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Effects of Ethanol (E10) in Fuel:
Have you noticed that somewhere around the beginning of 2008 you started getting worse fuel mileage? That’s probably because the fuel you are now using has 10% ethanol in it. Ethanol is a form of alcohol derived from corn. Here are some things you should know about ethanol:
PROBLEM: While gasoline and water don’t mix, Ethanol and water does. Because of this, E10 will bring water from your fuel tank to your engine, causing the engine to run rough or even stall. The following devices are more susceptible to problems with water in fuel, mainly because they sit for long periods of time:
- Boats (the highly-humid environment creates a lot of condensation in the fuel tank)
- RV’s
- Lawnmowers
- Snow Mobiles
- Jet Skis
- SOLUTION: Top off the fuel tank when you are going to store the vehicle during the off-season. When the tank is full, there is less space for condensation to occur.
PROBLEM: Ethanol is a great cleaner. Doesn’t sound like a problem? Well, if you have rust, varnish, gum, or sludge in your fuel system, the Ethanol will do a great job of cleaning that junk up, then it will run it through your fuel system to your engine. This may result in clogged fuel filters, plugged injectors, fouled spark plugs, or gummed up carburetors.
- Buy your gasoline from service stations with clean tanks.
- If you have an older car, replace the fuel filter annually so it can catch most of the debris working its way through the fuel system.
- Use fuel additives to stop fuel from aging and oxidizing.
- Use de-emulsifying or hydrophobic additives to prevent water from homogenizing with fuel.
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