How to tell if fuel is oxygenated?

kinger

kinger

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How do you know if your using oxyngatd or ethanol based fuel? Thinking in terms of jetting a SLP piped viper. I know middle gradee fuel says 10% ethanol on the pump, are there some that don't say that on the pump? Thanks
 
I think that when ethanol was first being used the retailers had to disclose that it was in their fuel - now that Federal regulations restrict the use to 10%, I don't think they are required to disclose whether they are using it or not - currently, about 30% of all fuel in the U.S. has 10% ethanol - there were a hand full of manufactures that did not use ethanol, but that number is rapidly on the decline - Michigan is trying to pass legislation right now that would require ethanol in all fuel sold in the state - I personally think ethanol is the worst thing that ever happened to fuel in this country - corn growers in the Midwest are spending alot of money on lobbyist!
 
whats wrong with ethanol in the fuel? We have had a 10% ethanol blend here in S.E. wisconsin (the milwaukee, racine, and kenosha metro and suburban areas) for around 10 years now. I don't notice any problems with it, and the pollution has gotten steadily better. When it first was being implemented there was a lot of worry about the ethanol burning up engines because of the higher oxygen levels, but that worry pretty much fell off after a few months with very few problems. Appears to be a feasible solution for cleaning up the air.
 
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I think it is all in what you want to believe - http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/motorgas/4_oxygenated-gasoline/default.asp
http://solstice.crest.org/pipermail/bioenergy/2002-June/009750.html
I think its use is highly political - I also think it has lowered the "shelf life" of gasoline because it absorbs water - it also leans the fuel mixture,which is a curse for 2 stroke engines - part of my negative feelings stem from some fuel related problems I've had with some high performance toys over the last few years - don't think ethanol is such a bad thing for every day transportation vehicles - just don't like it in my high performance stuff
 
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P.S. - I think MTBE was a much better oxygenator - it has been banned (IMO) because no one was profiting (as much) from its use
 
You're right i'll definately give you that, it has lowered the shelf life of gas quite a bit, partly because the alcohol absorbs water more readily, and partly because the alcohol causes reactions to occur that break down the longer carbon chains into shorter ones, which effectively lowers the octane of the fuel. These processes occur much quicker in the presence of alcohol to form new bonds with.
 
Politics aside :) How do I tell if I need to move my e-clip and jet down 2 sizes? I know up north it says nonxygenated fuel for snowmobiles right on the pump but I'm wondering how I know at places that do not say that? Thanks
 
yammiman said:
P.S. - I think MTBE was a much better oxygenator - it has been banned (IMO) because no one was profiting (as much) from its use
Click to expand...
actually I'm pretty sure that it was banned because that nasty nasty stuff was making a habit of getting into the groundwater, not to mention the fact that it causes all kinds kinds of air quality problems at extremely low temps, something the epa didn't bother to test before trying to force it down arctic regions throats.
good bye and good riddance
 
Kinger - sadly enough,they are no longer obligated to tell you if the fuel has ethanol in it - I guess my approach would be to proceed as if everthing you buy does have it in - before too long, that will be the case anyway
Erik b - like I said earlier, it is all in what you believe - I've researched the ethanol/MTBE debate quite a bit over the past couple of years, and I'm convinced that ethanol is being cramed down our throats by high powered producers coalition - that being said, I don't care to get into a big debate on here over it - I think it is here to stay
 
I want to jump in on this post because I know a little bit about fuels... The clean air act of 1990 says ,,, 10% alcohol MAnDITORY within 100 miles of a metropolitan city of 1 million or more>>>>> Since then,,,about 90% of thr fuel that you buy contains ALCOHOL!!!!! Alcohol is HORRIBLE on a 2 stroke motor.... Regular unleaded burns at approximately 18,000 BTU's and Alcohol burns at about 6000 BTU's Considering an internal combustion engine is NOTHING MORE THAN A HEAT PUMP,,,,,Alcohol is doing about the same thing that "smog" or AIR pumps did in the 1970's.. Sure the emissions are lessened,,,,, maybe because you are squirting AIR into the exhaust,,, DUH!!!!!!! That MTBE thing was a fiasco from the start!!!!!!!!!! Its about as smart as burning HYDROGEN PROXIDE... (do you remember the "pocket rocket" car of the 1970's?????) it was an Hydrogen peroxide rocket car... They BLASTED it down the dragstrip and POISIONED ALL THE SPECTATORS!!!!! Not to mention the chemical burns on their hands and faces!!!!!! There is a fuel called 100 low lead, it is available at ANY AIRPORT across the nation... Some BIG cities like Chicago/ O hare airport, wont sell it to you because of the terrorist crap going on now,,, but,, it is still available if you talk NICE to the guy at the airport!!!!! 100ll has no alcohol and it is designed for off road use only,,,, so,,, you CAN use it in a snowmobile and NOT in you MOMMYS MINIVAN!!!! ALCOHOL EATS emollients in RUBBER!!!! turning it into RUBBER DIRT!!!!!! Not to mention the moisture absorbtion rate and specific gravity of Alcohol..... A little bit of 2 stroke oil in the gas tank every fill up MAY HELP!!!!!!! CASTOR BEAN OIL will improve it dramatically,,, but,,,castor beans do NOT mix well with other oils!!!!!!! Unless you burn 100 low lead,,, there isn't much you can do!!!!! Gary Oles nosboy
 
I knew this would start a debate - MTBE and hydrogen proxide are not even close in chemical make up - there are absolutely no substantianted test that show MTBE to be harmful to humans - it is all political poppycock - you said it though, alcohol is not compatible with the 2 stroke motor - the difference between MTBE and ethanol is that MTBE is much more stable and ethanol absorbs more water - given the choice, I would take MTBE!
 
You haven't been reading all the fine print MTBE is some WICKED stuff!!!!! From being a PROVEN carcinogen to having DETRIMENTAL effcts on a humans nervous and reproductive systems.. a problem with metal saturation and not to mention the biological, psycological and SOCIAL effects on the whole population, ALSO NOT TO MENTION THE detrimental effect on ILLINOIS CORN AND SOYBEAN FARMERS<<< (had to throw that one in) (im from Chicago) MTBE is some BAD STUFF!!!!!! Gary Oles nosboy
 
The hydrogen peroxide rocket was just a story that happened at a local dragstrip... They didn't know that it would hurt people till AFTER THEY RAN IT!!!!! THAT WAS MY POINT!!!!!! There was NO corolation between hydrogen peroxide and alcohol!!!! sorry!!! Gary Oles nosboy
 
just keep buying gas with out alcohol in it and support the terroist that are trying to destroy are great nation & see how much sleding we get to do then , we most likly have enough corn in this country to run it on %100 alcohol
 
Trust me, farmers would LOVE to see the demand for corn rise. With yields so high now because of the greatly improved hybridization technologies the price of corn has really dropped (actually basically stayed the same since the 80's, but dropped greatly when you factor in inflation) over the last 15 years. Very few farmers can make it now on purely corn production.
 
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