Petrol Used?

[KE70-noob]

Hey guys, I'm a noob here & need a quick answer to keep my dad happy so i can get my hands on a KE asap so i apologise for not looking hard through the forums if this has already been discussed, but since 91 unleaded is being phased out to 91 e10 soon so what are you guys running in a standard stock 1.3L 4K? thanks everyone

[altezzaclub]

I use 95ctane E10 from the United stations. Cheaper than 91 from the big four.

 

If they dilute 91octane petrol with 10% alcohol, are they going to increase its octane like United do or are they going to keep its octane rating at 91?? Adding alcohol raises octane ratings but lowers power. Stupid idea really...

[RainWarriorDregs]

I put premium in my car (4kc KE70) like whatever the most expensive one is at Shell my car runs like balls on anything else.

[Hiro Protagonist]

I ran 95 in the KE55 because that was closer to the RON of leaded which is what the car was initially designed for. Never had a problem with it.

[towe001]

At the moment its straight unleaded and only straight unleaded.

Even the same in our '07 Lancer

I use 95ctane E10 from the United stations. Cheaper than 91 from the big four.

Was thinking about it today, we all know about how ethanol goes with the plastic float in the carby but how about the plastic float in the fuel tank ?

[bAKER]

I always use 91, I was shown an engine that was filled with gunk from being on 95 it's whole life. Everything was sticking together. I'd never use it in an injected car.

[altezzaclub]

All 91 will contain 10% ethanol soon. (E10) June I think, there was a topic on it recently.

 

I haven't found any problems with it, but 15% would worry me. That will no doubt be next.

 

Unless someone sets up a Libertarian political party and stops all these subsidies dead! :laff:

 

Ethanol in fuel wouldn't happen if taxpayers didn't pay for it through the back door.

[carbonboy]

Although a nice alternative, ethanol-modified fuel has never flowed in the lines of any of my cars. This is because I have never been able to get a solid answer on whether or not my fuel system is ethanol compatible (its can be very corrosive to some plastics & rubbers) & don't really feel like replacing everything should iut not be. So its 91RON for the daily hack & 98RON for the Twin-Cam.

 

Just as a side note I've been hunting around for fuel pump upgrades & alot of manufacturers either can't or wont tell you if its ethanol compatible, most have a "try it & see" attitude which I find rather poor form seeing as you guys like, test products you sell right? :glare:

[woteva]

Ethanol is the stuff that you drink in beer, wines and spirits. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol

 

I can't find any factual reference to it being corrosive or it being a solvent to any of the plastics, or rubber that is used in automobile fuel systems.

Apparently plastic fuel tanks are made of polypropylene and this chart says that polypropylene is ethanol resistant:

 

http://www.vp-scientific.com/polypropylene%20properties.htm

 

There are references to it being a problem on the web though:

 

http://www.google.com.au/webhp?rls=ig#sclient=psy&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&rls=ig&site=webhp&q=ethanol+and+plastic+gas+tanks&aq=1&aqi=g3&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&fp=9ee942b6aec5b84d

 

Maybe the problems occur when it is mixed with hydrocarbons?

 

There are problems with ethanol attracting and mixing easily with water, which is corrosive to metal engine parts and fuel tanks, lines, etc.

 

Over the years I have had water in my fuel tanks a few times, if there is not too much in there, I have added methylated spirits to the tank to mix the water with the fuel. These days methylated spirits is not methyl alcohol but ethyl alcohol, another name for ethanol

 

In the U.S. they have E85 which is 85% ethanol fuel.

 

 

 

W.

[Hiro Protagonist]

I always use 91, I was shown an engine that was filled with gunk from being on 95 it's whole life. Everything was sticking together. I'd never use it in an injected car.

 

So on the basis of one example (which sounds like something else was wrong anyway) you're going to completely rule out 95? What about if you own a European car, almost all of which REQUIRE 95 RON? What if you own a high-compression Japanese car, which also requires 95 minimum? Do you have _any_ evidence that the engine was screwed from being run purely on 95 PULP?

[bAKER]

The engine wasn't screwed. It was just running terribly, from the injectors being filled with gunk.

[philbey]

Anecdotal evidence is what the internets are built on hiro! Surely you appreciate their merit :lolcry:

 

 

Water is soluble in ethanol, but when ethanol saturates, then the water seperates and sits in the bottom of your tank. I think it's 6% by mass.

 

Methlyated spirits (which have always been ethanol, with menthanol added to it) is useful to get water out of a petrol tank like woteva mentioned, because ethanol will absorb the water and then it passes through the combustion process.

[Hiro Protagonist]

The engine wasn't screwed. It was just running terribly, from the injectors being filled with gunk.

 

Still, it's a big leap to claim that it was the fact that it was 95 that caused the problem.....could have been repeated use of poor quality fuel (I sure know which I'd choose out of BP and United 95...), poor servicing (injectors need to be cleaned at certain intervals), incorrect use of fuel additives (I've known semi-senile people to use valvesaver/lead-replacement additives on their modern EFI unleaded cars because they didn't know any better and thought it was no different from their old HQ) etc etc.

 

It's like saying you'll never drive a Falcon again because of a poor experience in a taxi - there are many possible reasons as to why the experience was poor, and only one of them was the actual type of car (and most likely not the reason)