Avoiding ethanol in fuel?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by rob.e, Aug 7, 2015.

  1. My Brazzer is designed to run on bio-ethanol - it has a small primary tank for unleaded that is used for starting the van, the ECU then adjusts the engine to run on bio fuel from the main tank.

    Don't ask me how this magic works, but it does.
     
    rob.e likes this.
  2. But your van will rust quicker than an older one and that will be more expensive :thumbsup:
     
    matty and Purple like this.
  3. Had this conversation already, my air cooled is 18 years old and has had a panel repair around the battery tray, I had far more work done to my first ever van that was a german van of the same age when I bought it. Brazzers are inferior in many ways, but there's a degree of sentimentality about german built originals - they rot as well, and will have been renovated several times by now.
     
    Razzyh likes this.
  4. Brazil has a huge industry creating ethanol from sugar cane - much cheaper that petrol
     
  5. I had an email from the fbhvc about e10 fuel with a link to their FAQ page.
    https://www.fbhvc.co.uk/fuels

    Seems adding ethenol to fuel:
    Makes it cheaper to produce (though I bet the savings won't be passed on to the motorists).
    You get cleaner emissions, though you need to use 10-15% for fuel to do the same mileage as its got a lower calorific value (like lpg).
    It absorbs more water from the atmosphere as its hygroscopic so fuel tanks can rot due to condensation build up.
    It likes to eat rubber, brass, solder etc.
     
  6. That's good to know. Thanks for sharing. I've been mostly using Esso Super and also noticed the labelling change.
     
    rob.e likes this.
  7. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    There is a Flex Fuel sensor that can tell the engine the percentage of ethanol in the fuel .
    Basically as the amount of ethanol in petrol is increased, the octane rating increases .
    You can tune for more power, altering timing and mixture. Fuel economy goes down, power goes up.
    High ethanol fuel may turn out to be a good thing for an underpowered aircooled engine.

    The problem will come when you poison it with only 'clean' 95 octane petrol without ethanol and it melts..

    Just forget this ethanol-in-fuel fetish, fit proper fuel lines and begin to embrace the improvement...
     
  8. If you have to put sensors on a historic vehicle it kind of misses the point.
     
  9. There not historic vehicles, they are VW Polos in a big tin box.
     
  10. JT1

    JT1

    I too use Esso super unleaded exclusively in the van and write annually to Esso asking if their Synergy Supreme+ petrol continues to be ethanol free.
    This year I wrote a little ahead of time with the imminent threat of E10 being introduced next year.
    Their response was received a few days ago and is in the attached image.
    Of course this is only true for today, tomorrow Esso may decide to add ethanol to its super unleaded, however hopefully for at least the near future there is at least one ready available fuel which is totally ethanol free -for most of us.

    ethanol.jpg
     
    DubCat likes this.
  11. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    I didnt suggest that. Just that you set up for E85 when it comes and enjoy it. Though fitting a flex fuel sensor attached to a 'low ethanol warning' light will probably save your engine..
     
  12. So is this type of fuel line and sensor readily available yet?
     

Share This Page