Gas Without Ethanol - Mileage??

[clkelley]

Just wondering. This last tank I filled up at a podunk gas station where the sign stated their gas had no ethanol in it. (Although the station did have Texaco branding on the tanks)

Coming home from the campground I got about 1.2 gallons per mile better than going to the campground.

Has anyone else experienced better gas mileage when using gas without ethanol??

(There could have been other factors also. I went a bit slower going home as the weather was terrible, and I could have been going downhill more, but not sure.)

I generally use mid grade name brand gas such as Shell, BP, Texaco, Chevron, etc. cause I've had some serious trouble with my old truck when using cheaper gas.

 

[DaveInTN]

From what I have read, there is a definite drop in mileage when using ethanol blends such as E85. That drop averages 15%, but can range from anywhere between 5% and 28% based upon your vehicle and driving habits. So, your calculated drop of 1.2 mpg could absolutely be accurate, and might even be a bit low all other things being equal. The simple fact is that ethanol has a lower energy content compared to gasoline, so there is no way around this drop in mileage.

 

[clkelley]

From what I have read, there is a definite drop in mileage when using ethanol blends such as E85. That drop averages 15%, but can range from anywhere between 5% and 28% based upon your vehicle and driving habits. So, your calculated drop of 1.2 mpg could absolutely be accurate, and might even be a bit low all other things being equal. The simple fact is that ethanol has a lower energy content compared to gasoline, so there is no way around this drop in mileage.

So what your saying is I really should start hunting for gas WITHOUT ethanol?? Most of the gas around here does have ethanol (up to 10%). (I had a gain on that tank without ethanol).

 

[LONE-STAR]

It also gums up the carb in small engines or so I have been told

 

[big kahuna1]

So what your saying is I really should start hunting for gas WITHOUT ethanol?? Most of the gas around here does have ethanol (up to 10%). (I had a gain on that tank without ethanol).

Yes. Ethanol does not burn as efficiantly so you get less mpg. but you do pay less, I think so it is about a wash. They "claim" it pollutes less but the facts beg to differ. It may pollute less coming out of the exhaust pipe but overall, from start to finish, it pollutes more but hey, too many politicians were invested in it so it has to be pushed on us peons.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

IIRC the 10% content is a federal mandate, I know it sometimes varies by region but I think that all unleaded gas must contain some ethanol. I doubt that pure "gasoline" is available anywhere anymore.

 

[DaveInTN]

Yes. Ethanol does not burn as efficiantly so you get less mpg. but you do pay less, I think so it is about a wash. They "claim" it pollutes less but the facts beg to differ. It may pollute less coming out of the exhaust pipe but overall, from start to finish, it pollutes more but hey, too many politicians were invested in it so it has to be pushed on us peons.

Problem is, even if ethanol costs less than gasoline, the impact on food prices by diverting so much corn into energy production far outweighs any benefits we might see in fuel prices.

 

[ntsammy5]

, from start to finish, it pollutes more but hey, too many politicians were invested in it so it has to be pushed on us peons.

Gee, ya think? Al Gore still loves ya baby!

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I don't know, it tastes the same to me.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Modern gasoline is getting harder to use in older carbureted cars, the way it is formulated and refined has changed to the point where older cars that are driven infrequently have problems with it.

 

[AuburnJen92]

IIRC the 10% content is a federal mandate, I know it sometimes varies by region but I think that all unleaded gas must contain some ethanol. I doubt that pure "gasoline" is available anywhere anymore.

They do have pure gasoline for the boating industry down here. The ethanol tears up the engines in the boats something fierce. I know my waverunner doesn't enjoy it, although I do use regular gas that I get at the gas stations with the ethanol. I just have to do more maintenance. The bigger yachts stay away from it.

 

[DaveInTN]

While most (if not all) automotive gas sold today has that 10% ethanol content, if you see E85 fuel that contains 85% ethanol, and only 15% gasoline. A lot of newer engines are designed to run on that (flex fuel), but the older ones not so much.

I am currently working on a new engine in my garage for my motorhome, that will run on B85 fuel. 85% beer, 15% gas. So far, my findings are the engine runs smoothly for the first hour or so, but then gets quite loud and begins to veer off the road. Eventually it konks out and I can't get it restarted until the next morning.

 

[bama_ed]

The ethanol-blended gas (90% gas/10% ethanol) will give you almost the same energy mileage as pure gas. The reason why is in the BTU/energy stats.

As I understand it, ethanol has 90% of the BTU/energy capability of an equivalent amount of gas (that's why they went with gas 100 years ago).

So if 10% of your gas has 90% of the energy and the remaining 90% of the gas has 100% of the energy then here is the math:

10% ethanol x 90% energy = 9% output
90% gas x 100% energy = 90% output
100% blend = 99% output

So if you're buying 10% ethanol/90% gas you should get 99% of the mileage you would get on 100% pure gas.

I guess if you go all the way to E85 you will see more of an effect. Yes, it's priced lower but when you take into account the lower energy (meaning miles per gallon) you're not any better off.

Bama ED

PS-I simplified the math for all the Barn fans on this board (hi Jen!)

 

[AuburnJen92]

Hi Ed! Be Nice!

 

[Doggmeat]

21.5 mpg highway without ethanol.....oh wait this isnt a diesel topic is it? sorry for intruding...lol

 

[disney4dan]

The use of ethanol is mandated under the Clean Air Act and it's "required use" is based on "attainment areas" which take into account periodic testing of air quality.

The more rural areas which routinely meet clean air act standards are not required to use ethanol, and some are not required to have vapor recovery on the gas dispensing nozzles (at least in the past, I have not looked it up in a few years).

From a practical standpoint, ethanol may be in the gas if the supplier/distributor feels it is more economical to keep the same blend in the area and distributes to both attainment and non-attainment areas.

There were problems early on with the ethanol blends reportedly reacting with the composite materials used in tanks on earlier boats; something that they probably did not consider in the gub-ment committee meetings. That got a few forward thinking companies to put two and two together and start wondering about the existing, first generation fiberglass storage tanks at some of the gas stations around the country. Look for construction at gas stations near you soon!

 

[bama_ed]

Hi Ed! Be Nice!

Moi? Always!

Bama ED

 

[LONE-STAR]

21.5 mpg highway without ethanol.....oh wait this isnt a diesel topic is it? sorry for intruding...lol

Well I know you don't drive a ford.

 

[Doggmeat]

Well I know you don't drive a ford.

nah cummins

 

[jade1]

Problem is, even if ethanol costs less than gasoline, the impact on food prices by diverting so much corn into energy production far outweighs any benefits we might see in fuel prices.

To some "diminishing" degree. Corn was, is and always will be grown for feeding livestock (with or without Ethanol). Once the ethanol is extracted from the corn, the "mash" remaining is fed to cattle at 60 to 85% (and getting better) of its original feed value. So the bad rap for costs (plow/plant/seed/fert/herb/insec/harvest) are going to be there regardless of ethanol or not-it still gets fed to livestock to feed the world.