G35 Sedan V36 2007- 08 Discussion about the 2nd Generation G35 Sedan 2007 - 08

Ethanol should be banned!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
  #1  
Old 11-16-2009, 08:49 AM
blnewt's Avatar
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 1,699
Received 137 Likes on 128 Posts
Ethanol should be banned!

Damn stuff makes my regular gas burn worse. They say "contains up to 10% ethanol" and when I use ethanol gas I get 10% or slightly worse mpg. it's just like a gas "filler". I'd be better off just buying 10% less regular gas, I'd go the same distance. OK, done ranting, lol~others experience such a severe drop in mpg w/ ethanol? On my last trip I was getting 30 hwy on the way there w/ "good" gas, on the way back 26 w the chit gas. No significant elevation change either
 
  #2  
Old 11-16-2009, 09:35 AM
dofu's Avatar
Registered User
iTrader: (9)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 10,820
Received 240 Likes on 196 Posts
Originally Posted by blnewt
Damn stuff makes my regular gas burn worse. They say "contains up to 10% ethanol" and when I use ethanol gas I get 10% or slightly worse mpg. it's just like a gas "filler". I'd be better off just buying 10% less regular gas, I'd go the same distance. OK, done ranting, lol~others experience such a severe drop in mpg w/ ethanol? On my last trip I was getting 30 hwy on the way there w/ "good" gas, on the way back 26 w the chit gas. No significant elevation change either
From what I remember, you need to be tuned to run ethanol, even if it's only a 10% mixture...
 
  #3  
Old 11-16-2009, 10:38 AM
tg1234's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,501
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by blnewt
Damn stuff makes my regular gas burn worse. They say "contains up to 10% ethanol" and when I use ethanol gas I get 10% or slightly worse mpg. it's just like a gas "filler". I'd be better off just buying 10% less regular gas, I'd go the same distance. OK, done ranting, lol~others experience such a severe drop in mpg w/ ethanol? On my last trip I was getting 30 hwy on the way there w/ "good" gas, on the way back 26 w the chit gas. No significant elevation change either
You should pump premium in your car not regular.
 
  #4  
Old 11-16-2009, 10:43 AM
Swivel's Avatar
Moderator
iTrader: (13)
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Calgary, AB, CANADA
Posts: 19,680
Received 161 Likes on 122 Posts
Ethanol has less fuel energy than gasoline, so you should expect a drop in mpg. The purported upside is decreased emissions.
 
  #5  
Old 11-16-2009, 10:46 AM
tg1234's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,501
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by blnewt
Damn stuff makes my regular gas burn worse. They say "contains up to 10% ethanol" and when I use ethanol gas I get 10% or slightly worse mpg. it's just like a gas "filler". I'd be better off just buying 10% less regular gas, I'd go the same distance. OK, done ranting, lol~others experience such a severe drop in mpg w/ ethanol? On my last trip I was getting 30 hwy on the way there w/ "good" gas, on the way back 26 w the chit gas. No significant elevation change either
You should pump premium in your car not regular.
 
  #6  
Old 11-16-2009, 11:11 AM
dofu's Avatar
Registered User
iTrader: (9)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 10,820
Received 240 Likes on 196 Posts
Originally Posted by SwivelHips
Ethanol has less fuel energy than gasoline, so you should expect a drop in mpg. The purported upside is decreased emissions.
I remember seeing very good gains in power and mileage after a dyno tune for e80 over a dyno tune for premium fuel. But from what I remember, ethanol is bad on the sensors... or is that a different fuel I'm thinking about?

Originally Posted by tg1234
You should pump premium in your car not regular.
How did you double post 8 min later?
 
  #7  
Old 11-16-2009, 11:43 AM
smr514's Avatar
Registered User
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,656
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
^lol busted!
 
  #8  
Old 11-16-2009, 12:03 PM
Swivel's Avatar
Moderator
iTrader: (13)
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Calgary, AB, CANADA
Posts: 19,680
Received 161 Likes on 122 Posts
Originally Posted by dofu
I remember seeing very good gains in power and mileage after a dyno tune for e80 over a dyno tune for premium fuel.
I've heard of this, but only associated with FI cars. Interesting, though.
 
  #9  
Old 11-16-2009, 02:49 PM
pfarmer's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Originally Posted by SwivelHips
Ethanol has less fuel energy than gasoline, so you should expect a drop in mpg. The purported upside is decreased emissions.
Overall probably greater emissions. Assuming the traditional methods of getting ethanol the only current reasons it is in use is that it is subsidized. The emissions probably only exist on the end users machines since it has to be produced, transported, etc. all with equipment and vehicles typically higher in emissions than that saved by the end user.
 
  #10  
Old 11-16-2009, 03:49 PM
dofu's Avatar
Registered User
iTrader: (9)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 10,820
Received 240 Likes on 196 Posts
Overall, ethanol is great as a fuel, but not just any car can run it... your car has to be set up for it to see any good results other than just cleaner emissions. There's an EVO at a friend's shop pushing out over 500hp on a relatively stock block running e85
 
  #11  
Old 11-16-2009, 05:33 PM
blnewt's Avatar
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 1,699
Received 137 Likes on 128 Posts
Originally Posted by tg1234
You should pump premium in your car not regular.
Guess I should've been more precise, I always use 91, I just meant "regular" untainted gas, lol
 
  #12  
Old 11-17-2009, 02:49 AM
tg1234's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,501
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by dofu
How did you double post 8 min later?
I don't know. LOL I tried to post on the site and it was going so slow. I clicked on it one more time. I left the window open since I had few others open too. Was talking on internet phone also. Never had this double post before. LOL I'd like to blame it on the site but it is quite possible it was me. LOL
 
  #13  
Old 11-17-2009, 02:51 AM
tg1234's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,501
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by blnewt
Guess I should've been more precise, I always use 91, I just meant "regular" untainted gas, lol
Here at the Shell station it say. Regular gas got up to 10% 91 got up to 5% and 93 got 0% ethanol. Maybe you should look into where you pumping gas. Just an idea.
 
  #14  
Old 11-17-2009, 09:30 AM
dopey's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 541
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by tg1234
Here at the Shell station it say. Regular gas got up to 10% 91 got up to 5% and 93 got 0% ethanol. Maybe you should look into where you pumping gas. Just an idea.
Unfortunately, many states have a requirement that all fuel be sold as an ethanol blend. Minnesota's wonderfully ignorant and stubborn governor has done all sorts of promoting it because of the local industry in corn-based ethanol.

in Minnesota, it's impossible to find ethanol free premium unless you're out in the boonies and even then, it's technically only legal for small engines, recreational vehicles and collectors cars. The drive out to the boonies to fill up would waste more than the inefficiency of the 10% ethanol blend unfortunately.
 
  #15  
Old 11-17-2009, 09:45 AM
thelarsky's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Morristown, NJ
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This might be a good resource for you all to check out - it has links you can click to find the ethanol blending laws in your state (not mandatory in NJ - hooray!).

Link: http://www.e0pc.com/

As for myself, I feel the same way about ethanol blends as I do about organic food - give me the full experience and screw the environmental impact (I apologize in advance to your children's children's children).
 


You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:22 AM.