Posted on 12/03/2012 12:08:34 AM PST by neverdem
I miss leaded premium...
Indeed. I only put Hi Test in my Harley, at great expense, i might add.
1. Ethanol is not as energy-rich a fuel as gasoline. When you dilute gasoline with ethanol, you get a poorer fuel.
2. Ethanol eventually separates from the gasoline, which causes the engine to fail. I talked to a repairman who works on outboard motors, who estimated that half his repairs are fuel-related, and that ethanol is most often the problem. If the ethanol content is raised to 15%, he thinks that outboard motors will have to go extinct, or run on propane. There were briefly diesel-powered outboard motors: very reliable, although expensive as an initial investment. They were made by the renowned Japanese company Yanmar. They are no longer available, partly because sales were banned in the US at the behest of Al Gore. They are legal in Canada, but no longer available there, and parts have vanished.
3. Ethanol costs more (in fossil fuels) to produce than the gasoline it supposedly saves. It is, simply put, a political swindle engineered by clueless environmentalists in unholy alliance with agricultural interests who should know better.
4. Ethanol uses up our invaluable soils, on which we (and future generations) depend on for food. So much for the cult of sustainability!
5. The bottom line is, if ethanol is so good, why can it not compete in a free market? Ethanol-diluted fuel is sold only because the alternative has been essentially banned. We are at the state where the federal government doesn’t much care if you smoke marijuana, but you cannot use the logical fuel in your automobile.
6. You could evade (I meant to say “avoid”) these regulations if you could get a supply of aviation gasoline, which contains no ethanol. So, one wonders, why have they not diluted aviation gasoline? The simple answer is that it would make the operation of engines for small aircraft unreliable, and shorten times between engine overhauls. I have never myself tried aviation fuel in a gasoline-powered car. Aviation fuel is relatively costly, but has no road tax.
7. Diesel is a good alternative. The latest diesel engines (on cars sold in the USA) are more expensive than gasoline engines, and have a complex additive system which is a costly nuisance. I suggest used diesel cars as a good alternative. When people realize this, good, old diesel cars will be worth restoring and keeping on the road. I myself have a 1996 Volkswagen Passat TDI. It shows signs of its age and is somewhat clunky, but is very reliable. Because it has manual transmission, it is less likely to be stolen (according to statistics). (Apparently many thieves cannot drive stick-shift cars.) It has low insurance costs. It does not need to be inspected, because here in NJ diesels 1996 and older cannot be checked, because the state does not have the proper instrumentation. The downside is that I am frequently pulled over because of the lack of a current inspection sticker. I carry a letter explaining the situation, and this gives me a chance to become acquainted with the friendly, local policemen.
In conclusion, ethanol-dilution of gasoline is a swindle, a scandal, and an outrage. Ethanol is a poor fuel for internal combustion engines. Ethanol is for drinking, or for use as a solvent; not as fuel for cars.
I set my MPG tracker on my car and compared results with a tank of E85 and a tank of 100% gas, I got similar results.
The savings in gas range easily trumps the lower cost of E85, 100% gas saves you money!
This is typical of most “green energy” enviro-scams. There’s a lower price on the up-front costs, but it sneakily stabs you in the back with hidden costs.
My bad - I thought E-15 and E-85 were interchangeable.
I’d rather make a mistake and put E-15 in my car than that E-85 :>)
I noticed the loss of mileage immediately and never bought ethanol again.
Ironic because a few years ago I noticed a decreased MPG in my Taurus. I brought it in thinking I had a fuel leak. Guy laughed and said your decrease is in direct proportion to an increase in ethanol being used locally. Aggravated the heck out of me but from what I have been reading, it was the correct assessment.
Doesn’t it play back to Iowa corn crops?
We do, too.
:(
Ethanol does NOT increase gas mileage. It does nothing in that area.
It causes the engine to run hotter than it should.
We pay gas taxes on ethanol added to our fuel, even thought it isn't gas.
The manufacturing of ethanol does more damage to the environment than not using it at all.
Ethanol is nothing but a political give away to the corn lobby ($$$ campaign donations), and it makes the enviroweenies feel better because they think they're screwing big oil.
In the end, once again, they American taxpayer gets burned.
Just a mere 4 years ago, $10 a tank bought us an entire day of fun, including the crazy wild gas guzzling jackrabbit sprints here and there.
Now it’s well over $20 per tank and I swear it seems like a tankful doesn’t go near as far as it used to.
So much for the economy of riding motorcycles.
[unless we switch to Mopeds]
I attended a meeting where staunch ethanol advocate Sen. John Thune (R-SD) was put on the spot by one questioner who asked why if farmers are such advocates of corn ethanol fuels are there no farm vehicles like tractors and combines that use E-85? Thune had no answer. If an E-85 mandate were imposed on farm vehicles I bet there would be howls from farmers about the problems it would cause in their vehicles.
There are some exceptions to the ethanol mandate for small refiners.
One can still obtain unadulterated motor gasoline in some parts of the country.
But if one lives in a major metropolitan area, forget about it.
I do not believe that is true anymore. It does not effect the refining process, it is blended after the refining is completed.
A producer of gasoline is required to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program. That does not mean every gallon they produce must contain ethanol. But the total average over the year must contain the minimum ratio. They can offset some production of pure gasoline with sufficient production with ethanol. Producing some E85 gives more room for pure gasoline.
I hereby call on Gov. Rick Perry to announce a statewide BAN on E15 and overrule of the EPA edict.
The simple truth is the EPA is dangerous to our well being, they need to be defunded, eliminated, not paid unemployement, and for past crimes, do say 20000 hrs of community service picking up litter in orange jumpsuits.
I still get a great deal of joy from my Harley, but I HEAR you!!
The nearest non-ethanol gas station that I can find is about 30 miles away. Even on my Road Glide it's too far to go for gas. I keep close tabs on my mileage, and it has started the normal winter drop-off. Fedgov sucks.
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