I noticed a local Shell is selling non ethanol gas. Has anyone played with it as far as MPG performance?

I tried Non alcohol Ripple, just did not have the kick! JIm 0311

 

I have measured no difference in economy with E10 Vs. Regular. E10 is good for the farmers, so that's all I use in our cars.

 

What octane rating does it have?

Theoretically, mpg should improve, because ethanol needs a richer a/f mixture to reach "stoich". It would probably be very minimal in our engine tho. If you had a truck or suv, you would probably see a 2-3 mpg increase. This would all depend on the octane rating as well tho.

 

I have had no problem with E10 in my car but my outdoor equipment is having problems with it. The gas lines on my weed trimmer became soft. Almost like they were melting from the fuel. One of my garden tractors had to have a carb rebuild this spring. The shop owner claims the gas is the cause of my problem as well as many more he has worked on. Fuel pumps being hit the hardest. It seems that the materal in them don't hold up to alcohol. I now use mid-grade 89 octane with no alcohol and while I'm filling my fuel can I just put it in the car. Don't know if it helps mpg and it maybe my imagination but it seems to be running extra nice.

 

E10 (10 percent ethanol) has 3.3 percent less energy content per gallon than conventional gasoline. (source)

With 3.3% less energy if you got 32mpg with pure gas you'd get about 1mpg less or 31MPG.

Higher octane does not improve MPG in cars designed to run well on 87octane.

Note that winter blend gasoline has about as much a difference in energy content (less) than summer blend. Not sure about winter E10. Not sure about Florida.

 

Off topic but need to help fellow Fitters My neighbor gave me a newer chain saw that did not run, I noticed it was less than a year old and I got the receipt and took it in for warranty repair. The man at the local shop whom I trust told me it was not covered under warranty as it was the alcohol in the gas attacking rubber and attracting moisture which corroded things! Later my less than 2 year old weed wacker pooped out on me.

I now buy a non alcohol high octane gas with preservatives sold at WalMart, Auto parts stores etc under different brand names. I will only use 2 quarts a year so it is worth it to me. I also was making a mistake running 87 when the manual calls for 89 octane.
Ethanol-Free Gasoline - Two-Cycle Engines - Popular Mechanics

HTH

My 98 Dorf Windstar runs 1000% better on non ethonol gas! Not slightly, not somewhat noticeable, night and day!

JIm 0311

 

I have also wondered about "puregas", as it is available in my neighborhood...and am still a little confused from this thread whether it is recommended for our Fits, or does it not matter? It seems to cost just a little more, but not much.

This site lists where puregas is available:

Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

 

Every car sold today is warranted to run without problems on E10.

If I had a choice, at the same price, I would choose straight gasoline; I prefer my alcohol in beverages.

To be competitive economically, pure gasoline would have to be no more than 3.3% more expensive than E10.

 

The real deal is best.. I let a guy borrow one of my chainsaws and told him to not leave any fuel in it.. I got it back with a bill he wanted me to pay because there was damage to the fuel delivery system that he took to be fixed... I have an Echo that is 25 years old and works like new and the one he was using was a Husqvarna that was 15 years old and never gave me problems... All you need to do when all you can get is ethanol poisoned fuel is enrichen the air fuel mixture a little and use every drop of fuel before you put it away... It may not totally prevent problems but it sure helps... Here is a link that may be of interest... Ethanol Free Premium Coalition

 

Good advice, but not practical with the weed wacker during season.
JIm 0311

 

Here is some info on the benefits of pure 94 octane in a small engine. Learn About The Origins Of SEF94

 

I've got a big strap on Husqvarna weed wacker I got at the same time as the chainsaw.... I have a saw blade and use it on oak saplings and just leave the weeds alone... My back has been going down hill since Operation Dewey Canyon so I haven't cranked it up in a few years but I'll bet it will start.. I need to find some good premium grade fuel minus ethanol around here somewhere so I don't have to worry so damned much about running my 2 stroke stuff dry.

 

RFG has to have a oxygenate, its most likely Butanol or an ether. Here is some info on Butanol. I heard the EPA OK'd it since this write up. http://www.ethanol.org/pdf/contentmg..._secondary.pdf

 

I read the link you posted and a little more about butanol... Definitely sound viable as a replacement for ethanol... It is hydrophobic Honest that's what I read.

 

Its a alcohol and it will hold water but will there be phase separation? Higher alcohols in small amounts added to gas will make a big difference in power and mpg. I have a paper on that I will email you. Ethanol's problem is that any amount over 5 percent can have phase separation and E10 has 6/10 percent less energy. It carries 3.1/3.5 percent more oxygen. The octane increase can give back 1.4 percent if no knock enrichment happens. So a 6 octane increase can give a 1.4*6= 8.4 percent increase if no knock enrichment happens. They say knock retard up to 5 degrees will only lose 1 percent in torque but that is at a cost to mpg. If knock retard is more than 5 degrees big power losses and bigger mpg loss results.

 

My wacker calls for 89 octane, not sure what 94 would do? JIm 0311

 

It would be like viagra I'm sure.

 

The higher octane the fuel that is used in a 2 cycle engine is, the leaner you can adjust the A/F ratio either by using more oil or by adjusting the carburetor... Before unleaded fuel came to be, regular fuel had an octane rating of 94...

 

The ECU adjusts the fuel trims based on the O2s. The exhaust is rich so it leans it out and is stored in the adaptive ecu. My fuel trims in the winter with BP ultimate is -3.1 and my wife's car is 0 with regular. The old leaded regular was the RON and not the R/M method. 94 would be 89 in today's gas. Then you have spark advance and when you put it all together equals more power and mpg.

 

Every fuel has a AF ratio that the fuel burns complete. Vp 94 would be around 15 AF ratio and you would have to lean the mixture but it still would run fine with out adjustment.

E10 has a fuel air around 13.7 to 14.2.