15% I have WARNED YOU........ E15

[iowawoodcutter]

I, for one, welcome Ethanol. Anything that is a step towards us going away from foreign oil is a good thing. Now Ethanol is not the answer for more reasons that I could possibly go into in a short post. BUT, at least it is a step in the right direction, that direction being away from foreign oil. Granted that Ethanol (from corn) takes more regular gas to produce it than it gives. But there are other sources coming, like switchgrass, that may make it more profitable.

Like it or not, we are headed for change from oil, unless we can come up with technology to produce oil from shale or other sources more efficiently. Hopefully shale is in our future because then we (and Canada) have enough to last two or three lifetimes.

Ok, I am done. By the way, I don't put Ethanol in my MS460, yep, I am such a hypocrite.

 

[blsnelling]

No, Ethanol has less energy content that pure gas. It does boost the octane rating though.

I think it's Methanol that's run as a racing fuel. No? And then we throw in a little Nitro for fun

 

[habanero]

I've been running E10 in my old Homelites for years with no problems. Of course you have to adjust the carb a little richer, but then I adjust the carb for every season I cut in anyway, so it's not a big deal. I also run a 32:1 oil mix with synthetic oil. Running as lean as possible and as thin of oil mix as possible with 100% gasoline then switching to E10 might lead to some problems. In that vein, I agree with the above comments that it might be a problem for the "homeowner" user.

Modern cars will handle up to E20 with no external modification. The computer monitors and adjusts for fuel/air ratio constantly anyway. If you go much higher than that, it will probably throw a code but that's about all.

 

[habanero]

No, Ethanol has less energy content that pure gas. It does boost the octane rating though.

Yes it does have less energy content, and methanol has even less yet. But, a properly tuned engine designed specifically for ethanol or methanol can develop more power and even use less fuel.

Think about this, the most powerful racing engines burn nitromethane (90% with 10% methanol actually). Nitromethane has an energy content of around 5000 BTU/lb IIRC. Gasoline is between 10,000 and 20,000 BTU/lb.

My point is, power isn't a function only of energy content of the fuel.

 

[7sleeper]

What should I do?

What should people like me with a non adjustable carb(Stihl MS180) do???

Is it enough to run 1:30 or 1:40?

Please do not tell me to put on an adjustable one, I know they are an option!

Thanks

7sleeper

 

[blsnelling]

What should people like me with a non adjustable carb(Stihl MS180) do???

Is it enough to run 1:30 or 1:40?

Please do not tell me to put on an adjustable one, I know they are an option!

Thanks

7sleeper

As Andy said, they come from the factory to run E10. If it's stock, just run it.

 

[COWBOYJAKE]

you can tune for the higher ethanol fuels, just takes huge jets and oil that is compatible with the higher contents. the castor based oils mix much better with the ethonal or methonal

ethonal from a food source is a horrible idea it takes more money and dang near as much fossil fuel to produce. all the diesel for the equipment and all the natural gas for the fertilizer!! not to mention the corn and soy prices going stupid. sugar cane is the best way to make ethanol but still needs alot of work, brazil is leading the charge on this

whats that physics law?? you cant create or destroy energy you can only convert it. its a simple law of physics that it wont work!

 

[alpinecrick]

I, for one, welcome Ethanol. Anything that is a step towards us going away from foreign oil is a good thing. Now Ethanol is not the answer for more reasons that I could possibly go into in a short post. BUT, at least it is a step in the right direction, that direction being away from foreign oil. Granted that Ethanol (from corn) takes more regular gas to produce it than it gives. But there are other sources coming, like switchgrass, that may make it more profitable.

Hear, hear....

Like it or not, we are headed for change from oil, unless we can come up with technology to produce oil from shale or other sources more efficiently. Hopefully shale is in our future because then we (and Canada) have enough to last two or three lifetimes.

Coming from the heart of the original oil shale country...........
Oil shale was going to be our savior a dozen times in the past century--it hasn't panned out yet. The last time (late 70's/early 80's) we gave the oil companies 20-30 billion and 10's of thousands of acres of our public land in west central Colorado. Not one drop of commercially viable oil was produced, and our former public lands were sold to developers--it now sprouts condos.

Oil shale in the Rockies and the Dakotas could be commercially viable--just as soon as oil hits $250-$300 a barrel. Right now oil shale retorts can't produce oil that can even come close to competing with other forms of energy. Think of the efficacy of oil shale as an extreme form of corn fed ethanol--it ain't efficient. But of course there could always be the advent of new technology that could change things.

Ok, I am done. By the way, I don't put Ethanol in my MS460, yep, I am such a hypocrite.

We have no choice in Colorado--all pump gas is 10% ethanol. It used to be just a winter blend, but it's all year-round now.



Casey

 

[Woodplayer]

I had spoke to what seemed to be a very knowledgeable/down to earth Stihl rep a few weeks ago on a number of topics one of which was fuel and oil.

He said that due to the "modern" fuels containing ethanol he does not recommend using a synthetic oil for fuel mix as they often will not mix properly and could cause this type of problem.

 

[Wet1]

I had spoke to what seemed to be a very knowledgeable/down to earth Stihl rep a few weeks ago on a number of topics one of which was fuel and oil.

He said that due to the "modern" fuels containing ethanol he does not recommend using a synthetic oil for fuel mix as they often will not mix properly and could cause this type of problem.

That's absolute horse sh!t.

 

[flxblx]

I think it's Methanol that's run as a racing fuel. No? And then we throw in a little Nitro for fun

IRL (Indy Racing League) is 100% ETHANOL

 

[THALL10326]

Dayummmmmmmmmmm

This thread is a new one on me. I've never had a customer come in and tell me what type of gas he is using. I've hadem tell me I'm using Stihl mix but they never tell me what type of gas they are using. This guy even added he's using dry gas in the mix, dayummmm he was begging you to say it was his fault,LOL

Scott at Nationwide insurance they have this forgiveness program. They will allow you one reck without raising your rates. I think you should fix that saw under warranty, hell only 5 months old I know I would, Dolmar wouldn't care, its only a cylinder and piston, big whoop I say, make that guy happy.....

 

[COWBOYJAKE]

it is true about some synthetic not mixing well with the higher levels of alcohol for the higher concentrations of ethanol/methonal

the oil has to be made to mix with the alcohol ive had race cars that run on alcohol and there are only certain oils that are meant for it.

 

[Bill G]

IRL (Indy Racing League) is 100% ETHANOL

I heard that was true at the here at the local IRL race as it was sponsored by the Iowa Corn Growers. I had not heard of it at all IRL races. I guess I learn something everyday.

Bill

 

[flxblx]

the sky is falling the sky is falling.......





oops....never mind

:agree2:

 

[Lakeside53]

I had spoke to what seemed to be a very knowledgeable/down to earth Stihl rep a few weeks ago on a number of topics one of which was fuel and oil.

He said that due to the "modern" fuels containing ethanol he does not recommend using a synthetic oil for fuel mix as they often will not mix properly and could cause this type of problem.

Horse pucky... Your rep needs to read his Stihl class notes.

Stihl promotes Ultra (synthetic) partly because of its ability to stay in suspension in the presence of ethanol, and by consequence, small amounts of water.

 

[habanero]

I know for a fact Mobil One stays in solution well in ~9% ethanol (I run a gas chromatograph for a living so I know what my ethanol content is). I had a flask of my mix sitting on the lab bench for over a month and didn't notice any visual separation. I think if it absorbed a lot of water you might be in trouble, but then if you have a lot of water in your gas anyway you're going to have trouble.

 

[rmihalek]

Gc

What other observations can you tell us from the GC? Is ethanol the only alcohol in the fuel or are there other alcohols as well. Is the rest of the gasoline mixture pure hydrocarbons or is there other stuff in there like esters, ethers, detergents, etc.?

 

[habanero]

What other observations can you tell us from the GC? Is ethanol the only alcohol in the fuel or are there other alcohols as well. Is the rest of the gasoline mixture pure hydrocarbons or is there other stuff in there like esters, ethers, detergents, etc.?

Of course there's other "stuff" in gasoline (detergents, etc.). I was looking only for ethanol, so I didn't set up a method to look for anything else. I don't have free reign of the GCMS instruments, so I haven't looked at it with mass spec. Gasoline is an extremely, extremely complex chemical. You could spend days trying to identify all the components unless you already have a method set up and know what you're looking for. I work in the polymer group, so we don't have off-the-shelf methods for hydrocarbon analysis.