Do you need autorepair advice?

[msta999]

If someone needs some kind of auto repair help, I may be able to offer advice, or at least look up some known problems/fixes/mods. I will need year, make, model, engine, trans (auto or manual) and what the symptom/question is. I am a member of an auto mechanic forum, which I pay a monthly fee for and wouldn't mind looking something up for a forum member

[jim]

My 98' Ranger 4 Cyl and 02' Toyots 4Runner aren't listed as being able to burn Ethanol. Would an occasional tank hurt them, or should I avoid it at all costs?

jim

[msta999]

If your talking about the same Ethanol they use in the dakotas, then no, but you veh could vapor lock on real hot days during a long or had drive. What mix are you concerned about?
I'll check and see if I can dig up anymore info on this.

[msta999]

Here is something I wasnt' aware of, concerning running ethanol:
• You'd probably have to buy a new car or truck to use it(Ethanol). The FFVs (flex fuel vehicles) already out there are roughly 2% of all vehicles on the road, leaving Americans to replace the other 98% with new vehicles that have the corrosion-resistant fuel systems, special fuel injectors, sensors and computer controls, and hardened and coated engine parts necessary to survive alcohol's corrosive onslaught and compensate for lower energy content.

• You'd have to fill up more often. You'd be at the pump every four or five days instead of once a week. Ethanol contains about two-thirds as much energy as gasoline. The higher the concentration of alcohol in fuel, the more fuel you have to use to go the same distance. A vehicle would burn 1.4 times as much E85 as straight gasoline, the U.S. Department of Energy says.

I would only use it if you had to and not on a continuous basis. Not much bennifit, unless you can get it real cheap, then they do make additives to help off set the corrosive affects, that you could add to your tank.

[msta999]

Jim,
here is some of the input I got from mechanics who have delt with some of the different Ethanol blends.

I would have them stick to e-10, running e-85 WILL cause
damage to the rubber parts, fuel psi regulator and any metal
lines that are not stainless. can also damage the fuel level
sender. Has also been known to damage the inside of fuel
rails, and anything that comes off rails ends up in inj.
Here in MN e-85 is very easy to find, so when e-10 started
to get over 2.50 lots of people started to burn it, lots of
serivce engine lights and driveability problems.
Scott Chvosta

e85 has been some of the vehicles ive worked on and hey they
came in on the hook they wouldnt run, ethanol on the other
had would be ok as ive been using it for over 13 yrs in
different vehicles they are some thind=gs i wont put it in
,like my mower or motorcycle ,iowa is a leading producer im
all for its environmently friendly return,not to mention its
cheaper than unleaded now calif. my be higher because of
transportaion costs thats the bad side effect. south
american contry i think it brizil dosnt produce unleaded and
have been using ethanol for some time you wont find unleaded
there i ran it in my 454 it seemed to run better on it ,im
all for gass companies going that way but demand and
transportation costs bit back ,now corn here is at a all
time high then there;s the stock exchange doing a number on
consumers along with the ceo;s of the gas companies and gov
,non action the consumer gets the shaft,.
Mark Cole

The customer should be advised to use ONLY the kind of fuel
recommended by the manufacturer. His owner's manual should
have that information. It will probably say 10% (max)
ethanol.

(I suspect he's found a local gas station selling E85 for
le$$ per gallon than No-Lead Regular. You might try feeling
him out to see if that's the case, without your planting the
seed of even the possibility of saving money with E85. If
this is what's going on, explain to him that it will take
MORE gallons of E85 to go the same number of miles, and so
the fuel cost per mile will be comparable, possibly GREATER
with E85. When he factors in the repairs needed to fix the
damage E85 does to his fuel system, fuel cost per mile for
E85 in a system designed for 10% (max) ethanol fuel
approaches infinity when it leaves him stranded alongside
the road, not moving at all.)
Tim Buck

So, I would only use it if you have to and don't use it a lot. If you do use it, add a conditioner/lubricate to the fuel, this might help reduce damage.

Hope this helps,

msta999

[jim]

Thanks! i won't touch the stuff! I was only wondering, because a few years ago we drove thru Kansas and the ethanol pump was the only one open and it was a lot cheaper than Reg. unleaded. I filled it up, and got better milage than I did on straight gasoline.

I don't feel that the risk justifies the minor savings, so I'll avoid E85 and the rest like the plague! Tell those guys thanks!
jim