Exactly!

study-shows-ethanol-produces-more-co2-emissions-than-gasoline-1881906764.html

considering the effort involved from growing the corn to processing it, with the decrease in btu content of ethanol gas and decrease in gas mileage, a net loss is inevitable vs straight gasoline.

I don't see the significance or relevance of the issue. Most every up to date fuel station around here has pumps with multiple grades of gasoline available.

I for one have not bought straight E0 fuel in years unless the dispensers for the other E10 - E30 were not working and it was my only option. Everything I own and regularly operate is now tuned to run best on E30 so the whole less than E30 fuss is totally irrelevant for me.

It is quite obvious that you have no small displacement engines, such as lawnmowers or chainsaws.

I went through quite a few carb kits on my chain saws while I used ethanol blended gas. Every spring down to the saw shop for a new carb kit. It got quite pricey. Somebody put me onto the fact that premium fuels usually have no ethanol, and I switched over. Now after the saw sits over winter, it starts right up. Much the same with my lawnmower.

I once pulled a carb apart on a shredder that had sat with ethanol gas in the tank for about 5 years, the fuel pump was full of a tar like substance, all the seals had dissolved. After new seals and ethanol free gas, it can sit for a couple of years and will start after a few pulls.

Got a Bolens tractor with a Kohler engine in it, won't start after sitting for a couple of weeks with ethanol gas in it. The needle valve sticks in the seat, Have to use air to blow the valve loose. After running non ethanol, no problems.

I own a Ranger with an E85 compatible engine in it, It gets better mileage and seems to have more power on ethanol free gas.

Ethanol gas has a shelf life of 90 days under ideal conditions, that is from the time it is blended till burn't.

Hope you don't have a vechicle you use occasionally.

Vic

Actually, TCM has many engines small and large running at high ethanol concentrations. He's a bit of a local guru on how to make them run well. He could give you some good advice on it.

Missed the similar discussion last week?

I was chastised for suggesting the same. My out was I really don't have that issue with my equipment, but wanted to be the first to mention it. Get ready for some flak on this.

By the way - my lawn tractor is 12 years old, been run on ethanol spiked fuel since day one. The fuel sits in the tank all winter, and I pull the fuel line and drain it in spring to add fresh fuel - no seals/gum issues.

You think the mileage drops with E85? You bet it does. I quit running that stuff in my HHR when the cost went higher than E15. It isn't even sold around here anymore despite the large number of "flex fuel" vehicles around.

Off the top of my head I have at least 14 actively used (and at least double that not actively used)small engines ranging from chainsaws and string trimmers (~30 - 40CC?) up to two cylinder riding lawn mowers and every size in between in both 2 and 4 stroke.

And every single one of them is setup to run on E30 as their base fuel and have done so for several years now without issue being I have converted them to having the proper fuel lines and related components plus have bored out their main jets to have the correct A/F ratio to work most effectively with it as well.

Gong past that I also have numerous old tractors and industrial machines and odd other items dating from the 1940's to present that also run with E30 as their primary fuel but if needed like when E85 gets really cheap they can run on that two with only a minor carburetor adjustment.

Now as for you fuel issues I can say with pretty good certainty it no the ethanol being if you can identify your fuel line s and related other rubber/plastic components material I have strong suspicions it he same stuff my shipment has and its Ethanol compatible.

What it is not compatible with is the MBTE and BETX chemical sub group compounds your gasoline is primarily is made from and that what turns the stuff into rotten gummie crap and worse.

Contrary to what the vast majority of people like you think. It's not the ethanol turning your fuel lines, seals and gaskets into junk and it never was. It's the stuff your gasoline is made from itself.

BTW the replacement rubber base material that solves the problem is 'FluoroElastomer' and most mass produced small engine fuel systems components can be found manufactured out of it for the high performance crowd who run methanol and like fuels in their modified toys that share the same carburetors you likely have on your common lawn and garden equipment.

ALso the A/F ratio issue is easily solved with a common set of needle drills to take the main jets up a few thousandths of an inch in size to both cure the frigging EPA emissions related problems (won't run right unless the choke is always on just a bit unless heavily loaded and running hot issue) and if needed step up to higher ethanol bend fuels too.