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Ethanol Gas Versus Regular Versus MPG ......... 200

Hello all. Seems all the gas stations in my area have started mixing in 10% ethanol into their gas. As I understand it ethanol is weaker then regular gas so therefore maybe this would give you slightly weaker gas and therefore worse miles per gallon. Is this true ? Thinking further about this although more expensive would using premium grade higher octane gas give you greater miles per gallon ? Just wondering. Thanks.
--
' 86 manual sedan nearly 210,000 and ' 87 auto sedan nearly 125,000








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I try to use premium - why? Benefit is greater than cost .... 200

re: "...Thinking further about this although more expensive would using premium grade higher octane gas give you greater miles per gallon ?..."

I always use premium (~93 around here), despite all the admonition that it's a waste from Conumers Reports and others of that ilk.

Here's why. Our cars are built (1) with knock sensors, and (2) for an optimum octane of around 91.

Now, first, we don't have 91 around here -- the choices are either 93 or 89 (or 87 for regular, which is a non-issue). Now, if I put in mere 89, the knock-sensor system will retard my ignition slightly when I'm driving "hard" (which is most of the time), and this retardation will lower my mileage (as well as my "fun factor").

The difference in price between 93 and 89 here is about $0.10 on a ~$3/gallon price, which is about a 3% difference (10/300). Yet I can expect a ~2 mpg benefit from premium, which is (very roughly) about 2/24mpg or ~8% gain.

Thus, simple cost-benefit analysis dictates that I'm better off spending ~3% more on the per gallon price of gas and reduce my volume consumption by 8%. That's a 2-3 times benefit over cost.

Use premium and you're ahead.








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Ethanol Gas Versus Regular Versus MPG ......... 200

Expect 10% less milege,
we have been running it in Cali for years.
--
71-145-S ; 72-145-E ; 72-1800-ES








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Ethanol Gas Versus Regular Versus MPG ......... 200

They call it E10 and it is regular gas with 10% white lightning added.
When I bought my V70T5 in Omaha I messed up and bought some E10 gas for it
on the way back home. It was about a dime a gallon cheaper and gave about
24 mpg. Regular gas on the same trip gave about 26 mpg.
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!








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Ethanol Gas Versus Regular Versus MPG ......... 200

You are correct there are less BTU's with ethanol, you will get less MPG and everything you eat will cost more due to supply and demand issues related to increased demand for grain. Don't even think about E85 in your Volvo. Dan








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Ethanol Gas Versus Regular Versus MPG ......... 200

Not to mention that you put more energy into producing the ethanol than it yields.








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Ethanol Gas Versus Regular Versus MPG ......... 200

And adding insult to injury, consider that the flow of fed tax dollars from you to the farmers to subsidize the growing of corn for ethanol so that the "gasohol" product will have a pump price competitive with "normal" gas is an invisible way to bilk the taxpayers.

The demand for corn vis-a-vis production ability has distorted the corn market world wide. Consider the riots in Mexico when companies wanting corn for tortilla flour had to out-bid the compaines wanting corn for ethanol - raising the price of tortilla flour so much that many could not afford their staff of life.

In addition to the potential for fuel system damage, it's a gigantic boondoggle.

Just my humble thoughts.

Yes, look for reduced fuel efficiency.

Regards,

Bob

:>)









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