Ethanol - Tuning

In Missouri there subsides for ethanol fuel. At some stations where the higher the octane the higher the ethanol content, premium is the same or less than regular grades.

This excellent article was in Popular Mechanics a few months ago.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4237539.html

Also realize that corn is used for almost all soda, candy, packaged foods as sweetner too. The price is going to go through the roof.
 
You know I find Chevy's push to get consumers to buy ethanol vehicles amusing. Here in TX around me anyways there are no gas stations who sell it. Also last year I rented a car to drive to TN (truck to expensive) and the rental was a Chevy that could run on ethanol so I looked on line for stations on my root that sold it, could not find a one.
I think it's a Yankee thing.
I prefer my corn with butter and my alcohol with cranberry juice.
 
Just guessing but aren't the chinese the only ones producing Nitromethane any more. I think the profesional drag racers are all using it..Ethanol sucks. Corrodes everthing you put it in,even my belly.
 
busajack said:
Just guessing but aren't the chinese the only ones producing Nitromethane any more. I think the profesional drag racers are all using it..Ethanol sucks. Corrodes everthing you put it in,even my belly.
Click to expand...

Nope.
Shumacher's ProNitro brand is chinese sourced, the other two NHRA brands are not.

Ethanol is not very corrosive (hardly at all when mixed with gas), I think you are thinking about methanol. Nitro is even more so.
 
W T

You can drink yours mixed with gas, I prefer mine straight up.Bet you can't leave it in a Rocket all winter.GMs waisting there time with all the stainless and non corrosive parts in the new vehicles then.EH
 
EH,
Ethanol is still hygroscopic - like all alcohols. The stainless fittings, and closed returnless fuel systems, are to reduce chances and effects of water in the fuel.


Like you, I prefer my ethanol neat.
 
There is an article in the latest Popular Mechanics about this very subject. Apparently Indy cars run on E100. E85 has an octane rating of 100 to 105 allowing for higher compression. It also burns 100% so it doesn't leave much carbon or sludge. And it combusts at a lower temp which equals smaller cooling system.
 

Without reading PM, I can safely say that todays emission compliant cars (and bikes) with low (per 'se) compression don't do well on ethanol. You need high compression to efficiently burn the stuff. That's why the fuel mileage drops. Besides, as Jack said, it's very corrosive to a normal fuel system. All the die-cast parts have to be coated with a special substance or it will eat a hole through the aluminum.

Ethanol is a prime-time joke.

A political football.

A grocery store inflator.

Gimme a break. This country has more known reserves of light sweet crude that all the other countries of the world combined but the Pennsylvaniaites prefer to hoard it at the expense of the American people. What a travesty.
 
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