Ethanol in older cars causes gas mileage to plummett??

Pooh Bear wrote:
>
> "Bill Bonde ('The path is clear, though no eyes can see')" wrote:
>
> > Pooh Bear wrote:
> > >
> > > laura bush - VEHICULAR HOMICIDE wrote:
> > >
> > > > I've always heard that ethanol cuts gas mileage in all cars and
> > > > wondered if the effect is more pronounced in older vehicles. I've
> > > > been using gas that is 10% ethanol the last month in my 20 year old
> > > > beater and it really seemed to hurt a lot.
> > >
> > > 10% ethanol shouldn't make much difference.
> >
> > Why do you say that? There is less energy in the Eth
>
> about 20% less. 10% x 20% is 2% ( i.e. not much )
>
> > and some vehicles just don't run right with it.
>
> Relatively unusual. Loco Laura's beater might be old enough to have trouble of
> course.
>
It's a good idea to test your car and its mileage with Eth based fuels.


--
It isn't folks on the right who are complaining that we aren't switching
to alternative energy sources while simultaneously insisting that the
sorts of prices for energy that are needed to motivate those changes
must not happen. There is simply a manifold disconnect on the left
between their reality and their rhetoric.

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> Bill Bonde ('The path is clear, though no eyes can see'):
> It's a good idea to test your car and its mileage with Eth based fuels.

I would check the owner's manual and/or check with a mechanic first.
IIRC, *most* cars can run on up to 10% ethanol, but it would be best to
make sure *your* car can first...

wrote:
> laura bush - VEHICULAR HOMICIDE wrote:
>> I've always heard that ethanol cuts gas mileage in all cars and
>> wondered if the effect is more pronounced in older vehicles. I've
>> been using gas that is 10% ethanol the last month in my 20 year old
>> beater and it really seemed to hurt a lot.
>
> If your veeehicle is old enough to not have a closed-loop mixture
> control system, it'll run lean on gasohol (10% ethanol).
>
> A 1986 car might technically be closed-loop, but unless its
> fuel-injected, probably can't compensate enough.
>
> A newer car will see a small reduction in mileage.
>
> Dave

With an older car you simply need to adjust the carburetor's mixture to
compensate. Usually this is an simple as idle mixture adjsutment and
re-jetting, the intermediate circuit doesn't usually need to be adjusted
thankfully as that takes more work. Unfortuntaely for some carbs jets are
hard to find and your average Joe doesn't know the workings of a carburetor
and how to tune one.

Regardless, either way you slice it you will get worse mileage with ethanol
than with gasoline.

Cory



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In article >,
says...

>I've always heard that ethanol cuts gas mileage in all cars and
>wondered if the effect is more pronounced in older vehicles. I've
>been using gas that is 10% ethanol the last month in my 20 year old
>beater and it really seemed to hurt a lot.

It's crap in all cars.
--------------
Alex

laura bush - VEHICULAR HOMICIDE wrote:
> I've always heard that ethanol cuts gas mileage in all cars and
> wondered if the effect is more pronounced in older vehicles. I've
> been using gas that is 10% ethanol the last month in my 20 year old
> beater and it really seemed to hurt a lot.

That's because your beater is a POS, much like it's driver.

Alex Rodriguez wrote:
>
> In article >,
> says...
>
> >I've always heard that ethanol cuts gas mileage in all cars and
> >wondered if the effect is more pronounced in older vehicles. I've
> >been using gas that is 10% ethanol the last month in my 20 year old
> >beater and it really seemed to hurt a lot.
>
> It's crap in all cars.
>
Why do you say that? Certainly Eth designed vehicals work fine on it.

--
It isn't folks on the right who are complaining that we aren't switching
to alternative energy sources while simultaneously insisting that the
sorts of prices for energy that are needed to motivate those changes
must not happen. There is simply a manifold disconnect on the left
between their reality and their rhetoric.

Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php

Bill Bonde ('The path is clear, though no eyes can see') wrote:
> Alex Rodriguez wrote:
> >
> > In article >,
> > says...
> >
> > >I've always heard that ethanol cuts gas mileage in all cars and
> > >wondered if the effect is more pronounced in older vehicles. I've
> > >been using gas that is 10% ethanol the last month in my 20 year old
> > >beater and it really seemed to hurt a lot.
> >
> > It's crap in all cars.

We've been running 10% ethanol in southeastern Pennsylvania for a month
or so, and in both my '95 4.6L Tbird and my '98 2.5L Subaru wagon, I'm
getting about 10% *better* mileage. I'm totally surprised- it
certainly isn't what I expected. Both cars are a little harder to
start, but otherwise run fine. Anyone know what's up with that?

wrote:

> Bill Bonde ('The path is clear, though no eyes can see') wrote:
> > Alex Rodriguez wrote:
> > >
> > > In article >,
> > > says...
> > >
> > > >I've always heard that ethanol cuts gas mileage in all cars and
> > > >wondered if the effect is more pronounced in older vehicles. I've
> > > >been using gas that is 10% ethanol the last month in my 20 year old
> > > >beater and it really seemed to hurt a lot.
> > >
> > > It's crap in all cars.
>
> We've been running 10% ethanol in southeastern Pennsylvania for a month
> or so, and in both my '95 4.6L Tbird and my '98 2.5L Subaru wagon, I'm
> getting about 10% *better* mileage. I'm totally surprised- it
> certainly isn't what I expected. Both cars are a little harder to
> start, but otherwise run fine. Anyone know what's up with that?

Does that engine prefer higher octane fuel ? Ethanol is an octane booster amongst
other things. That may well be it. Also any relatively modern car with an ECU and
computer controlled fuel injection will take to E10 ( and E85 if suited ) far better
than any car with a carburettor.

Graham