Ethanol Free Gas? (Bristol, Roan Mountain, Watauga: purchase, shop, safe)

[TN Tin Man]

I feel we should have as a consumer a choice to use or not use Ethanol.. From what I hear that older cars. Older than five years old could have major problems some where down the road, Especially valves and valve seats and cylinder heads and pistons..... Their loads of controversy on Ethanol. Along with this BioFuel. I drive professionally and our equipment is diesel Biofuel 20% mix of soybean oil in the diesel.Don't know if it's used in Tennessee because of a colder climate but that's having problems also with the injectors...

[BuzzCam]

Originally Posted by Tinman313

I feel we should have as a consumer a choice to use or not use Ethanol.. From what I hear that older cars. Older than five years old could have major problems some where down the road, Especially valves and valve seats and cylinder heads and pistons..... Their loads of controversy on Ethanol. Along with this BioFuel. I drive professionally and our equipment is diesel Biofuel 20% mix of soybean oil in the diesel.Don't know if it's used in Tennessee because of a colder climate but that's having problems also with the injectors...

Maybe the oil companies are in "co-hoots" with the car companies to get people like me to dump our 15 year old cars and buy a new one. I would if I could afford one, but I love that old car. I bought it at Mt. Empire Saturn in Johnson City in 1993, which is owned by Wild Bill Gatton. He, also, owns all of our Saturn dealerships in the Nashville area.

My Saturn is running fine on the Ethanol mixture, I just don't like the gas mileage, and the fact the speedometer is messed up (not related to the ethanol gas). It indicated I was traveling at 75mph the other day, while I was completely stopped at red light. I took it to the Saturn dealership, who said they can't fix it because GM doesn't make the part anymore. Now, I am gauging my speed by watching the tachometer. The speedometer settles down after a few miles and is fine.

Hope everyone on this board had a very Merry Christmas!!!!
Buzz

[TN Tin Man]

I figure I loose about 60-70 miles on a tank in my late year 99 Corolla. I was getting ( pushing ) 420-435miles on a 13.4 gallon tank. Now it's 350-360 mile range. Running 70mph.. year before last to TN up I-75 I was getting 36.2-36.6 mpg. Now it's 28.9 ~29.6 depending on temperature. I just feel as a consumer and paying both the Federal Fuel Tax & The State Fuel Tax ME ~Myself ~& I should have the right to say "Yes" I want to spent 2-5-7 cents extra per gallon to cut down the miles per gallon and to mess up my ole car. That should be my right, and we as consumers have lost that right !!! Remember when gasoline had a deep red color... and the smell was just devine.... now it's clear or all most clear.....

[TN Tin Man]

The other down side of Ethanol is moisture..... So from what I have been told and read that you should use "HEET" a anti-moisture additive every 3-4 tanks to dissipate the moisture from the tank.......

http://www.fuel-testers.com/product_gas_alcohol.html click on link... label "TEST GAS" tool bar left side.....

[mbmouse]

It is not just older cars, my 03 PT Cruiser says right in the hand book " Do Not Use Ethanol Gas!". Well, it isn't like a I have a choice any more unless I drive 20 or so miles out of my way to get the gas without it. Forget it if I am traveling, when the tank goes towards "E" you have to get the gas when it is available, ethanol or not.

[TN Tin Man]

As a consumer on products we are losing the battle just not on fuel but just about everything.......we consume.......

[BuzzCam]

Originally Posted by Tinman313

The other down side of Ethanol is moisture..... So from what I have been told and read that you should use "HEET" a anti-moisture additive every 3-4 tanks to dissipate the moisture from the tank.......

Order page - Ethanol Alcohol Fuel Test Kit. click on link... label "TEST GAS" tool bar left side.....

Thanks for the advice. That's all I need is to have water accumulating in my gas tank. Then, the first very cold morning, my gas lines are frozen. I am going to buy some this weekend, while our temperature is in the 70's here in Nashville.

Oh, my speedometer woes continue. It showed I was doing 120, while backing out of my driveway this morning.

Thanks again,
Buzz

[Tennesseestorm]

Ah-ha! I traveled the extra 4.3 miles from Wal-Mart in Bristol Tennessee and went on to Food Country on Hwy. 394. I got out and was pleased to see just what was mentioned here- it said 100% gas, NO alcohol added! My car already had a 1/2 tank, so it only held about 12 gallons. It came to exactly $20.00 - it was $1.72 per gallon for premium. Wal-Mart was a cheaper $1.66 with the shopping card (my car takes premium only). I could have got it at a local Food City at the Fantastic Friday price for $1.60, but this is the gas I was using when my fuel economy dropped.

I will try the Food Country gas for awhile and see if the 21 mpg I was getting returns. I guess since my car had a 1/2 of the crap, it may take another fill-up or two to dilute that down. It was sad to see how "slow" business was at that Food Country. I bet there were not even 10-15 cars in the parking lot at 7pm when I was there. I have heard they are not doing well at all. Someone said their prices are much higher than Food City and Wal-Mart.

I would shop there more, but its about 5 miles out of my way to go there vs. Wal-Mart or Food City.

Oh, btw - my dads brother drives a tanker truck. He said that on Commonwealth Avenue there is a station there that sells ethanol free gas. Just as you cross the state line onto Commonwealth, the second station on the right (with the electronic gas price sign) has ethanol free gas. If you at the Bristol Library and come out to Commonwealth on that road, its the station there on the corner. I am not certain they have the 100% gas, but its just what he said. Personally, I never stop there, because inside, it seems a little trashy and its not always that easy getting in and out of the lot there.

[marmac]

Maybe you folks in TN are just getting a bad batch of ethanol.

Here in MN ethanol has been mandated for quite some time and is used on old cars new cars etc.

Regarding adding additives--------my 2nd car ( 97 Mercury Tracer--202,000 miles) sat for a week covered in snow . On a morning when the temp was -11 ,I started it ( it was NOT plugged in to any starting aid heater) let it warm up, and drove 50 miles on the freeway at 70 mph.
It ran perfect !

I took a trip ( 2007 Toyota Camry) a year ago down to Alabama and filled at some stations that had---100% gas--- written on their pumps.

I kept exact records and noticed NO difference on mileage.


Here in MN -----------cars start and run great on an ethanol mix and we add NO additives.

[marmac]

Some of the same fears people had regarding older cars were expressed when unleaded gas hit the market.

Do stations in TN still sell leaded gas ?