Effect of ethanol in fuel

[Minotaur]

Howdy
I was wondering what sort of effect fuel with 10% ethanol will have on my VL. With fuel prices as they are at the moment, a servo near me has fuel with 10% ethanol for 3 cents per litre less than normal unleaded.
Cheers.

[vlv8vic]

does very little harm, if any. it has some benefits as well. i had to do a training afternoon about it and its really nothing to worry about.
3cents isnt much though. if you are questioning it stick to regular until the difference offsets any concern.

[mag]

Howdy
I was wondering what sort of effect fuel with 10% ethanol will have on my VL. With fuel prices as they are at the moment, a servo near me has fuel with 10% ethanol for 3 cents per litre less than normal unleaded.
Cheers.

They say no more than 10% ethanol due to air & fuel ratios ect, I have too just switched and Im sure my VL "likes" it!!!
In America it's called GASOHOL, gas(oline)+(alc)ohol ..
gasoline 90% ethanol 10% same mix as we can buy , it has a higher octane rating / burns slower / cooler and better.
Also at more than 10% it (can) damage rubber seals and diaphragms, hope at helps..

[Fekason]

I find the ethanol question very interesting.

At the moment, an independent chain out in Western Sydney is selling ULP Plus (94 Octane E10 blend) at $0.04 less than ULP (91 Octane no ethanol).

However, ethanol has less "energy" than ULP (about 30% less). Thus E10 has about 97% of the energy output of ULP. Simple mathematics shows that E10 would need to be 3% cheaper to break even in cost.

At the current costs, the savings per litre are fully offset by the reduced mileage of the car.

Also, a car running E10 also only produces 97% of the power of the same car running ULP. However, at high power settings the benefit of the higher octane rating in reducing knock sensor retardation of ignition timing may change this situation.

At 10% ethanol in a late model car, most evidence indicates that the effects on selas, tanks etc are not significant. However older cars using carburettors are at some risk.

Environmental issues are probably neutral with E10 versus ULP.

On the plus side, E10 will keep a clean fuel system cleaner.

I have used it out of curiousity, without any dramas. However, the economics are not convincing. I will stick to "normal" fuel unless there is an economic incentive.