E15 Gasoline thoughts

[Alpha-17]

so for .40 cents a gallon I don't see a huge difference in the mileage. David

Same here. I used to make a point of getting gas without ethanol but decided to test things when I bought my Jeep Patriot. After several tanks used in similar driving conditions, the mileage is pretty much the same for me, and pretty decent cost savings.

[DG23]

This what I don't understand about the hygroscopic thing. Are they talking about bad for a lawn mower that sits all winter or a car that gets driven every day?

The 5 gallon can I am using for / in my mower currently is at LEAST 3 years old. Cheapest e10 junk the station had at the time I am sure.

And it does just fine...

Even after the mower sat all winter with a half tank still in it...

Zero issues and have never had to pull that thing more than 2 or 3 times to crank it before use.

I personally could care less that corn had to die to help make that fuel. Might be good feed for chickens or pigs but I will be damned if I eat any (or my dogs).

('cept for corn chips... Panchos cheese dip would not work right anything other than corn chips and I refuse to go through life without my Panchos cheese dip)

[P2Vaircrewman]

Miles per gallon is a bad way to determine economy. Use miles per dollar, that will show what fuel is best to use. Premium may increase MPG but at what cost. E 85 will reduce mileage but again at what cost.
Miles per dollar will tell you.

[bp7178]

The 5 gallon can I am using for / in my mower currently is at LEAST 3 years old. Cheapest e10 junk the station had at the time I am sure.

And it does just fine...

Even after the mower sat all winter with a half tank still in it...

Zero

I find that when the stuff sits in the carb bowl for a long time it tends to gum up. I got a free powerwasher from the GFs friend which wouldn't start. The carb was so gummed up I just bought a replacement for $13 on Amazon and it started right away. Who knows how many seasons it sat idle.

My lawn mower and 4-cycle trimmer is using last year's gas.

[tomme boy]

I live in Iowa where all this bs started. We have had it since the 70's. this is how it works. Take whatever % of alcohol is in the gas and cut that in half. That is how much you are going to roughly lose in MPG. I have done this test on over 10 vehicles since E85 came out. It has always been the same.

And the water problem is real with it. This alcohol attracts water. And that is also how you get it out of the gas. Mix water into the gas can then let sit. I have a can set up just for this to use the gas in my boat motor. It makes my 3 cyl motor feel and act like it is missing a cyl when runnng on the e10 ethanol. On the bottom of the gas can I have a drain hose. Once the water is mixed with the gas I let it sit for a day. The water stays mixed with the alcohol and sinks to the bottom. I then just open the drain and drain off the water and alcohol mix.

[MegademiC]

Do you use mag sulfate to pull the rest of the water from the gas?

How much remains mixed amd what is the result?

Is the benefit worth it? What improvement is seen?

[TehLlama]

Some FFVs make their best HP on E85 though - I know thats true of the newer 5.3 GM V8s. The engines can run a more aggressive fuel/timing program. If E85 is 30% cheaper, its economically viable to buy it.

The reason you can make more power on corn fuel is more to do with vaporization heat transfer cramming more net capable power into there at closer to stoichiometric optimum (instead of needing to run a bit rich), but yeah.

I'm still honestly just mad that we're not awash with excellent plug-in hybrids that combine decent EV range and capability with very turbocharged small engines that produce combined power in the 300bhp range from cheap vehicles that get insane mileage, but can also go fast, do cool torque fill things to be drivable, and just not suck for use as actual personal vehicles.