Alcohol in fuel

[Mc Tool]

We at the boat website are in heavy discussion ( you know how that can go ) about alcohol in fuel .
Do you guys use alcohol containing fuel , do you have issues with water absorption or shorter fuel life .
TBH I didnt know NZ has alcohol in our 98-100 oct fuel until the afore mentioned discussion got me googlin. The topic is sorta going along longevity of various fuels coz some of our members are happy to head for the horizon in a boat loaded with 1 to 2 year old fuel.
Comment appreciated
Hamish

[SCP440]

Personally I avoid using it even in cars that are supposed to be able to run on it. The reasons that you have given are a good start but it also makes the engine less efficent , the wife has a 7 year old Mini Paceman with 40k on the clock and running it on E10 it will struggle to do mid 30's mpg but on E5 it will do closer to 40mpg. Even if you say that is 10% better (its probably better than that) that more than compensates for the higher price.
A friend who runs a small garage is also finding he is getting more cars in with failed injectors and pressure regulators than he did a couple of years ago, it might be a coincidence but we know this stuff is corrosive to some materials maybe some of the rubbers and plastics that are used are failing.
A good test is to get some fuel pipe and put it in a jam jar and cover it in E10 fuel, wait a week and you will be shocked at what the pipe feels like. I have seen some go to jelly in only a week.

[T.M.]

Hi,
I use 100 oct non alcohol petrol in every my car. Lets say in everything, also lawn mower etc.

But 1 or 2 year old petrol looks too much for me, although it will be non alcohol petrol. It runs on it, but I wouldn't want it in my engine. Just my opinion.


Tom

[SCP440]

This is the official line on how long it will last
https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/count ... ndling.pdf
I know for a fact if I leave any fuel in my mower over the winter it is a bugger to start but if I put fresh fuel in it will start after one or two pulls.
I have been told Super unleaded lasts longer than 95 ron or E10.

[D366Y]

I put E10 in everything I drive
Realistically, whilst I love capris, they are never going anywhere fast so the performance difference is negligible or irrelevant in my eyes, as is the drop in mpg. I drive them every few days so should avoid any issues with it bring sat to long and have replaced the fuel lines with ethanol proof stuff and haven't had any issues yet

[80s-new-man]

After that toffy nosed plonker disrupted the fuel supply in 2021 by adding imported ethanol into our refineries by unilateral decision, the whole country went to chaos.
He then had the audacity to blame tanker drivers.
Ethanol is hydroscopic, it absorbs water in the atmosphere and in the tank. It’s 30% less efficient than petrol, so you end up getting less MPG and so have to not only buy more, you get less performance and have more fuel ingress of moisture and weaker performance.
My daughter said her mini one took ages to go from second to third gear speeds it really changed her driving experience. As soon as I told her to get super (4 star) she’ll V power or whatever, it changed back to normal and petrol lasted longer.
What’s the point in messing around with our fuel. Leave us alone.

[Major_Tom]

After that toffy nosed plonker disrupted the fuel supply in 2021 by adding imported ethanol into our refineries by unilateral decision, the whole country went to chaos.
He then had the audacity to blame tanker drivers.
Ethanol is hydroscopic, it absorbs water in the atmosphere and in the tank. It’s 30% less efficient than petrol, so you end up getting less MPG and so have to not only buy more, you get less performance and have more fuel ingress of moisture and weaker performance.
My daughter said her mini one took ages to go from second to third gear speeds it really changed her driving experience. As soon as I told her to get super (4 star) she’ll V power or whatever, it changed back to normal and petrol lasted longer.
What’s the point in messing around with our fuel. Leave us alone.

They're really trying to get drivers off the road. EVs too, they say we all must switch to them, but anyone can see the infrastructure isn't there and they really are not fit for purpose like ICE cars.

"They" just want plebs like us blamed for everything and sitting at home out of the way, getting things delivered by drone and hiring a personal vehicle if we ever need one.

[80s-new-man]

The sinister rise of big brother.. and all of this isn’t voted for, or wanted. People don’t want to be switched, moved, nudged, transitioned, controlled, coerced and brainwashed. EV and it’s awful industry digging up the world with grotesque amounts of water and resources with child labour is a disgrace. Whilst the sanctimonious wheeze around in their hideous monstrosities, making more potholes, fires, and other annoyance, the activists and saddicks target normal people and proper cars. It needs to be stamped out and called out for what it is - the biggest lie and the biggest scam on earth.

[andyd]

The 3 main parties are a shower of so expect nothing different unless Reform or similar gets voted, and even then I wouldn't hold my breath as they all seem to change their story once they get in

I would never be surprised to see the tax and MOT exempt scheme scrapped (even if they leave the already exempt alone) there are currently plenty of pre mid 80s cars on the road at around £325 per year to tax which will be alot to lose and that cost will only increase in years to come!

[SCP440]

I would never be surprised to see the tax and MOT exempt scheme scrapped (even if they leave the already exempt alone) there are currently plenty of pre mid 80s cars on the road at around £325 per year to tax which will be alot to lose and that cost will only increase in years to come!

In a few years when the cars that run on complicated ECU's become entitled to go MOT and Tax free will there be many left? A mate recently scrapped a perfectly good early Focus because of an ECU fault, the ECU could not be repaired and the 2 he tried that were purchased had the same fault. He did look into fitting an aftermarket ECU but that would have cost more than the car was worth. You only have to look on How Many Left .com to see how few of some 90's models are left now and I suspect in another decade that will decrease even further. Our cars have survived because of there simplicity but cars with complicated ECU's, sensors and solenoids sadly days are numbered.