I'd turn up the timing till it likes 91 and roll that way.

 

That's part of the hoax. "They " say 10% ethanol is safe for all cars. IMO it's crap straight gas is better if you have the option. But I agree with said above run premium and cram the timing and be done

 

E10. Buy ten gallons of gas to get nine gallons of gas and one gallon of ethenol.

 

E10 is barely safe. If your cafr sits for long periods but runs, start it at least every 2-3 weeks to burn the fuel in the lines and agitate the fuel in the tank.

Along those lines....Our loving government (throughout ALL the Administrations for the last 10+ years) is trying to force E15 on us. Every year it has to be shot down.

I suggest everyone reading this thread go to SEMA Action Network (SAN) and sign up.
SEMA Action Network keeps an eye on Federal and State in reference to our hobby...for some a way of life....for a lot their way of making a living.
SAN helps shut down stupid stuff like one of the eastern states was trying to pass a law outlawing anything but stock replacement exhaust on all vehicles...regardless of year.
SAN send you a monthly newsletter letting you know what's going on.
Sign up, do your part to help.

 

Thanks guys for the responses. Being curious I looked in the manual to see what it said about fuel grades and type. I was actually shocked to see that back in 1990 ethanol was mentioned in the handbook. It states that up to 10% of ethanol can be safely used. With that said, I store my vehicles for at least 4-5 months during winter without starting them. So I'll take your guys recommendation and get my buddy to bump up the timing and run 91 with no E.

 

Just my opinion but living in Iowa for my whole life. We have had E10 sense I turned 14 (1986). I have used it in every internal combustion engine I have ever owend. Never once have I had any problems with E10. ( it is always cheapest here) From push mowers to chain saws. From a 1965 Honda 90cc to a 1967 Pontiac Tempest. And yes, alot of Mustangs. On up till today.

You will get better gas mileage from 100% gasoline but I would rather support the American farmer.

Ok, I'll get off my soap box now.

 

All it is a subsidy. It delivers worse fuel economy and has questionable emissions benefits. It's been linked to increased smog creation. It's a boondoggle.

We are the #2 oil producer in the WORLD. The American public was sold this ethanol idea on two primary points. It's cleaner and reduces dependence on foreign oil. Well cleaner is not looking very true. And the second point....kinda looks like hogwash to me. On top of that we have all read about the damage it causes fuel systems. Some classic cars have burned to the ground because of this stuff attacking fuel lines and seals. It needs to go the way of leaded fuel.

Farmers should put their valuable skills to work growing food that can be sold to the billions of people world wide that are hungry. There is no reason anyone should be hungry or that food should be expensive. In fact that's a subsidy I could at least support.

 

Farmers should put their valuable skills to work growing food that can be sold to the billions of people world wide that are hungry. There is no reason anyone should be hungry or that food should be expensive. In fact that's a subsidy I could at least support.

This is an ignorant statement at best. You of all people should be aware of the plight of the American farmer. Have you noticed the many farms of Upstate, NY that have disappeared or have been bought out by the Amish? I grew up farming back there and can remember when the government stepped in and paid the farmers not to grow certain crops. The farmers were told that there was an excess of milk and grain. The cost of milk rose while the farmer was paid less. Farmers became much poorer and took to growing any crop that put money on the table. N.Y. became the largest pumpkin growing state of all things.

If billions are hungry worldwide; we can assume that these people/governments don't have the funds to pay our farmers to feed the world. Correct? So; how do you propose we do so?

We then have the issue of processed foods taking the place of fresh, farm grown produce, poultry, dairy and meat. Synthetic foods and genetically altered produce coming from hobby farms...

I know one thing, if I were still a farmer and barely making a living: I'd grown corn for fuel if the government approached me. Heck; I'd lobby for that job. So, you see; this can't be solely planted on the shoulders of the American farmer. It all goes back to politics and government. If only the answer were so simple.

 

If you are not running e-10, I wouldn't start. If the tank is not up to par, e-10 will clean it and send it through your fuel system.

 

I mess with small stuff on a daily basis. A large majority of stuff I do is fuel system related (speaking of gasoline engines only).

I hear/see this stuff all the time. "All I buy is 100% gasoline, with no ethanol"...and yet they're at the shop with a plugged carburetor or fuel pump issues or whatever. They all say the same thing, they don't let 'em sit and they are used often.

But what I've come up with is that all fuel-E10 included-sucks.

The EPA mandates gas stations to label the pumps "up to 10% ethanol" if the Ethanol content is more than 7%. Besides that, in all my testing (with the correct testing strips), we see average of around 5% Ethanol from the same station that we get our shop gas at, which is supposed to be 100% gasoline. But it's not. Perhaps the EPA doesn't require it to be labeled unless it's over 5%? Dunno.

Last week I tried an experiment. I have a pint jar at work that I use for fuel sampling. I filled it about 3/4 full and let it settle down, then marked the level with a sharpie. Let it sit about 3 hours and came back just about quitting time, and a good portion of it has evaporated. I'd guess about 40% of it. It wasn't sitting in the sun, in the shop, fans blowing air around, temp in the shop was about 85°F. It tested around 5% Ethanol.

Something else I've noticed is comparing fuel system issues vs what kind of gas they run. It seems that there is no difference. About half say they run non-ethanol, the other half say they just buy whatever's available. Thus, I don't get real picky with fuel. I buy what's most convenient unless it's known to have problems (water, etc). If'n I need top quality because I have a tune up that's on the ragged edge, I'll buy race fuel of whatever sorts. My brother's switched his stuff to E85 and seems to like it but it's not consistent, so he has to buy a lot at a time (drum).

 

I was a mechanic when the switch was made to e-10 so, I have my opinion as well

 

I've run e10 on everything, small engine and car engine, without issue ever. Small engines sit for 3 months in the winter and fire right up afterward.

my turbo mustang is 100% stock fuel system with the exception of a walbro pump and Deka injectors. stock tank, lines/hoses, sending unit, o-rings, rails, stock everything and I run e85 through that without issue. I think all the "ethanol ruins everything" arguments are just based on hearsay.

 

been running e10 my entire driving life in every car I have owned with no issues.

And starting it every 2-3 weeks?? my car sits all winter in the garage.. in the spring it fires right up no problem on old e-10 fuel..

 

It's the corrosion factor as it breaks down as well.

 

I have been running it for years with no problems ever. On my old 95 GT I would run a tank of half 93 octane and half E85 with no problems either. It seemed to help the detonation that those cars are notorious for.

I have a Thunderbird SC that I race in a junkyard class and the E85 is like magic fuel in that thing. My God it runs good on it.

 

You can get 91 w/o ethanol and wonder if you should run lower octane w/ ethanol?

 

It has been a long time since I did all my E85 research. It is mixed with 87 octane for a reason. No need to mix with 91 or 93. The ethanol will raise the octane.

 

Everyone has an opinion on this subject, so I'll give mine.

Engine is safe to run on E10.

About 8-9 years ago I started running E85 in my turboed 352. In all the years I have been running it I have not had one problem. My car will sit for months at a time, espically over the winter. I never had any of the "issues" people claim that E85 gives. IMO most that are speaking of it have never actually used it. They are only repeating what they have read on the internet.

Run the E10 and don't worry about it.

 

I'm 42. I don't remember a time at this point, when there wasn't e10 at the pumps. My cars always sit for at least 6 months out of the year being in PA. Last year it sat for 10-11 months. I've never done anything other than put Sta-bil in the tank. Never had a problem. Yes, I'm aware of what ethanol can do. Just have never seen it happen.

 

I'll add my two cents here. E10 is known to boil at a lower temp in carburetors. Most may not experience this unless you live in the Phoenix heat. I have personally experienced it and it's a big issue here. When I spoke to Edelbrock about running their EFI with no return line; they said it shouldn't be done in Phoenix. The E10 fuel would boil without cooler fuel being reentered into the fuel line. This is why Edelbrock and others designed a small sump to sit in the engine bay and act as a return system.

Ethanol does attack parts in older carburetor that weren't designed for it. When E10 first hit the pumps; anyone with a carburetor had failure of gaskets and rubber parts. Ethanol ate away at the bowls in old Holley carbs. This gave E10 a bad name from that point on. Mostly it's hearsay nowadays other than the lower boiling point in carbs.

Boats have issues with E10 as they sit in storage throughout the winter. E10 does and will separate. Boat owners are slowly and painfully learning that they must add a fuel stabilizer when the boat is in storage. The marinas are making a killing on cleaning fuel systems every season.

Small engines...Those little primer bulbs on the carburetors are turned to hard and brittle plastic with the use of E10. The carbs on these engines still have issues if the gas sits. Smaller fuel tanks? Fuel seperates quicker? For some reason; the small engine industry is taking forever to improve and adapt these parts to E10.

I have no issues with E10 in modern EFI vehicles.

 

Ethanol blended fuel will start to separate when it reaches 4% water absorption. Ethanol blended in gas will absorb water vapor right out of the air. Most cars that are built from the 70's on have a sealed fuel system. They will let air in but not let vapor out. The problem is when the air is humid and it cools off it will draw in moisture as it pulls in air and when the vehicle is running. If you put additive in made for storing vehicles with ethanol blended fuel you should have absolutely no issues what so ever. In a boat with fiberglass fuel tanks you should never use ethanol blended fuel. Ethanol dissolves the resin that binds the fiberglass mat together. In a small engine that has a vented fuel cap you should not let blended fuel sit in it for more than a few weeks at most.

 

Ok, I'll share my experience. I have a close friend that was a small engine mechanic for several years. He loved E10, job security for him. He always had a steady stream of work due to gummed up carbs and fuel systems on mowers and snowblowers that he believed was due to ethanol.

The nearest station that sells pure gas (no ethanol) is a 30 minute drive from my home. I do make that drive to fill up my fuel cans for all my small engines when they are getting low. It is cheap insurance since small engines are more finicky and are a real headache when they won't start. However, I have been running E10 in my '89 5.0L since I bought it in '00 without issue.

To those who say that ethanol it 100% harmless, I will quote page 55 of the maintenance guide from my 2011 Toyota Tundra which is Flex Fuel compatiable:

"When using E85 fuel, your engine oil may need to be replaced more often. If using E85 fuel more than 50% of the time, change the oil every 2,500 miles or 3 months. If using E85 fuel less than 50% of the time, follow the normal oil change schedule (5,000 miles or 6 months)."

Needless to say, I wouldn't run E85 in my Tundra unless it was an absolute emergency.

 

E10 makes my cars run like #### when I burn off the winter tank of fuel. Usually I fill up Nov, put the cars on stands, then drive it again in March. My Cobra doesn't get as annoyed as my fox does. It hates E10 after sitting for a few months.