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29 October 2012
Ethanol-laced (E-10) Fuel
Ethanol-laced fuel was not sold when our cars were built. It rots the metal and gaskets in carburetors, and should not be used in any Bentley. An RREC Bulletin advises against the use of ethanol-laced fuel. According to a club member, "ethanol (alcohol) is a solvent and by itself can do harm to gaskets and sealant products as used in older engines." Ethanol-laced fuel is also hard on our engines because it causes them to run hotter, with even lower fuel efficiency than is now the case - and that is saying something.
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Ethanol-laced fuel was not sold when
our cars were built. Fuel with an ethanol component
may or may not benefit current engines and the state
of the world's oil supply. However; it rots the metal
and gaskets in carburetors, and should not be used in
any R-R or Bentley. The RREC Bulletin advises against
the use of ethanol-laced fuel. According to one of our
club members, "ethanol (alcohol) is a solvent and
by itself can do harm to gaskets and sealant products
as used in older engines." I'm also told that ethanol-laced
fuel is also hard on our engines because it causes them
to run hotter, with even lower fuel efficiency than
is now the case - and that is saying something.
Personally, I use Chevron 94 octane fuel not only because
I like to give my Old Girl a treat but also because
it is said to contain no ethanol. She seems to run beautifully
as a result. (Large infusions of cash to my mechanic
may also have something to do with this.)
My research* has also revealed the following information.
Gasoline - Ethanol Blends, Preventing any Menacing
Problems posted at "The 411 on Ethanol"
at www.goldeagle.com
(makers of Sta-Bil products) provides information about
E-10 and its effects on engines. The information has
been much-paraphrased due to space.
The good news is that E-10 has been used in many parts
of the country for over 25 years so there are proven
ways to protect one's engines from the potential hazards
of using this fuel.
The bad news is that E10 fuel can cause fuel "phase
separation." This happens when the ethanol is pulled
out of the gas and absorbed by the water when too much
water has been absorbed into the fuel. To put it mildly,
neither is good for the engine or fuel system. The only
solution for phase separated fuel is to dispose of the
entire fuel load, clean the tank, and start over with
a fresh tank of E10. There is no magic ingredient to
reverse phase separation. The easiest defense against
this is to keep one's gas tank almost full at all times,
so as to allow for as little space as possible for the
fuel to expand in warmer weather. Moisture comes from
the empty space in one's tank. Thus, reducing the amount
of air in the tank will reduce the potential amount
of water that can enter it from the air.
More expensively, ethanol fuel may contribute to the
rapid corrosion of fuel tanks and other fuel system
components. Therefore, it is very important to use a
fuel additive guarding against this every time the tank
is filled. Ethanol can also loosen debris that normally
collects in the corners of the fuel tank leading to
clogged fuel systems. Adding a fuel treatment containing
cleaners facilitates these dirt particles to pass through
the system. Gasoline also "oxidizes" when
exposed to air, meaning it loses its volatility over
time and may turn to varnish. Using a fuel additive
addresses these issues.
The following is a short list of things one can do
to protect our cars' engines:
* Run a non-alcohol fuel stabilizer like STA-BIL in
the fuel system at all times. Especially, recommended
for engines that sit for a lengthy period.
* On your first tank of E10 fuel make sure to use up
as much of the fuel as possible as quickly as possible.
Then fill up again and add STA-BIL as recommended. Many
of the issues experienced are due to the mixing of old
and newly formulated gasoline. * The more the vehicle/equipment
is used the less likely it is to have problems.
* If you don't plan on using it for a while, keep your
tank 95% FULL to prevent any condensation but still
allow room for expansion. It's important to avoid water
intrusion into one's fuel system.
* Make sure you know what your fuel retailer is dispensing.
* Rubber fuel lines older than the mid-to-late 1980's
should be inspected and may need to be replaced since
they may not be compatible with ethanol-laced fuel.
Hagerty's periodical magazine lists a website maintained
by the Historic Vehicle Association that shows a map
of stations selling ethanol-free free in North America.
For a print-friendly list of stations (by state) selling
ethanol-free fuel go to www.pure-gas.org
For more information about Ethanol (probably much more
information that you will want to read) go to: www.goldeagle.com
- click on the "The 411 on Ethanol". The RROC
Forum has scads of information with a multitude of members'
views being available to read.
Sta-Bil Ethanol Treatment**
If you are looking for an additive that will help
protect your vehicle or equipment from Ethanol-blended
fuels, you should be using new STA-BIL® Ethanol
Treatment. Used regularly, it helps to protect against
corrosion while cleaning the fuel system and removing
water at every fill up. It also cleans fuel injectors,
carburetors and intake valves to keep the fuel system
free of gum and varnish and deposits. It will also stabilize
fuel for up to 12 months and is perfect for regular
use in one's everyday driving vehicle.
Sta-Bil Ethanol Treatment is not available at Canadian
Tire or Lordco. It is, however, available in the USA
at Walmart (part #1075635), Autozone and NAPA Auto Parts.
Disclaimer by John Peirson:
*I am not engineer. For this article, I'm more like
a parrot, so please make your own decision.
**Paraphrased from Sta-Bil FAQ website content.
Posted here on Oct 29, 2012