Ethanol and my Carrera S
05-14-2008, 08:17 PM
#16
Race Car
"The BTU of E10 is 97% or so of the BTU of gasoline. Therefore, the ethanol produces less energy. This is such a small difference that a driver would never be able to notice."
So:
E0 = 116,090 BTU's x .90 = 104,481
E10 = 112,114 BTU's x .10 = 11,211
E-10 Total BTU = 115692
So that means net 398 BTU loss. Don't think it will make too much of a difference.
The real problem is if you have a boat with a fiberglass tank. Many boaters are experiencing problems with damaged fuel tanks.
So:
E0 = 116,090 BTU's x .90 = 104,481
E10 = 112,114 BTU's x .10 = 11,211
E-10 Total BTU = 115692
So that means net 398 BTU loss. Don't think it will make too much of a difference.
The real problem is if you have a boat with a fiberglass tank. Many boaters are experiencing problems with damaged fuel tanks.
05-14-2008, 08:28 PM
#17
Race Director
You're right. Water and ethanol make a mess of fiberglass. Fiberglass tanks were eliminated by major boat manufacturers years ago and the new tanks do not have a problem with E10. However, special care must be used when using E10 in a boat above and beyond what it might do to the gas tank.
05-14-2008, 09:38 PM
#18
Ironman 140.6
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I would definitely avoid any brand of gasoline that advertises that fact that it contains ethanol. I believe almost all cars are designed to operated satisfactorily on fuels containing alcohol but I am not convinced they have really fullytested the resistance of the fuel system materials to alcohols.
05-15-2008, 05:47 PM
#19
Sounds like you got your knowledge of E10 for some of the scare sites on the internet. 
ALL cars. That's ALL cars, are approved for E10, and NO manufacturer has reported any problems with E10 and corrosion.
BTW. energy content and octane are unrelated. Octane is not an energy producer.
There has been 30+ years of use of E10.
ALL cars. That's ALL cars, are approved for E10, and NO manufacturer has reported any problems with E10 and corrosion.BTW. energy content and octane are unrelated. Octane is not an energy producer.
There has been 30+ years of use of E10.
05-15-2008, 08:44 PM
#20
Race Car
My information is from having been in the business. My employer designs fuel system components and I can tell you that ethanol does extract plasticizer from some plastics and elastomers and this definitely did cause a problem for Saturn automobiles - not all of them but an unusually high percentage of them. Gm tried to blame us for the problem but what hapened is that they changed the factory fill without advising us. We developed a different fuel componet for them ( expensive) that solved the problem. Most autos still use the vulnerable materials! The problem in that case was the the fuel extracted the plasticizer ( at elevated temp) and then the plasticizer precipitated out at a lower temp. but did not re-dissolve.......causing the problem. Alcohols are a general concern with fuel system designers.
So, since MOST autos use this vulnerable material, please give us a list of a few of them. Funny how I have cars trhat have run exclusively on E10 for 30 years and I still have the same gas tank. I wonder how that is possible?
