wydopnthrtl

http://www.fuel-testers.com/state_gu...anol_laws.html

http://pure-gas.org/

MavsAK

My vette knows when E10 is in it.
Goes from running and purring like a kitten to a stumbling, pig rich, power deprived mess.

wydopnthrtl

The stoich is lower. I'd suggest lowering ones target a/f by 0.6 across the entire chart.

Aardwolf

Mine notices too, it has more power and the engine stays cleaner. I ended up switching it to E85. Here's some testing by Grassroots Motorsports:

Paul Workman

Here in IL we have E10 mandated. Stoich for E10 is closer to 14.1 14.2 and cars tuned to E10 run better when tuned to that stoich level - at least 'round here. However, new cars that have alcohol sensors and can manipulate stoich accordingly, don't have an issue with switching between 0% to 10-15%+ fuels.

So, our pre-OBD-II (closed loop) pre-alcohol sensor systems cannot adapt very eloquently, so it is perhaps best to pick say E10 and have your program adjusted to the lower stoich and stick with it.

I had a very brief conversation with Dave McLellan when at our May Bowling Green gathering re ethanol. (In effect) he said the whole ethanol hype is a farce, far as reducing CO2 and the like. (It takes more energy to produce a gallon of ethanol than the energy produced by that gallon of alcohol will make. And, what fuel is used to generate the power needed to produce the ethanol? Primarily 90% of it comes from fossil fuel burning...Go figure. (Just don't try to convince people with an investment in alcohol production: Farmers, ethanol production industry, the EPA idiots, politician scum...)

JackDidley

You have other issues. The alcohol leans it out. Does not make it rich,

MavsAK

So why does it run leaner, doesn't stumble, has Noticably more power and throttle response and has superior mileage on straight gasoline? (3 mpg difference on the highway, Calculated and backed up by the dash alike)

Whatever my "other" issue is, seems easily corrected.
Just swing by a gas station that serves real fuel.

My best guess is 1 of 2 things.
1: the E10 gas stations I run across are cheaper, often by a nickle a gallon. It's likely the fuel quality isn't that good to start with.

2: we all know how well alcohol takes on water. I live in a very humid climate. (sub tropic)

I couldn't for the life of me figure out why my car was running the way it was for the longest time. Right up until I stopped by a straight gasoline station, instead of an E10. The difference was night and day to the point that I'll only put E10 in, to get me to real gasoline station.

It's not fuel delivery, I have the 255 racetronix walboro conversion. Fuel pressure's always been good, still is, under load and on leak down both, good filter.

I'm not going to sweat it too badly, there's 4 Straight Gasoline stations in my area.

JackDidley

It may run better on gasoline but It does not run leaner on gasoline. This is because a gallon of alcohol only has 70% the energy of a gallon of gasoline. Thats why you lose MPGs when the alcohol is present. If you datalog your car and look at the fuel trims you would see what I mean.

MavsAK

I've never run a AF mixture gauge on the car or data logged it, but you can certainly smell the fuel in the exhaust when I run E10. Straight gas it smells right, but after a day or so of E10, my car's been known to scare people into asking me if I have a fuel leak.

Could the car just be dumping a ton more fuel when it's on E10?

I've heard that the OEM injectors are terrible with E10 gasoline, as far as I know the injectors on my car are original.
Also, can you datalog an 89? Without going to a dynotuner I mean.

1lndonr

There are 30% more btu's in gasoline than ethanol. The computer senses the lack of power and introduces more fuel into the engine to compensate. Thus your fuel mileage goes down and the exhaust is richer. CONCLUSION? Buy pure gasoline, not E-10.

HlhnEast

Ezero is not available to run on the road in FL. You can buy it but it is billed as marine gas at up to 50 cents a gal more expensive. You cant just pull up to the Ezero and start filling your car.

Deakins

Haven't seen fuels without at least 10% ethanol up my way for a while now; I can say my 98 ZX9R Ninja took a huge HP hit (I don't ride it enough to rejet the thing...) but can't really say any of the cars have shown signs of this. I miss the good old days though....