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Lawn (and similar) power equipment is spotty.. I bought a new lawn tractor in late 2012, and the engine on it specifically said it would work with up to 10% ethanol.
The same mower, but with a smaller engine, was purchased by my uncle.. And it said use ONLY ethanol free gas.
E-15 is another conversation entirely. And E-85 is likely going to blow up most any small engine.
oh.. For the person in MD.. And anyone else for that matter..
I've posted this before, but my older cars with carbs get around the same on gas or 10% ethanol. And surprisingly, I've not had to rebuild any of my carbs in over 10 years. Have had to replace rubber fuel lines and fuel filters more often though.
Before all stations in my area switched to 10% ethanol, I did a comparison. I use to get 36 mpg with 100% gas. With ethanol, it dropped to 32 mpg. That's a 12.5% drop. I did the test a few times buying gas at a station that had a big 'no ethanol' sign. That lasted until they were pressured to buy ethanol. The 'no ethanol' pump is now off to the side with the diesel fuel and .30 more per gal. So now I'm back to 32 mpg.
Before all stations in my area switched to 10% ethanol, I did a comparison. I use to get 36 mpg with 100% gas. With ethanol, it dropped to 32 mpg. That's a 12.5% drop. I did the test a few times buying gas at a station that had a big 'no ethanol' sign. That lasted until they were pressured to buy ethanol. The 'no ethanol' pump is now off to the side with the diesel fuel and .30 more per gal. So now I'm back to 32 mpg.
But because it was produced in the usa it saved 15% on cost, otherwise we'd be $8 a gallon like Europe, so you really saved money, but can't understand simple math.
^Nonsense. The only reason that ethanol is cheaper than petroleum is massive federal subsidies. You're just paying for it in your federal tax bill or in the federal debt, rather than at the pump.
[quote=jazzlover;33788847]^Nonsense. The only reason that ethanol is cheaper than petroleum is massive federal subsidies. You're just paying for it in your federal tax bill or in the federal debt, rather than at the pump.[/QUOT.
So, your assumption is paying a foreign source for an inferior product is superior?
^I think it is foolish for the US to "burn up" the last six inches of its topsoil to make subsidized ethanol. Nobody thinks about the petroleum inputs to make it. They are HUGE. Diesel fuel to plant, cultivate, harvest, and transport the crop (and since we are using ULSD in the US, much of that has to be imported), huge amounts of natural gas used to make fertilizer to fertilize the crop, tons of natural gas used to fuel the plants making the ethanol--the list goes on. Ethanol from corn and row crops is essentially an "energy-negative"--it's takes more energy to make it than it produces when one considers all the energy inputs that have to go into it.
What this country should be on is a crusade to promote better fuel efficiency and conservation--the cheapest fuel "source" is to not waste it. The most immediately available technology to do that for vehicles are diesels and hybrids. We should also be enhancing the decades-old technology of producing medium distillates (diesel fuel, etc.) from coal. At current diesel fuel prices, that is approaching being an economically feasible technology--without subsidies. Unfortunately, no one wants to step up and really promote it with the current extremely "anti-coal" stance of the current Administration.
The biggest thing that Americans have to accept is that the era of cheap fuel and "unlimited" supplies are over--FOR GOOD. Those days were fun while they lasted, but they're NEVER coming back.
Since owning my Mercedes-Benz ML320 I have averaged around 17-21mpg, that is highway driving, local trips and commuting. While driving through Canada on our move from Alaska I filled up with regular gas (no ethanol) and was getting a regular 27mpg. This was driving through the Northern Rockies so plenty of hills and definitely not flat freeway driving. Since being back in the states even filling it with Super/Premium its back to getting 17-21mpg.
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