100% Gas vs 10% Ethanol

[snowboardxt]

I want to get everyones opinion on using 100% gas vs 10% ethanol. The reason I'm asking is that 100% gas is slowly becoming harder to find. I've been told that my state (Tennessee) has created a law that all gas stations will be required to use only 10% ethanol gas by the end of the year. I have used 10% enthanol 1 time since I've owned my 06 SEL. She seems to run very well with 100% gas. I'm not wanting to run ethanol but I may be forced to.

[hondaconvert]

I want to get everyones opinion on using 100% gas vs 10% ethanol. The reason I'm asking is that 100% gas is slowly becoming harder to find. I've been told that my state (Tennessee) has created a law that all gas stations will be required to use only 10% ethanol gas by the end of the year. I have used 10% enthanol 1 time since I've owned my 06 SEL. She seems to run very well with 100% gas. I'm not wanting to run ethanol but I may be forced to.

 

 

We don't have 100% gas in NY. My '10 SEL V6 AWD does fine on 10% ethanol. Haven't tried E85 yet - see nno reason to.

[akirby]

I want to get everyones opinion on using 100% gas vs 10% ethanol. The reason I'm asking is that 100% gas is slowly becoming harder to find. I've been told that my state (Tennessee) has created a law that all gas stations will be required to use only 10% ethanol gas by the end of the year. I have used 10% enthanol 1 time since I've owned my 06 SEL. She seems to run very well with 100% gas. I'm not wanting to run ethanol but I may be forced to.

 

Nothing wrong with E10. In some places that's all you can get. It will cost you a few tenths up to 1 or 2 mpg though.

[snowboardxt]

The MPG is not really a big deal, I can handle that. However, pure ethanol attracts water. I'm not sure how much water can be absorbed if its blended with gasoline but either way, it still could be hurting our engines. My car was built early 2006 before ethanol was mainstream and I personally do not think that my engine and fuel lines are optimized for the use of ethanol. I'm not saying that ethanol is going to stop my car in its tracks if I fill my tank with E10, I'm simply thinking long term. No one really knows what the long term effects are. It could hurting the longevity of the engine especially if water is being absorbed into the blend of gas and ethanol

 

Many say there is nothing wrong with ethanol and that may be true if you car was built after it became mainstream.

[jazztrumpet216]

The MPG is not really a big deal, I can handle that. However, pure ethanol attracts water. I'm not sure how much water can be absorbed if its blended with gasoline but either way, it still could be hurting our engines. My car was built early 2006 before ethanol was mainstream and I personally do not think that my engine and fuel lines are optimized for the use of ethanol. I'm not saying that ethanol is going to stop my car in its tracks if I fill my tank with E10, I'm simply thinking long term. No one really knows what the long term effects are. It could hurting the longevity of the engine especially if water is being absorbed into the blend of gas and ethanol

 

Many say there is nothing wrong with ethanol and that may be true if you car was built after it became mainstream.

 

In WI, we've been using 10% ethanol since the early 90's. It is rare (though not impossible) to find a station with 100% gas. A 2006 will handle 10% ethanol just fine.

[akirby]

The MPG is not really a big deal, I can handle that. However, pure ethanol attracts water. I'm not sure how much water can be absorbed if its blended with gasoline but either way, it still could be hurting our engines. My car was built early 2006 before ethanol was mainstream and I personally do not think that my engine and fuel lines are optimized for the use of ethanol. I'm not saying that ethanol is going to stop my car in its tracks if I fill my tank with E10, I'm simply thinking long term. No one really knows what the long term effects are. It could hurting the longevity of the engine especially if water is being absorbed into the blend of gas and ethanol

 

Many say there is nothing wrong with ethanol and that may be true if you car was built after it became mainstream.

 

E10 is safe for any modern engine. That's why they can mandate it in some areas. Anything higher than that can cause problems.

[snowboardxt]

Thanks for the feedback. I wish that I didnt have to use ethanol but if I'm forced to then so be it, we will see how it works out.

[2010SEL]

Thanks for the feedback. I wish that I didnt have to use ethanol but if I'm forced to then so be it, we will see how it works out.

FYI the EPA is considering mandating 15% ethanol across the board. Just great. More expense and lower mpgs!

[snowboardxt]

Great indeed. I'm not a fan of using ethanol but it could very well be good thing. There is a ethanol refinery planned for here in TN, which does help with aspects of the economy but I still wish that I had the "freedom" to choose to not use ethanol.

 

Should I think about using a engine or fuel additative to boost performace and/or to make sure that water does not get into the fuel?

[Beachboy]

FYI the EPA is considering mandating 15% ethanol across the board. Just great. More expense and lower mpgs!

 

The EPA's already approved the move to 15% ethanol. The big kicker is that they recommend it only in cars 2007 and newer. So are gas stations going to have to put in a third set of tanks and pumps (10% ethanol, 15% ethanol, and premium)? The automakers, small engine makers, as well as the environmentalists are dead set against the trend towards more ethanol, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Or do the EPA bureaucrats figure everybody should be rich enough to be driving 2007 or newer cars and to heck with those of us in older vehicles?

[2010SEL]

There is a big difference between "approving" and "mandating". So far EPA has not told anybody that they have to do anything. All I know for sure is that the more ethanol they add to gas the more problems it causes, the more it costs, and the MPGs go down. Plus I read that we use more oil to produce the fertilizer for the corn, and to produce the electricity needed for the production of alocohol than it'll ever save. So what's the point of ethanol other than making some big farmers and companies like ADM richer?