary one mourning and the station owner is out in front with the tank plug out and a garden hose running into the ground!!! :confused2: :laughing::laughing:

 

[crazyal]

It's not like the supplier has a great way of mixing in the Ethanol. They just figure a tank has about x amount of gallons and pour in 1/10 the amount of ethanol. I don't think they really mix it much at all and since they don't mix together your dealer gets what he gets and calls it 10%. Every so often I get really good gas mileage, I got a feeling that I just got a less than 10% tank full of gas.