# Ethanol Free Gas



## vera_jr (Aug 17, 2012)

I thought this topic deserves a post of its own. As more and more gas stations are limiting, or getting rid of, their supply of Ethanol Free Gas, what is another solution for our engines. 
The Ethanol in the fuel can cause problems in the older engines not designed for Ethanol. To make things worse, the only ones that may have Ethanol free are only selling it in 87 Octane. 
What is everyone doing for this problem? Ethanol = NO HORSEPOWER......


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## scolmoo (Mar 17, 2014)

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

That's an option. Also if you live close to a drag strip they usually have a gas station on site or very close by that has ethanol free gas.


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## vera_jr (Aug 17, 2012)

How will the engines with compressions around 9:1 do on 87 octane?
does an octane booster additive work?


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

i'd run 91 in it


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## rvp986 (Sep 19, 2012)

Seems this question just keeps getting revisited. Educational, to say the least.

Anyway.... check out this lengthy tread...http://www.gtoforum.com/f50/type-gasoline-61962/ . This can seem to get complicated.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

9:1 will need a minimum of 91 octane. The only octane booster that actually works is TEL 130 Octane Supreme by Kemco, or adding race gas. No alcohol free fuel is available within 500 miles of me, sadly enough.


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## leeklm (Mar 11, 2012)

You could keep yourself busy for days reading ethanol articles... As long as your carb has a relatively recent rebuild using good parts, you should have no issues running the typical 10% blend. More important is to use the right octane for your engine compression. Many people are running 85% Ethanol with the proper carb calibrations & tuning. If your car never had ethanol in the past, running it for the first time can clean out rust in your tank & fuel lines and might require a filter change or two. Again, assuming the right octane for your engine, the 10% blend will NOT hurt your motor.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

I carry a 16oz bottle of this and funnel in my trunk. I use 93 oct and add 1 oz per 5 gallon. Been using this for 3 years now.


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## allpawl66 (May 9, 2008)

Fuel filters / fuel line , etc. must also be up to par with the ethanol fuels as well.


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## leeklm (Mar 11, 2012)

allpawl66 said:


> Fuel filters / fuel line , etc. must also be up to par with the ethanol fuels as well.


Agreed. virtually all rubber fuel lines and filters made since 1990 or so should be compatible. Minnesota was the first state to mandate ethanol (yay ) and has been in most MN gas pumps since 1989. My family always had old beaters on the farm, and never had ethanol/fuel issues.

It is funny how some will swear that 10% ethanol is hard on small engines, but I have run my old boat motors, weed whacker, mowers, snowmobiles, etc. etc. for 30+ years and 0 issues. I am by no means a big fan of ethanol, but also think it becomes a scapegoat for other issues that may or may not be fuel related.

I was having a "fuel" issue in my GTO last summer, and was going down the path of blaming ethanol, but tried a couple of tanks of 91 oct non-eth fuel and no change. Finally installed a fuel return line, and the problem has not reared since.

A close friend of mine has been a mechanic at a GM dealership for 30 years, and said some shops would always blame ethanol for something over the years, but similar to me, he never experienced an issue, even in the business.

I am sure there are those who had a different experience, but this was mine FWIW.

A little history...

_In 1980, Minnesota passed legislation offering a 4 cent per gallon pump tax credit for 10% ethanol blends.

By* 1986, forty percent of the state’s gasoline was blended with 10% ethanol,* but little ethanol was produced in Minnesota. Legislation reduced the pump tax credit to 2 cents and initiated a 20 cent per gallon cash incentive payment for ethanol produced in the state.

In 1987, legislation provided $100,000 annually for an ethanol promotion program to be administered by the MN Department of Agriculture. The Minnesota Ethanol Commission was established to promote the production and use of ethanol in Minnesota.

In 1989, the mandatory pump labeling requirement for ethanol blends was discontinued in favor of voluntary labeling that was more consistent with other retail norms.

In 1992, a minimum 2.7% oxygen content requirement was established for gasoline. It was made effective year round in the Twin Cities in 1995 and then statewide in 1997. A federal program previously required 2.7% oxygen in the Twin Cities only during the winter months._

Regarding the earlier question of "What is everyone doing for this problem? Ethanol = NO HORSEPOWER...... "

Do not confuse power and octane. Ethanol/Alcohol will create plenty of HP, as it is a fast burning fuel. Take a look at the high powered alcohol dragsters and circle track cars, which run on..... Alcohol. Granted, they need a fuel tank twice the size of one running race fuel, but they make all kinds of power!


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## 65gto (Aug 2, 2013)

Thanks Leeklm, it takes some courage to say what needs to be said on this. I've been a member of this forum for a few months, and have been a member of the Corvette forum for a few years. The GTO folks are a lot more reasonable on this subject than the Corvette people. They get pretty irrational on it sometimes.


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## leeklm (Mar 11, 2012)

We pontiac guys are a no nonsense, down to earth bunch 

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## vera_jr (Aug 17, 2012)

leeklm said:


> Agreed. virtually all rubber fuel lines and filters made since 1990 or so should be compatible. Minnesota was the first state to mandate ethanol (yay ) and has been in most MN gas pumps since 1989. My family always had old beaters on the farm, and never had ethanol/fuel issues.
> 
> It is funny how some will swear that 10% ethanol is hard on small engines, but I have run my old boat motors, weed whacker, mowers, snowmobiles, etc. etc. for 30+ years and 0 issues. I am by no means a big fan of ethanol, but also think it becomes a scapegoat for other issues that may or may not be fuel related.
> 
> ...


What problem did it cause in your engine?


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## Indecision (Oct 24, 2010)

leeklm said:


> Regarding the earlier question of "What is everyone doing for this problem? Ethanol = NO HORSEPOWER...... "
> 
> Do not confuse power and octane. Ethanol/Alcohol will create plenty of HP, as it is a fast burning fuel. Take a look at the high powered alcohol dragsters and circle track cars, which run on..... Alcohol. Granted, they need a fuel tank twice the size of one running race fuel, but they make all kinds of power!


I just want to comment on this bit as well... Ethanol makes plenty power, you just need more volume of fuel for the same energy content as gasoline. It's VERY popular in boosted 4-cyls (Evo, Subaru, etc) to run E85 because they blatantly make more power than they do on pump gas because it's got higher octane, detonation is less of a concern and they can be more aggressive with the timing and boost.... they just need ~15-20% more fuel and appropriate tuning to do it. 

My best friend is running E85 is his '12 CTS-V, it's basically a mild bolt on car and going from 93 to E85 with the appropriate tune he picks up ~60whp from 93 octane and puts down 630whp.


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