I did a search for anything on this topic but didn't find anything specifically for the 996. So, does anyone have any experience on running our cars with ethanol free fuel? If so, notice any difference? Worth the price? Is 90 grade ok?

 

All other things being equal running ethanol free gasoline is preferred. The engine is more efficient burning gasoline with no ethanol.

In many areas ethanol free gasoline is not available or is very inconvenient. But of course you may live next door to the only station in 100 miles that sells ethanol free gasoline, in which case you lucky so and so.

I have little experience while owning my Porsches running ethanol free gasoline, but I have run thousands of gallons of gasoline with ethanol in it and the cars, fuel systems, engines have suffered no apparent harm.

(My 02 Boxster with over 257K miles is on its original fuel injectors.)

90 octane gasoline is very low at the very bottom of what is acceptable (if my memory of the owners manual cautions on running lower octane gasolines is any good).

90 octane gasoline can be ok though if for instance you live and drive at higher elevations, provided you remember to fill the tank up with higher octane gasoline at the first chance you get. If you live at lower elevations, buy a higher octane grade of gasoline. 91 is as low as I would go -- we in CA have no choice -- but 92 better and 93 is better still.

On a road trip a while back on I-80 I had a chance to run 93 octane -- I can't remember if it was ethanol free or not -- in my 03 996 Turbo and the 93 octane gasoline made a noticeable difference in how the engine felt and the gasoline mileage it delivered. In short the engine felt better and gas consumption improved.

93 octane gas rules.

91 octane gas sucks.

Sincerely,

Macster.

 

I think ethanol was mandated around 2003-2005 in most states, guess CA was earlier. I buy the highest octane availiable, what is the delta about 10c per gallon 1.60 per tank?
I am sure someone online knows the chemisty and can comment on that.
I am not aware of any option for ethanol free gas in TX.

 

I can occasionally find ethanol free gas in rural parts of South and West Texas.

I always buy it when I find it. I keep three empty 5 gallon cans in my truck for just that purpose.

The difference is noticeable.

 

Your post jogged my memory. It was before my time with my Porsches started (pre-2002) but I remembered when I used to drive outside of CA in my '96 Mustang GT (with its 4.6l S0HC V8 engine) and I looked forward to once leaving CA being able to buy ethanol free gasoline.

The Mustang GT required just 87 octane (and pinged horribly running 87 octane gasoline but IIRC running higher octane gasoline made no difference) but even so even running lowly 87 octane gasoline, with the ethanol gone the change the improvement in the engine's feel was noticeable.

Then as ethanol gasoline became mandated in other areas...gas sucked everywhere like it sucks here in CA.

Sincerely,

Macster.

 

For those that are interested......ethanol-free gas stations in the US.

http://pure-gas.org/extensions/map.html

 

Every vehicle I own runs SOOO much better with ethanol free gas, but it is rare I can get it, too. When I know I will be going by one, I also have 3 5 gal gas cans for the same thing. Huge difference. I only run 93 in the 996 and Mini S, better performance and mileage.

 

Two questions for you....
1. Does your owners manual cover a recommended grade of gasoline for your car?

2. Are you asking about 90 octane as a potential opportunity to save money?

 

I can no longer find ethanol free 93 octane fuel. It all went away in March/April 2012. I was always able to find it the past couple years in central Illinois and many places in Wisconsin. The best you can do now is 91 octane ethanol free.

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=MO

Or try to find 98 octane Sunoco Race Gas 260 GTX (260 GT is 100 octane and about 10% ethanol) for about $7.00 gallon retail or +$9.00/gallon at the track:

http://www.racegas.com/fuel/unleaded

For me, octane rules, so I am back to 93 octane with ethanol.

When I ran without ethanol, the main difference I saw was improved fuel economy. At least a 10% improvement, as expected since fuel with ethanol has less stored energy. As for performance, Used Oil Anaylsis, runnning temperatures, starting, and etc......I did not notice any difference.

You do see less soot on your exhaust with no ethanol fuels.

I purchased an ethanol fuel testing kit early this spring. What I found was most of the "winter gas" was right about 5% ethanol. And "summer gas" is running right about 9% ethanol.

Did you realize the shelf life of "race gas" is 2 years? I may keep this in mind when I start to prep the cars in October/November for winter hibernation.

 

Thanks - turns out that there are a couple of places fairly close to me. Tempted to check it out. I have always run 93 octane, I see one rated at 87 ethanol free but am tempted to try the one offering 94 octane racing ethanol free.

And now I know why I can detect the smell of racing fuel from some of the "tuners" that love to toy with me on the interstate.

 

Call ahead, and confirm.

 

Nothing but 90 near me, and mostly at the marinas so even then it would mean filling cans and transferring. Thing is, the pumps say "up to 10% ethanol". I've found that fuel consumption is measurably less with the fuel I purchase at 7-Eleven vs Chevron, so my presumption is the former contains less ethanol. (Also from what I was told a few years ago, 7-Eleven refuses to contract with wholesalers who buy oil from the middle-east or Venezuela, so their petrol is 100% domestic. Don't know if that's true, but I like to hope so).

 

Thank you so much for posting this. There is a station about three miles away!

 

Consumer reports test drive team report 15%-20% lower fuel mileage with E85.

I believe Ethanol is higher octane than premium non-alcohol gasoline. So I wonder if CA premium is 87 octane gas with enough Ethanol blended to yield 91 octane?

 

Well, isn't E85......85% alcohol? I do think they add in alcohol to bring up the final octane, but, I don't kow if your numbers are right or wrong.