Ethanol Fuel Standards

[merchant]

For once, the EPA is actually doing something beneficial to society. They are proposing an easing to ethanol standards in gasoline. As most are aware, ethanol is harmful long term to motorcycle engines (as well as any engine designed to run on straight gasoline - lawnmowers/chainsaws/etc.).

I encourage all to submit a comment to the EPA suggesting a repeal of any/all ethanol standards. I am no expert on this issue, but feel strongly that society as a whole would benefit if corn resumed it's proper place on our dinner tables instead of in our tanks.

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/IssuesLegislationOld.aspx

 

[markjenn]

As most are aware, ethanol is harmful long term to motorcycle engines ....

This is a blanket statement which is only true in some small corners of the envelope. I'm not a proponent of ethanol, but using E10 in a modern motorcycle (like our S10s) is not "harmful".

- Mark

 

[~TABASCO~]

For once, the EPA is actually doing something beneficial to society. They are proposing an easing to ethanol standards in gasoline. As most are aware, ethanol is harmful long term to motorcycle engines (as well as any engine designed to run on straight gasoline - lawnmowers/chainsaws/etc.).

I encourage all to submit a comment to the EPA suggesting a repeal of any/all ethanol standards. I am no expert on this issue, but feel strongly that society as a whole would benefit if corn resumed it's proper place on our dinner tables instead of in our tanks.

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/IssuesLegislationOld.aspx

Thanks for posting... I LOVE finding fuel with zero ethanol added... Ill be happy to add my $.02 to this link............

 

[snakebitten]

Done.
They don't care what I think. They prove it often. But I don't mind telling them.

 

[Karson]

This is a blanket statement which is only true in some small corners of the envelope. I'm not a proponent of ethanol, but using E10 in a modern motorcycle (like our S10s) is not "harmful".

- Mark

To add to the discussion, an earlier email the AMA sent out a month or so ago referenced Congress possibly passing a law to up E10 to E15 (I believe that's what I read, they weren't keeping E10 & E15, or mandating E10 to be added to otherwise regular/premium unleaded and making E15 the sole ethanol blend).

I'm just afraid of the old "foot in the door" technique...if E15 is passed, what prevents them a few years down the road from making E20 mandated, and so on. Without knowing what "safe" is to what we currently have for modern day engine ethanol tolerances, I would assume then you'd start realizing those corners of the envelop start becoming a bit more visible Of course, new model cars would have to "safely" run it, too.

Without trying to start up an ethanol is good/bad durka, durka thread, just thought I'd throw that out there as a bit of a backstory. I sent an email to my congressman, and of course being from Iowa, got shut down in every meaning of the word in my response.

 

[KCampbell]

The specific concern with Ethanol (aside from reduced fuel economy, the fact that it's not carbon neutral during production, and places price competition on a food crop) is Phase Separation. After about 45 days or so, depending on the humidity, the ethanol in blended fuel will have absorbed water to the point where it separates from the gasoline itself. At this point the Ethanol starts to vigorously attack rubber components throughout the fuel system.

It only takes about 2-3 teaspoons of water in a gallon of gas to cause phase separation, so it's a very real problem for vehicles that are infrequently used, or fuel that's stored for long periods in metal tanks.

Kevin

 

[merchant]

I sent an email to my congressman, and of course being from Iowa, got shut down in every meaning of the word in my response.

I don't doubt it. Corn, as traded on CBOT, has lost a third of this value since last Septmeber. OUCH!

 

[snakebitten]

Karson, I promise I love corn. My whole family does. We buy it in all forms EVERYtime we grocery shop. So Iowa isn't gonna lose my money if they take that inferior non performance additive out of my gas tank.

Funny how we (some) spend lots of $$$ to squeeze every pony outta this Beast, then calmly ignore putting less power in our tank.

I'm never gonna lose sleep over any of this stuff anymore. I have 99% of those morons on ignore. Lol

But I still got my opinions. EAT corn. Don't burn it.

 

[coastie]

::017:: ::017:: ::017::

 

[wfopete]

Already sent mine in. Ethanol is not a plus for engines, the economy or myself. Just another wasteful government program burning up my tax dollars.

 

[scott123007]

The only good coming from ethanol is its resistance to detonation which makes it great for higher boost in turbo's. Everything else about it sucks.

 

[Hipshot]

It seems ironic to me that our government is mandating better MPG for vehicles and at the same time is mandating that we use a fuel that is less efficient.

 

[~TABASCO~]

It seems ironic to me that our government is mandating better MPG for vehicles and at the same time is mandating that we use a fuel that is less efficient.

BS government at its best. So many things they do so well, trying there best to look out for the whole and not for political reasons. Yea, right.......

 

[kmac]

In Cali where I live they can put up to E15 in the pump and not even post it. I don't get it.
If it is a daily used and modern vehicle I doubt you are in any real trouble, but on any older vehicle with rubber hoses and a rubber diaphragm style fuel pump like my '49 Stude you are in big trouble.

I could see if there were a huge benefit to corn, but there just isn't. Why do it?

 

[snakebitten]

Yea, Cali is like no other.
Your courts are shutting down the Siracha Hot Sauce factory. Seems the neighbors object to the smell of roasting chili peppers.

I went to their website and wrote a letter inviting them to Texas. Told em everybody I know loves their sauce and that we even love the smell of oil wells. Don't hide our oil rigs or cell towers either. Not considered eye soars. Lol

Even in my little town, there was a run on the stuff at both grocery stores.

 

[kmac]

Cali is nuts for sure. They moved the Siracha out into a more remote location only to have yuppies close it down. It is back open again, but there are limits on when and how they grind and roast the peppers.

Cali works on a whole different level when it comes to "green" and environmental stuff. We have fences in the middle of OHV/SRVA areas to block of a certain hill to protect an "endangered" weed.....are you kidding me? An endangered weed? Why have an off road park and close off various hills and dunes because of weeds....if we didn't have our weather and beautiful varied terrain NO ONE would live here.
Being able to ride from a sandy beach, through Chaparral rolling scrub hills, through vast deserts and up into waterfall laden snow capped mountains all in a few hours is awesome, but not at the price of our tax and restrictive laws.

Please do not misunderstand, I am not anti-green. I do not pour my oil out in the gutter or in a hole in my back yard {anymore} and I am ok with cars and even bikes being concerned with emissions yada yada but we take it to a whole new level here.

Mw and a buddy were hunting in a National Forest here behind my house, legally with tags and permits to do so and we came across some hikers that proceeded screaming at us that we are going to kill Bambi's mommy, to which I replied "no, I do not have a doe tag, but if Bambi himself pops his head up he is MINE" Antagonistic ? YEP....they continued following us and yelling to protect the deer....my buddy asked them if they think it is a good idea berating and yelling at men carrying guns....they cried we were threatening them....nope, an 0-6 against your forhead would be a threat imho which we would never do of course....people here are idiots at times.

There are groups that specifically go out to the forest during hunting season and make noises to irritate hunters...all while ordering cheeseburgers for lunch....idiots

 

[Mark R.]

In Cali where I live they can put up to E15 in the pump and not even post it. I don't get it.
If it is a daily used and modern vehicle I doubt you are in any real trouble, but on any older vehicle with rubber hoses and a rubber diaphragm style fuel pump like my '49 Stude you are in big trouble.

I could see if there were a huge benefit to corn, but there just isn't. Why do it?

Why do it? The ethanol in gas was mandated by the feds at the request of big ag, so they could sell their products at higher prices and have constant demand for corn. It is subsidized by fed tax dollars (money stolen from the productive class) in terms of the ethanol producing facilities themselves.
All you have to know about anything in society that defies common sense or rational economic calculation is that if people are doing something that does not make sense, there is likely a government incentive to do it.

 

[BravoBravo]

Looking for ethanol-free gas? Here is a link you might like. I have the page set to my jurisdiction (Ontario) but you will see a list on it of all other Canadian Provinces and (I think) 47 States that you can click on:

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=ON

-Bruce

 

[snakebitten]

Yep. We do get what we ask for.
Said it many times......We are the most interesting of all the creatures. Nothing is more entertaining.

If you aren't having a ball, you aren't looking at it right.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Looking for ethanol-free gas? Here is a link you might like. I have the page set to my jurisdiction (Ontario) but you will see a list on it of all other Canadian Provinces and (I think) 47 States that you can click on:

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=ON

-Bruce

Here is another good one, just to add to your link...... http://pure-gas.org/