Ethanol and GS Bikes

[Greg O.]

Will gasoline containing ethanol harm the carbs? I have been using premium because regular and mid grade in our area contain ethanol.

Greg O.

[Grandpa]

In the my midAtlantic area, (MD, PA, VA, WV), regular 87 fuel has 10% ethanol. My GS1100GK runs fine on it, with no ill effects.

Whether this would still be the case, using 20% ethanol, I'm not sure.

[Greg O.]

Ours is 10%. But my concern is with the floats and other parts of the carbs.

Greg O

[Nessism]

10% ethanol is almost standard these days. I don't "think" this is a problem per say or more people would be experiencing problems. That said, I do know that some modern chemicals found in gasoline attack plastic/rubber parts in older vehicles. Back when these vehicles were designed said chemicals were not present thus the designers didn't know any better. Nissan/Datsun has had a big recall for example for this exact reason - fuel hoses for early fuel injection engines like the L28 (used in the 280Z) need to be upgraded or they may leak.

Not sure this helps but thought like sharing...

[Steve]

I would be more concerned with the deposits formed by the "premium" gas than with the ethanol, as long as the ethanol does not go over 10%, which seems to be the norm here in the mid-west.

"Premium" gas does not burn as quickly, and is harder to light, so unless you have made modifications to compensate, you might have deposits forming on the valves and pistons.

The only time I have had ethanol affect the operation of any of my bikes was last summer when I got some 20% in Iowa. About 20% less miles per gallon, and felt like less power. You definitely want to stay away from the E85 that is showing up in some places. Besides the corrosive properties of the ethanol, I am under the impression that re-jetting would be necessary for proper operation. Virtually all cars and trucks built today are fuel-injected, so their computers compensate based on the information the oxygen sensors are giving them. Our bikes do not have that "luxury".


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[arveejay]

Ethanol runs much hotter and your bike runs hot already because it's air cooled. It's up to you but I wouldn't run ethanolif it were free as long as there were other options.

[N56629]

Ethanol runs much hotter and your bike runs hot already because it's air cooled. It's up to you but I wouldn't run ethanolif it were free as long as there were other options.

I was under the impression that ethanol runs cooler, otherwise it would be foolish to run ethanol injection with forced induction.

To run E85 you would have to run much more timing advance and or higher compression.

[Greg O.]

I remember reading somewhere that ethanol will run hotter. There has been some talk in congress about mandating a 20% blend of gasoline and ethanol. I hope not.

Greg O

[Zooks]

For the sake of our planets air quality I think we should run as much ethanol as possible. Alcohols burn 'clean' and much more efficiently than fossil fuel.

We will just have to come up with clever ways of getting our older toys to run on it. I love vintage cars and bikes but I love clean air more.

[s0crates82]

For the sake of our planets air quality I think we should run as much ethanol as possible. Alcohols burn 'clean' and much more efficiently than fossil fuel.

We will just have to come up with clever ways of getting our older toys to run on it. I love vintage cars and bikes but I love clean air more.

Really? You believe that? Really?

Ok.

Ethanol is made from plants... those plants are farmed en masse using petrochemical fertilizers. Those plants are transported from the farm to the distillery by vehicles that run on... petrol or diesel. That distillery uses energy to make heat, that energy comes from the burning of coal, oil, or natural gas (very VERY rarely clean nuclear). The final distilled product is transported, again, on trucks, to a refinery that mixes it with gasoline. That gasoline is then trucked to your local gas station.

I've read that for every joule of energy achieved by using ethanol, some three joules of energy were consumed by using petrochemicals.

Ethanol is NOT the solution.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/category/ethanol/

[arveejay]

I've also read that something in the ethanol attacks the rubber in the older carbs, but not so much on the newer carbs. It also yeilds lower mpg, decreased fuel mileage will swallow the savings of lower price. If you look into how much water is required to make ethanol you would freak out. I agree we need to help out the planet but ethanol is a band aid on an amputation. It aint the answer.

[Grandpa]

Really? You believe that? Really?

Ok.

Yes, s0crates, he seems to believe the claptrap. Really! I don't think he meant to say this "tongue-in-cheek".

[Zooks]

Really? You believe that? Really?

Ok.

Ethanol is made from plants... those plants are farmed en masse using petrochemical fertilizers. Those plants are transported from the farm to the distillery by vehicles that run on... petrol or diesel. That distillery uses energy to make heat, that energy comes from the burning of coal, oil, or natural gas (very VERY rarely clean nuclear). The final distilled product is transported, again, on trucks, to a refinery that mixes it with gasoline. That gasoline is then trucked to your local gas station.

I've read that for every joule of energy achieved by using ethanol, some three joules of energy were consumed by using petrochemicals.

Ethanol is NOT the solution.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/category/ethanol/

You make it sound like this is the only way that alcohol can be produced.

I'll give you a couple of facts. Alcohol can be produced sustainably, petrol CANNOT!

Alcohol burns clean, petrol DOESN'T!

I am talking science, you are talking retoric. No offense intended (honestly) but the oil companies have brainwashed us into believing that ethanol is not the answer. I don't think it is the long term solution, (that will probably come from photo voltaic technology or hydrogen cells etc. etc.) In the interim, alcohol can be produced cleanly, cheaply and sustainably to run the internal combustion technology that we have available today. It will just take a major paradigm shift if we are to achieve it.

[Grandpa]

In the meantime, I'll continue to burn that nasty petrol and enjoy my GS. :-D

Selfish (and proud of it) Grandpa