Ethanol free fuels

[hoffbug]

Please sign the following petition to the EPA to Let them know we need ethanol free fuels available for our vintage equipment

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/keep-pure-gas/

[roverman]

Tony, Your kidding-right ? I'm curious as to what consortium is "pushing" this movement. I suggest a study of "PerformanceE85" webbsite. Perhaps you can pitch, in sensible terms, why ethanol is the enemy. Good luck with that. roverman.

[Moderator]

This is old news for a lot of the country. I've been obliged to buy ethanol blended fuel in wintertime for at least ten years. Since ~2007, it's been year round. Yes, fuel economy in terms of gross MPG is certainly worse with ethanol blended fuel. Yes, ethanol makes carburetors more likely to "percolate" due to high heat. (I tried a phenolic spacer and various float settings, but ended up replacing a worn out carb in order to achieve a reasonably smooth idle.) As I recall, when they first started putting ethanol in gasoline back in the eighties, people reported problems with plastic carburetor floats. It's frustrating that the world keeps changing and we have to change too, but IMHO 10 or 15% ethanol blended gasoline is something we can live with.

[hoffbug]

Not looking for a ban on ethanol or ethanol blends.. We have had it in Minnesota probably longer than anywhere else in the country. Just looking for prudent legislation to stop forcing non blended fuels off the market..

 My vintage Brut snowmobile  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3hAJKIUMkE has three carbs and the carb kits are $65 each.. I dont need ethanol gumming up the works and the water it attracts pitting everything.. Priced a vintage Walbro WRD-31 lately?

Even the folks I know running E-85 drain it all out and put race gas in for  winter storage. I live in Minnesota.. winters are more than a couple weeks long here. ;-).... This stuff is horribly Hygroscopic.

[roverman]

Tony, What % of ethanol ?  Fuel treatment like Lucas etc. ?

[mgb260]

Marine Stabil in last tank  works for me, then when you are almost empty, run it out of gas for winter. That is what I do for outboards and lawn tractor,also change plugs and put clean oil in. All of our gas has 10% alcohol. On older equipment change all rubber hoses to newer type. Never have any trouble.