Department of Energy reported that gasoline containing the allowed 15 per cent ethanol caused corrosion of metal parts, including carburetors, degradation of plastic and rubber components, harder starting, and reduced engine life in small engines. Other studies have shown that automobile engines produced prior to showed damage to valves, valve seats, seals, hoses and other components. Because of its love of water, gasoline containing ethanol should not be allowed to sit for any length of time.
This is the reason it is not present in giant storage tanks, pipelines or bulk carriers, but added at the refinery just prior to delivery to gas stations. The shelf life of gasoline containing ethanol is about one month, compared to three or four months with gasoline. Buy it in small quantities, run tanks near dry before refilling and after use. Do not store in that little red container more than a month, especially not over the winter or summer months.
If it is older than that, dump it into a car or truck that uses gas frequently where it will mix with the fresh gasoline. If possible, run any tank containing ethanol dry before putting any engine away for a season or more. There are some additives, such as Sta-Bil that promote safer long-term storage. I don't know of any scientific studies to back up these claims but do believe them and use the products myself.
Since , a Canadian Federal Renewable Fuel Regulation has required an annual volume-weighted average of 5 per cent renewable fuel ethanol in gasoline, excluding that sold into colder areas like the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Newfoundland and much of Quebec.
The Regulation applies to refiners and importers. There are similar regulations in place regarding gas stations in Ontario and all provinces to the west. None of the four Atlantic provinces have regulations in place requiring ethanol, so many of their storage facilities have not been set up to handle fuel containing ethanol. Here is where it gets tricky. Generally speaking, refineries will add ethanol to regular and a lesser amount to mid-grade gasoline to meet federal and provincial regulations.
Your vehicle's fuel intake components can be damaged. In addition, ethanol can cause damage to the fuel pump in your vehicle. Cars made after have less to worry about in this regard. But a lot of us are keeping cars for longer and longer. The number of cars on the road that are more than ten years old is greater than ever before. These vehicles have more to worry about. But that's not all. Your engine can actually be destroyed if the ethanol content in the fuel you use is too high.
But a lot of consumers are confused about the difference, and there likely will be many cases where E15 is fueled into a vehicle not designed to handle it. In some cases, the cost to replace the engine in a vehicle is more expensive than just purchasing a new car. And the large majority of insurance companies do not provide coverage for these types of damages and losses, so you are on your own if this happens to you.
As stated above, there are several remedies for ethanol damage. It's not as simple as just going into the engine or fuel delivery system and smoothing over the damage.
The damaged components must be replaced. Depending upon the year, make and model of your vehicle, the replacement parts and labor fees can be well into the several thousand dollar range. These treatments are designed to protect ethanol-blended fuels against water attraction , varnish formation, and corrosion.
The ethanol treatments help protect automotive, small engines and marine engines from these issues. Like the Fuel Stabilizer, the Ethanol Treatments protect fuel for up to 12 months.
Image By — canonsnapper. Thanks for pointing out that additives will help in avoiding corrosion in the fuel tank of my car. I hope that we can visit a gas station that also serves as a nice plaza. The EPA has zero concern over the negatives of ethanol. Turns out no its really not. Small engine makers void warranties on their engines if using E15 fuels.
Even some automakers are not completely onboard with E15 or E85 except they get perks I suppose to advertise this fact. Ever wonder why a box of cereal costs so much?? Because the competition of selling corn to ethanol plant production is more attractive then selling it for food. Gasoline has now become a market based on two separate commodities oil and corn. This complicates pricing for gas a lot. Remember that when you complain gas is going up because of oil. It might be a tight corn harvest instead.
0コメント