[sbg8r]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

Yup.
Ethanol's raw octane rating is around 117, so it's a "good" antiknock additive, but it's BTU content is about 25% lower than gasoline, so if the fuel is 10% ethanol, you can expect a 2.5% reduction in power and fuel economy.

More if it's wet. Ethanol, like all alcohols, is hydrophilic. In it's raw state, it can be up to 30% water by weight. In solution with gasoline, that drops to about 3-5%... but that's STILL the potential for the fuel in your tank to be between 0.3% and 0.5% water.
Dad used to keep a 5 gallon jug of fuel in the garage for the lawn mower. Refilled it about once every 3 years.
I've had gas for my dirtbike "turn" in as little as 3 months... total crap out of the can, and HEAVY green powder-like deposits on the brass parts in the carb. Completely plugged my idle circuits. Sta-Bil seems to take care of it.

Ethanol sucks... and the only reason it's "cheap" is because of government subsidies.

We aren't seeing any difference out here in Kalifornistan because before Ethanol we've had MTBE since the mid '80s... which did the same thing but they found that it was poisoning the groundwater.

I know boats hate the stuff