Ethanol mandated in fuel now what?

[bjones]

The genuises in The Wisconsin Assembly have introduced a bill would require almost all gasoline to be blended with 10 percent ethanol.

My manual says avoid these types of fuel. will that void the warranty or worst cause me engine problems? what to do.....

http://vista.powerblogs.com/posts/1110526753.shtml

[Xlr8n]

Double check your manual. Most manufacturers approve of ethanol blends up to 10%, but discourage the use of any methanol blend and warn against fuel system damage with any methanol blend over 5%.

[Norm]

My dealer says that some of the older models don't run well with ethanol. He said they have had to drain the tank on several. Maybe there is something you can add to make it run better. But, I think you may want to check it out. Contact your dealer and see if he has any new info on running ethanol.

[Xlr8n]

I couldn't find any info for an '02, but here is a list of '03 requirements. You'll see Kawasaki approves of the use of 10% ethanol blends. : http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache...ation s&hl=en

[bjones]

WHEW Thanks I start getting nervous ya know.... I feel A little better now

[Frankt07]

i have heard and read the same xlr8n. no more than 10%. i think its for cleaner burning.
hey maybe we get a little HP as a bonus?

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Frankt07

i have heard and read the same xlr8n. no more than 10%. i think its for cleaner burning.
hey maybe we get a little HP as a bonus?

Don't count in it. Figure that your milage may drop slighlty as well...

[1400pilot]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

Don't count in it. Figure that your milage may drop slighlty as well...

yep.....how true........I could go on and on about ethanol and what is does to auto and trucks, but wont, just one word of advise.....avoid it at all costs!!!!!

[Frankt07]

well there goes that out my tailpipes....LOL

[Scruffy]

Blame California and Chicago...west coast fuel has been cut with up to 10% ethanol for at least 15 years. When I moved from Memphis to the Seattle area in late 2001, the fuels in upper Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota and eastern Montana all contained ethanol, some stations up to 15%. Western Montana, the Idaho panhandle, and eastern Washington had real gas, no alcohol except at BP/Arco stations. Western Washington, at least the "putrid sound" (Puget Sound) big 3 counties, you can't get decent fuel except at the race track or airport. My bike is down to about 41 mpg as of this evening's fill up...if it was a horse, I'd shoot it. Has dropped 11 mpg in a month and a half. And I just changed the plugs (properly gapped), so, it's the winter fuel blends... Get used to it, that pseudo-fuel is becoming ever more common.
-Scruffy

[tcobar]

Wow! I wasn't aware of this... I live in California.. does that mean that the "Premium V-Power" gas that I put on my Mean Streak is 10-15% ethanol? All this time I was thinking I was puttin in the good S**t. I'm assuming they are all the same %'s, no mater what brand I buy...? ... and nothing I can do about it... or is there?

[Scruffy]

If the pump says "oxygenated", the fuel contains alcohol. Alcohol blends run cooler than straight gasoline. Do a "plug chop". If they look alright, you're okay. If they look "off" go up or down one heat range as indicated. Tuning and jetting to meet local conditions is just a normal part of owning a motorcycle. The occasional splash of ATF, 2 stroke oil, Seafoam or such will help. Couple caps once or twice a month is sufficient.
-Scruffy

I grew up on the west coast. I have yet to lose a bike motor to alcohol blend fuels. You just have to adapt the operating parameters a bit to compensate.

[Xlr8n]

Originally Posted by 1600pilot

yep.....how true........I could go on and on about ethanol and what is does to auto and trucks, but wont, just one word of advise.....avoid it at all costs!!!!!

10% ethanol blended fuel has been used in the midwest for at least 25 years, and a good portion of the drivers in this region use it regularly with no issues, so I'm not sure what problems you're referring to???? Are you sure you're not confusing it with methanol gas?

[MikeVanceinWI]

I have been using 10% ethanol in all my vehicles for the last 15 years, with no side effects (Living between Milwaukee & Chicago you have no choice or drive over an hour to get non-ethanol gas) Even at a higher octane methanol has less energy then REAL gas but my 95 Nissan Pathfinder has had over 210,000 miles of ethanol eating and rund fine, bikes and atv's only have between 5K & 40K miles with no mechanical issues.
I do run a bottle of sea foam thru my vehicles every couple months to de-corn my carbs and injectors.

[Hawkeye 1500]

I've used ethanol since it came out. The only problem I've experienced was in a old garden tractor that the fuel line ran too close to an exhaust pipe. When it got real hot the ethanol would vapor lock quicker. But that was a design flaw of that tractor. Support our farmers use ETHANOL!

[1400pilot]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye 1500

I've used ethanol since it came out. The only problem I've experienced was in a old garden tractor that the fuel line ran too close to an exhaust pipe. When it got real hot the ethanol would vapor lock quicker. But that was a design flaw of that tractor. Support our farmers use ETHANOL!

we already are with our tax money in subsidies, now it will be mandated that we have to have only one choice of fuel............and besides it takes more energy to make 1 gallon of ethanol than it saves us.
and we also farm, used to raise corn too, but now with the surplus of grain it isnt worth the time/ cost to raise it , so we converted all of our acres to alfalfa.

[bud8fan]

Originally Posted by Xlr8n

10% ethanol blended fuel has been used in the midwest for at least 25 years, and a good portion of the drivers in this region use it regularly with no issues, so I'm not sure what problems you're referring to???? Are you sure you're not confusing it with methanol gas?

e85( ethanol) is bad on some of the rubber o rings and things in a fuel system...my '05 avalanche is flex fuel ready which means that it has a bigger fuel pump and all the rubber products have been changed out so to use e85.
Ethanol has a lower stoich ratio then gas. something like 6 or 7 to 1, where gas is 14.7 to 1. So even with an 85% mix, you still need 10-11 to 1 for complete combustion, so you use more fuel for the power it makes. (BTW these are guess on the figures, I didn't actually run the numbers )
I know in race cars, strait ethanol is good for about 10% more power over gas, plus it runs cooler, but you burn twice as much.

[bross]

Been running it here for years with no problems.

[Xlr8n]

Originally Posted by bud8fan

e85( ethanol) is bad on some of the rubber o rings and things in a fuel system...my '05 avalanche is flex fuel ready which means that it has a bigger fuel pump and all the rubber products have been changed out so to use e85.
Ethanol has a lower stoich ratio then gas. something like 6 or 7 to 1, where gas is 14.7 to 1. So even with an 85% mix, you still need 10-11 to 1 for complete combustion, so you use more fuel for the power it makes. (BTW these are guess on the figures, I didn't actually run the numbers )
I know in race cars, strait ethanol is good for about 10% more power over gas, plus it runs cooler, but you burn twice as much.

e85 is 85% ethanol. I was referring to 10% ethanol. Quite a difference there. No problems with fuel system components with a 10% blend. Not sure what the quote to my statement was referring to???