So I stooped by my local Hess station the other night and noticed a sign on all thier pumps. It said that the gas contains 10% ethanol in it. I only put in a couple gallons but I was wondering if this small amount can hurt my engine. I was browsing earlier and was reading about the guy who's putting all ethanol in a non flex fuel engine and read what ethanol can do to a regular engine. Just Curious

 

You dont really have a choice...most larger cities have been this way for several years. Here in Dallas/Fort Worth, gas has included 10% ethanol for the past seven years, maybe more.

 

10% ethanol in all gasoline low, mid, high octane is no new news, here in Illinois since I can remember it has always had 10% ethanol.

 

Yup you aint got much of a choice, been this way in Houston for quite some time. My 150 slurps enough of it down it must like it

 

Thanks for the quick replies

I'd just never seen that before and it just caught me off guard.

 

10% ethanol is used to replace that toxic addative that is turning up in groundwater sources. I think it was called MTBE.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTBE

 

As new as your vehicle is, wouldn't worry about it too much - the E85 stuff is what you need to stay away from.

 

In the late 1980s, the EPA mandated oxygenated fuels for winter blends in certain markets to forcibly lean out the mix and thereby theoretically reduce HC and CO emissions. The oxygenating compound originally used was called MTBE, and it was an environmental, disaster. In the late 1990s the MTBE was dropped in favor of a 10% Ethanol mixture. Since most regions have at least one fuel market (major city) that has a smog problem, almost all gasoline sold in the United States during the winter months is oxygenated (Contains ethanol) some areas do it year round.

You can expect to notice a fairly sizable drop in gas milage with this, but no real harm done. It's the higher concentrations of ethanol, like E-85 that cause the corrosion problems.

 

I don't notice much of a difference.

 

i ping more with 10% but seem to get better gas mileage, rpms on the freeway is lower too, is it my imagination or can this be true

 

How long have you lived in DFW?

 

Since 1978 when I was 7.

 

Got ya by one year in age...you got me in living here longer. 95...as far as I can remember, we've always had 10%. Could be wrong though.

 

We moved here in May 1978 when I was 7, I turned 8 in June that year. I'm 37 now.
I've seen a lot of gas changes in my time here. Plus there's a Pancho's in town.

 

If your vehicle has the FFV engine, you can go as high as 85% alcohol.