The Basics For Ethanol
(E10) Fuel Users
Background:
The founder of USA Fuel Service, along with 1000’s of other racing
enthusiasts, has been using ethanol and or methanol fuels for many decades. We
use it in pure form and in various blends with gasoline, diesel, benzene, nitro
methane and naphtha to boost horsepower in gas and diesel powered racing
engines. Some custom blends along with engine modifications are capable of
doubling or tripling horsepower. (We refer to it as “Horsepower In a Can”) However, that type of custom blending should only
be used for racing and custom blending only done by seasoned pros. It is not recommended for
street use because it is a very dangerous health hazard and it can also totally
destroy an engine in only a few seconds.
The point is ethanol blended fuels are not a mysterious new practice without a history. This article is based on more than 30 years of field experience using blended fuels including ethanol and methanol.
·
It is a member of the alcohol family and is one of the alternative
fuels for use in diesel and gasoline. Anhydrous ethanol (meaning without
water) usually has a water content of ˝ percent or less and is currently the
only ethanol that can be safely blended with gasoline.
·
Hydrated ethanol (up to 4% water) will
not safely blend with high concentrations of gasoline but can be used in pure
forms as a substitute for gasoline.
·
Ethanol is a renewable fuel
·
Ethanol can be made from:
-Crops including sugarcane, corn, sugar
beets, Etc.
*The
highest yield is from sugarcane
-Coal, natural gas and other petroleum
products
*Defeats the intent of
decreasing foreign oil dependency and air pollution
-Any
organic waste product including wood shavings, sawdust, weeds, grasses and most landfill waste.
·
Algae is the
newest addition to the ethanol producers
-Produces
a higher positive energy
-Rivals
gasoline made from crude oil
-It
eats the co2 that has been polluting our planet
-This
will help offset global warming
-This
process could decrease Ethanol production from corn
·
Florida will soon be a major ethanol producer and is expected to begin
with ethanol produced from citrus peels.
2. Why are we beginning to use more ethanol?
·
Ethanol is a great replacement for MTBE (methyl t-butyl)
·
Though there are pros and cons, the positives outweigh the negatives
·
Blended fuel (E-10) is currently widely available in more than
20-states
·
The demand far exceeds current refinery capability
· The U.S. currently has more than 90 small refineries in operation and more than 60 new refineries are under construction.
3. What engines can safely use blended fuels?
·
Ethanol blends of up to 10% (E10) can be used in any gasoline engine
without modification
·
Extended use caused some rubber and plastic hoses and carburetor
gaskets to swell, dry and crack or dissolve
-especially
if they were already a bit old or worn
·
Hoses, gaskets, seals and components installed in or on vehicles
including autos, boats and motorcycles manufactured after 1996 are usually
compatible
·
When replacing hoses, the very best available are those made with
"Viton" or "Teflon"
-These
can be found in high performance/speed shops
·
If your fuel blend is over 10% (E20, E30, E50,
Etc.):
-It
cannot be safely used unless your vehicle has a flexi-fuel engine
·
Your engine requires a higher volume of ethanol fuels as compared to
pure gasoline
-That
translates into a slight decrease in fuel mileage
4. Ethanol fuel handling and storage:
Trial and
error revealed we had to do two things very differently when using
ethanol/methanol fuels as compared to pure gasoline.
1. We began
mixing our fuels at the last moment before use and stored them in 99% airtight
containers because:
-It
will quickly absorb any available free-water from the bottom of a
tank
-It absorbs moisture (humidity) right out of the air in a very short period
-That can have an immediate effect (1-5
days) and result in a loss of 5-15 octane points evidenced by valve pinging
-If not treated,it will soon
lead to fuel separation
-The
water/ethanol-sludge then settles to the bottom of the tank and forms a milky mucous looking slime
2.
We started removing and cleaning our tanks but
occasionally we still experienced clogged filters and fuel pump failures
because:
-Ethanol
and methanol have a very high detergent action (cleaning)
-It
is many times more powerful than pure gasoline
-It
quickly removes varnish, scale and oxides from the walls and bottom of tanks
-It accumulates in the fuel system in the form of slime and crud that starts clogging fuel filters
-It
will loosen small fragments and soften the inside layer of polyester fiberglass tanks
- The
problem was also caused by slightly contaminated gasoline purchased from stations
5. USA
Fuel Service Recommendations:
·
Replacing
all fiberglass tanks before using or storing ethanol fuels
·
Even metal or plastic tanks more than 1-year old should be cleaned to
remove scale, varnish and oxides
-If
you don’t, ethanol fuels will do it for you and clog filters and cause fuel
pump and/or engine failure
·
Ethanol fuel users storing fuel more than 90 days should have the tank
and fuel cleaned at least annually
*Ethanol fuels will absorb a significant amount of water right out of the air if stored 60 days or longer.
6. Ethanol Fuel Filtration Facts & Secrets:
·
Fuels are typically stored in many different tanks
·
Can take 30-90 days to get from a refinery to you
·
Those tanks have water and other contaminants
-These
can lead to fuel pump and engine failures
·
You will experience an even higher level of fuel contamination when
switching to ethanol fuels
·
Determined by using three specifications:
1. It must flow a minimum fuel volume as specified
by the engine manufacturer
2. It must filter and trap contaminates that can
potentially clog carburetors and/or injectors
3. It must perform effectively for a reasonable
time interval
-Typically
the finer the mesh/micron the shorter the time interval
·
Most over-the-counter fuel and oil filters were designed to trap 20-40
micron particles
·
Newer engines with ultra-high pressure fuel injectors and superfine
nozzles that burn cleaner, increase horsepower and mileage
·
Superfine injector nozzles clog quicker and easier
·
New hi-tech nozzles also rely on continuous fuel flow for cooling and
lubrication
·
If they are suddenly starved for
fuel, the consequences can be immediate and cost hundreds:
-Some
engine producers require owners to use finer filters (10-20 micron) or risk a voided warranty
-As
a safeguard, many engines are now fitted with a second 2-micron filter
·
Today’s boats and autos tend to have smaller and more compact engine
compartments
·
To process your fuel
·
Clean your tanks
·
Upgrade and/or add larger filters to increase the overall available
filtering area
·
This will allow you to step up
to a finer mesh/micron (we recommend 10-micron) element that will deliver purer
fuel while greatly reducing the potential for premature filter clogging
9. The
USA Fuel Service Approach:
·
Has worked 100% of the time for every one of our E-10 clients
·
We purify fuels by:
-Adding a blend of proprietary tank
cleaning additives
-Circulating the fuel through high
volume fuel filtering
-Adding our water-absorbing fuel stabilizer to prevent future water buildup
-After
completed, we evaluate the entire fuel system and make recommendations to:
-Increase engine
reliability
-Extend
intervals between filter element changes
(The #1 cause of breakdowns is fuel problems)
(1) Always keep
fuel tanks full to avoid sweating. (Water) Keep them either totally
empty or 90-95% full. (Diesel & Gasoline)
(2)
Always use a premium grade fuel stabilizer additive. (USA Fuel Service has
industrial strength additives that stabilize fuels, absorbs water, increases
fuel economy and cleans your tank) "GAS-SHOK"™ for gasoline and
"DESL-SHOK"™ for diesel.
(3)
Keep your tanks clean and change your filter(s) (At least annually)
(4)
Always keep extra filters on hand.
(5)
Have long-term stored fuels lab-tested at least annually. (Spring and Fall is best)
(6)
Never buy fuel immediately after a fuel truck delivery. (They stir up sediment
from the bottom)
(7)
In flooded or stormy conditions delay fueling until after conditions have
improved and avoid being first in line.
(8)
Ethanol (E10) users should be aware that water will be absorbed
through fuel tank vents and fuel purifying may be needed for boats 2 or
more years old that have been stored for 60-days or more without the use of
a fuel stabilizing additive.
GAS SHOK™ additive will stabilize the fuel for
12-18 months!
Never leave fuel tank(s) partially full during extended
storage intervals. (between 10-80%) that is when they
will sweat the most and or produce the most moisture.
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