Sponsored content presented by Sunoco.
Most fuel sold these days, whether it’s for street or competition use, contains alcohol–ethanol, technically. Is that good or bad? As usual, the answer is “it depends.”
Sponsored content presented by Sunoco.
Most fuel sold these days, whether it’s for street or competition use, contains alcohol–ethanol, technically. Is that good or bad? As usual, the answer is “it depends.”
We are lucky- in my corner of Canada, I can get non ETOH added 94 octane (every time I go South of the border, I have to Bob Costasfoot as imy daily driver is tuned for the 94 and boosts at 25 psi).
The alcohol added fuels are a PITA on old cars that sit for half the year, and get no benefit from the alcohol without retuning.
1. Good. Reducing our dependency on oil...anyone's oil, and its global issues.
2. Bad. Using farmland that should be growing food instead of fuel.
3. Bad. Unforeseen maintenance issues with fuel components.
4. Bad. Farm subsidies could be used better in other places.
5. Good. Pre-detonation control might save an engine or two.
The Staff of Motorsport Marketing said:
Sponsored content presented by Sunoco.
Most fuel sold these days, whether it’s for street or competition use, contains alcohol–ethanol, technically. Is that good or bad? As usual, the answer is “it depends.”
Good. Your engine won't have the same deposits in the combustion chambers and on the back of intake valves as straight gasoline.
Good. Your engine will run cooler
Good. correctly tuned it will have slightly more power.
Actually water has always been in Gasoline. It collects in holding tanks all the way from the refinery to the gas station and eventually your cars tank. They are all vented to air. Air naturally has some moisture in it. It's called humidity.
Early fuel pumps would display the fuel in a glass container so the customer could judge for himself the suitability. Later glass bowls were added to the fuel lines so owners could drain out excess water.
Eventually the gas companies convinced the manufacturers that a small amount of water was good for the engine. It reduced Knox and cleaned out combustion chambers.
Collectors of vintage cars should know how to adjust their car for oxygenated fuel. A slight richening of the fuel and some additional timing will regain most of the lost fuel mileage. Anything with modern fuel injection will self adjust. Alcohol is not going away as long as Iowa starts the political season.
In reply to wspohn :
Just curious, what's the price premium for that non-ethanol 94?
I paid $1.88/L Canadian last weekend for 91 !
x 4.54L per Canadian gallon
x 3.785411784 L per US gallon
x your exchange rate
Not Cheap !!
In reply to Don2001l :
Not cheap. Last time I bought non-ethanol 93 here, I remember it not being inexpensive as well.
I was buying 91 non-ethanol but, since I'm driving the cars more, have just been running premium lately.
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