15% Ethanol - Is it safe?

[salty_monk]

15% Is not tested as safe for motorcycle use says the AMA (american motorcycle association).

UK has 5% currently which they are hoping to move to 10% but it didn't get put into the last budget (in fact the mandated usage went down by a tiny amount).

Using a food source as fuel seems crazy to me... It's not eco friendly & only exists because of the subsidies in all countries....

[wymple]

I am 68 years old, and the 50's & 60's cars are what I could get my hands on back in the day. Long before ethanol rotting fuel lines & pumps were common, along with clogged up and leaky carburetors. A lot of people have short memories. I live in Iowa where we have the lowest average annual cost of repair per vehicle in the entire country, and almost all our gas is ethanol blended. Ethanol has been the scapegoat for all these maladies since the day it landed. Everything made in the last 3 or 4 decades is ethanol tolerant. Like I said, just don't leave it set 4 months at a time.

[John Park]

I am 68 years old, and the 50's & 60's cars are what I could get my hands on back in the day. Long before ethanol rotting fuel lines & pumps were common, along with clogged up and leaky carburetors. A lot of people have short memories. I live in Iowa where we have the lowest average annual cost of repair per vehicle in the entire country, and almost all our gas is ethanol blended. Ethanol has been the scapegoat for all these maladies since the day it landed. Everything made in the last 3 or 4 decades is ethanol tolerant. Like I said, just don't leave it set 4 months at a time.

Just not true; wish it were tho.

[limeex2]

This going the direction of a Sea-Foam thread... I was a service Manager at a multi line major metropolitan dealership for 20 years 1979-1999. All bikes from the 80"s run lean running due to EPA and poor fueling from the Mfg's. Period. Oxy-fuel makes them run leaner. They run so are they tolerant? I give you a piston,cylinder and a crankshaft from my Husky chain saw. Dock your boat in the water? I'll give you Kenny's number. He's making a fortune fixing fuel systems on boats. See the cloud of black smoke from your car when you hit passing gear? Sugar from Oxy-fuel. Sometimes twice a year when they don't listen to him. Its not worth a dollar a tank to me after what I spent getting mine to run properly

Im with Chuck and Salty. If your running cross country use it. Do not let it sit. As Salty mentioned its not eco friendly. Farmers are plowing up the run off barriers in order to be more productive. Herbicide laden water runs off into the streams and places its not supposed to be. Out west,their pouring water into corn fields that wont even grow a weed without it.

[Gorminrider]

Using a food source as fuel seems crazy to me

yes, corn that went to animal feed now goes to fuel so Food prices rise. (increased food prices caused demos in middle east and maybe kicked off Arab Spring, I've read) ....whether it's the same price increase that more expensive or politically-volatile oil causes is a question....

Iowa farmers are happier though- isn't that better than geopolitics torturing the middle east? I give up-bring on the windmills,geothermal and tidal power! I'm thinking it'll be pretty easy to fit an electric motor into one of my old bikes when a better battery is available.

[eddypeck]

Ok so the only real issue is letting it sit over a period of time? I've spoken to a few classic car guys that treat ethanol like cancer, saying it can damage an engine. They say E15 vs shell gass will basically change the tune, as ethanol will lean the engine out. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Yep, recently finished restoring a VW bug, replaced all the fuel lines with SAEJ30R6 rated for unleaded fuel, to then be told it will only last 6 -12 months. So did it all again with R9 rated but even then was told that might only last a few years.

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[wymple]

Just not true; wish it were tho.

What part ain't true? Fuel lines didn't rot before ethanol? BS. Fuel pump bladders didn't rot before ethanol? More BS. Carbs never went bad? You think I just make **** up or what?

[fastfrank]

Oh, and I meant to post that our 10% ethanol here in NY is probably what has been causing white, silty deposits in my carbs on another bike (ZRX). The tank is pristine, the manual petcock is new, and there is a new 40 micron inline filter before the carbs, but I'm getting this non-magnetic, dry, white silt inside the carb bowls that might even be sticking the needle in #3 and flooding the heck out of that cylinder. I am doing my best to troubleshoot this, but so far nothing else makes sense. I even had the carbs completely rebuilt.

[EDGECRUSHER]

I've noticed the same stuff Frank. I assumed it was oxidized aluminum. Is it possible the gas is eating away at the carb bodies?? Honestly, I don't know fuel chemistry like some people act like they do, but I do know there's just a little more tinkering around going on with our fuel than I'd like. I laugh when I hear young guys asking about these snake oil concoctions you can add to fuel to prevent whatever malady your engine may suffer yet I feel inclined myself to use additives like StarTron frequently to try to negate the problems with the fuel. Am I just as silly? It's not always easy keeping up on how long gas has been in a tank or how much is in every tank when you have six or more vehicles in your stables. Then throw in the fact that in Michigan where I live we get winter and summer gas.... kinda drives me a little crazy at times. 'My bike is running like sh&t today. Is it just the gas or do I really have a problem?' This train of thought goes through my mind far too often than it should be necessary.