10% Ethanol vs. Ethanol Free Gas
 

Please offer your opinion on this topic. I know there's been some Ethanol discussions on the forum, nevertheless, not specifically what I'm asking. So anyone with a very good understanding of Ethanol's characteristics and how it effects the car ability to perform at peak performance and overall internal functions long term, please chime in. Thanks in advance!

Okay ... taking into consideration PERFORMANCE and WHAT'S BETTER FOR OUR 370Z OVERALL. The latter being very important.

Deciding Facts below:

1. I have a local Exxon/Mobil Gas Station that offers 90 OCTANE ETHANOL FREE GAS AT A PREMIUM OF $4.05.
2. Compared to a local Sunoco Gas Station that offers 93 OCTANE WITH 10% ETHANOL FOR A PRICE OF $3.65.

My question: Is it better to run 90 Octane Ethanol free gas vs. 93 Octane w/ 10% Ethanol?

Here in Canada, we don't have a choice. All gasolines have at least 10% ethanol. Some have 15 to 20 percent.

If you had a choice, what would it be? Inquiring minds would like to know.

Regards,

Stino

I would like the ethanol in. Although I would like it only around 5%. Gas with ethanol works better up in these climes.

Rarely you will find a gas station that doesn't sell gas with 10% ethanol.

As a petroleum engineer, I HATE ethanol. That being said, I'm having a tough time choosing between the two for you, but I would probably go with the 93.

I too have an inquisitive mind and would like to learn a little more about the role ethanol plays in the fuel we put in our cars. Can you elaborate for us please :hello:

I'm no Chemist or expert of any kind really, but I've been using ethanol "enhanced" gas since the 1970s (not all the time, mind ya) in various vehicles and my observations are:

For real old cars (before the Gas Crunch of the mid-'70s), ethanol could attack the gaskets in the carburetor, the fuel pump diaphragm, &c. Not all cars, but it wasn't all that rare. Seems that the older the car, the worse things got.

For cars between then and the introduction of ECUs (ECM in Z-talk) the engines seemed to "tolerate" fairly large amounts of ethanol. The better the electronics they had, the better job they could do, but not quite there.

For most modern cars, 10% is no problem. I've had to put 10% in my '09 and haven't noticed any ill effects.

HOWEVER
Ethanol has fewer BTU per gallon - ~114,000 for regular unleaded vs ~82,000 for E85 (couldn't find a value for E90, but you get the picture). You have to burn more fuel to get anywhere. I haven't noticed much of a difference in power with my butt dyno, but haven't really made any comparisons - I seldom use full power and when I do, I've always gotten enough to make me grin.
Ethanol and water love each other. Especially in higher concentrations, it can pick up water (and some of the crud it has with it) and carry it to the pump, filter, injectors, &c. For a newer car that hasn't had time to collect condensation, this is seldom a problem, since most gas has a little ethanol in it anyway and the water gets carried out in tiny amounts.

All that said, I try to get 93 octane sans the ethanol, but I don't get obsessive about it. If I get anything below 93, I try to keep my toenails out of the radiator until the next fillup. I had to buy 90 octane once - just got enough to baby it home and then filled it up with the good stuff. I try to avoid anything above 10%, just on general principles, but finding 0-10% hasn't been a problem so far.

Keep in mind that all of that is just my personal observations. Nothing scientific about it (except for the BTU/gal figures and I rounded them).

@redline727, it seems SouthArk370Z knows more about the effect ethanol has in a car in a mechanical aspect than I do. My personal hatred for ethonal and it's supporters is that it takes MORE energy and resources to harvest ethonal than the amount of energy and resources ethanol can produce (and the harvesting of it uses coal electricity and a ton of fossil fuels, so don't think it's better for the environment). It's like cutting meth (I've been watching a lot of Breaking Bad) with a substance more expensive than meth, with the belief that it will save you some money (although it is a lot more political than that). Anyone who is ordering the manufacturing of ethanol is either dumb, an idealist, or holds a private agenda.
Hope that helps!

I would choose 93

It really depends if the 90 octane will cause any retard in the spark timing. If it does, then it's a no brainier to run the 93. Regardless. It's not worth much of a premium over e10 just in terms of energy content.

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question. I'll continue using the 93 octane. Thanks again!:tiphat:

Regards,

Stino

Not the case over here in Ontario, we get 91 octane ethanol free from Shell.

That's all I have ever used in my 370z, my Z32 was tuned for 94 octane so that's all I used in it.

I also remember reading articles talking about ethanol fuel lowering gas mileage, very little amount but still less.

Go with the octane for the car. The reason we have 10% here in the US is the gov and the ridiculous corn subsidies the american public was duped into paying for all these years.

Its cost the citizens billions and we continue to slurp it up because we have to.

10% fuel sucks for anyone with a carb (many motorcycles, small equipment) as it does gum up the carbs when sitting. They didn't seem to mention that nor consider it when they moved to have us all use 10% did they?

I have *one* station within 100 miles here in eastern PA that sells ethanol free 87 and 100 race fuel..so at least now I can get some 87 for the motorcycle, lawnmower etc...

- b

There is a station less than half a mile from my house that sells non-ethanol "marine" gas. Since it is only 87, none goes in the Z. However, it has been great for my lawn equipment, and before my old 65 Chevy pickup died, I used the non-ethanol in it too. If there was an option for "premium" grade non-ethanol, I would probably run it in the Z too.

I see your spreading misinformation again.

Check your facts before spouting information that is not true :tiphat:

Shell 91 Octane has NO Ethanol in the premium blend and has no plans to change that in the near future. However a 94 Octane, ethanol blended premium fuel, may be in the future :tup:

It could be a answer to Petro-Can's Super 94. To date, I haven't found out much Ethanol is in PC's Super 94, but the search continues.