Removing Ethanol from Gasoline

[arrow]

I


I have no problem with folks wanting and using ethanol free gas. I have no dog in that hunt. I just am amazed at after several decades of most of the country using ethanol laced gasoline, to hear the folks who ar opposed, we should be finding stacks of equipment that doesn't run, vehicles by the thousands sitting along the road, etc. Paranoia can be a terrible thing.

No you shouldn't be finding "stacks of equipment" nor is it paranoia. It's lousy stuff that inhibits gas mileage as much as 2-4 mpgs in my vehicles and has trashed a multitude of carburetors by leaving a residue I can best describe as "cellulose" that gunks up fuel passages. It is a pain to have to keep taking these apart after the not so comfortable extraction from say a motorcycle, and clean this crap out. It is questionable as to its effects since cars have had cleaner emissions all by themselves even in the last 10 years. Compared to what we burn as a nation, it's production is a drop in the bucket if the argument is it creates "less dependency". To me, there are other reasons why it is in our fuel that have little to do with what it's purported benefits are.

 

[newbury]

Corn ethanol policies are complex and vary from one Farm Bill to the next. Just from looking at the first story link I think it would take me several days of digging to begin to understand what really happens. At the very least a guaranteed market has been created and a mandate continues for ethanol--which is supplied mainly from corn. Subsidy or something else, but the costs of that end up somewhere, such as the price of food and environmental impact issues. 40% of the US corn crop went to ethanol production in 2013?

Corn Ethanol Subsidies Are Alive and Well | Taxpayers for Common Sense
Obama's 2015 Budget Backs Costly Corn Ethanol Subsidies - US News

But those are not Subsidies, they are tax credits and mandated usage! That's like calling a shovel a spade. Sure the industry still gets to suckle at the teat of the taxpayer, but it's not a Subsidy.

 

[dave1949]

But those are not Subsidies, they are tax credits and mandated usage! That's like calling a shovel a spade. Sure the industry still gets to suckle at the teat of the taxpayer, but it's not a Subsidy.

It sure quacks like a duck.

It sounds like everyone gets something--except the guy who grew the corn maybe. Growing corn must be its own reward.

I'm not picking on you cowpie1. I should have suspected, but didn't realize how hard Congress has worked to justify their existence on this. Since the first Pres. caucus is in Iowa, you're bound to do better about every four years.

 

[Sodo]

I have no problem with folks wanting and using ethanol free gas. I have no dog in that hunt. I just am amazed at after several decades of most of the country using ethanol laced gasoline, to hear the folks who ar opposed, we should be finding stacks of equipment that doesn't run, vehicles by the thousands sitting along the road, etc. Paranoia can be a terrible thing.

Yup you can get more power, better performance with ethanol free gas because pure gas has more energy.

But I'm in agreement with cowpie on the rest of this. Ethanol is nothing new, but the legend of it is getting stronger and stronger. Craigslist would be full of "come take it away, free chainsaw, riding lawnmower, tractor" on and on and on, if this was for real. It's not. Carbs have always gotten gummed up due to inattention, nothing new here folks. I don't know about fuel stabilizer, don't know if I want to breathe yet another chemical. Drain your carbs is the best bet. When I do that, engines start on the first pull.

The ethanol problem seems to be a men's internet legend, a "husbands tale".

 

[Redneck in training]

It sure quacks like a duck.

It sounds like everyone gets something--except the guy who grew the corn maybe. Growing corn must be its own reward.

I'm not picking on you cowpie1. I should have suspected, but didn't realize how hard Congress has worked to justify their existence on this. Since the first Pres. caucus is in Iowa, you're bound to do better about every four years.

IA is the top producer of ethanol (3.7 billion gallons which is 27 percent of the nation's total) but as far as I can see every gasoline pump in the state sells both 100% and 90+10% gasoline.
I also suspect that the farmers lobby has something to do with Ethanol legislation.

 

[RandyT]

Ethanol by itself isn't the problem. the guys that run fuel through there equipment regularly don't see problems. The problem with ethanol is the water absorbing properties. That water combining with the ethanol, and other impurities forms an mild acid, which is corrosive to metal especially the aluminum is small engine carbs. then top that with the micro narrow passages in todays emissions carbs, and it is a problem waiting to happen.

the thing with fuel injection systems is it can handle a wider various in fuel quality, and most systems have a excess fuel return to tank system which tends to stir the fuel in the tank, so you have less separation problems.

 

[newbury]

Yup you can get more power, better performance with ethanol free gas because pure gas has more energy.

But I'm in agreement with cowpie on the rest of this. Ethanol is nothing new, but the legend of it is getting stronger and stronger. Craigslist would be full of "come take it away, free chainsaw, riding lawnmower, tractor" on and on and on, if this was for real. It's not. Carbs have always gotten gummed up due to inattention, nothing new here folks. I don't know about fuel stabilizer, don't know if I want to breathe yet another chemical. Drain your carbs is the best bet. When I do that, engines start on the first pull.

The ethanol problem seems to be a men's internet legend, a "husbands tale".

I've 6 chainsaws, 2 35cc, 1 62cc, 2 90cc, and 1 120cc, plus 3 Stihl weedwacker/brush cutters and a 350 blower. Due to changing circumstances not all get run regularly. I used to have them "gum up" and be hard starting when running ETOH gas/oil mix if left to sit for over a month. Note I've always use a good oil mix w/ built in stabilizer. About 3 years ago I made a serious effort to switch to ETOH free fuel. Since then I've found that I can let my engines set months without starting and they will start normally.

My 120cc saw has barely gotten used in the few years I've had it but starts fine like a Stihl.

Call it a "husbands tale" but works great for me. The only "problem" is filling up at the local Ms ETOH free station versus just any gas station. It's over 100 yards out of my way.

 

[ruffdog]

I've 6 chainsaws, 2 35cc, 1 62cc, 2 90cc, and 1 120cc, plus 3 Stihl weedwacker/brush cutters and a 350 blower. Due to changing circumstances not all get run regularly. I used to have them "gum up" and be hard starting when running ETOH gas/oil mix if left to sit for over a month. Note I've always use a good oil mix w/ built in stabilizer. About 3 years ago I made a serious effort to switch to ETOH free fuel. Since then I've found that I can let my engines set months without starting and they will start normally.

My 120cc saw has barely gotten used in the few years I've had it but starts fine like a Stihl.

Call it a "husbands tale" but works great for me. The only "problem" is filling up at the local Ms ETOH free station versus just any gas station. It's over 100 yards out of my way.

I agree and am in the same boat. I also find that equipment restarts when hot much better on pure gas. I have found that E10 seems to boil at a lower temp too.

 

[Sodo]

About 3 years ago I made a serious effort to switch to ETOH free fuel. Since then I've found that I can let my engines set months without starting and they will start normally.

I have 50 engines. Lots of them set for over a month, and months. The most significant thing I've discovered is to "stir up" ethanol fuel that's sat awhile, makes it easier to start after sitting. For example tip a lawnmower up and let it plop back down. I like the squeeze bulb type carb primers. Draining the carb is good too if you happen to know it will sit for a period. If not , well spend a little effort to shake it up before pulling on the rope. Which might be difficult with a riding mower or 200 lb generator for stuff like that I use a can of starting fluid.

But in any case with 50 engines under my watch I've been paying attention to this ethanol paranoia for the past 4 years and have found that the problem is a tiny fraction of the hype. Agreed it would be nice if the problem didn't exist. No pollution at all would be nice too but you cant have everything.

I do prefer the way my motorcycles run on pure gas. But another good way is to buy a motorcycle with so much power you don't notice the difference.

Interesting notion about separating & removing the ethanol. Seems like an awful lotta work for dubious benefits but now curious about the resultant octane after such a process.

 

[ruffdog]

It seems that alcohols are more common than ethers, like MTBE, to be used as oxygenators in fuel. Are there still areas using ethers? I thought most of those chemicals were made in other countries too. Alcohol may have some drawbacks but they are probably better for our health than MTBE's.