Ethanol ( Archived) (37)

She's happy with scotch

Bit of a lush then.

So you are looking for something, and not just here for the forums!

If I ever revisit Ireland again
I'll buy you a drink
...or two
...or three

They (usually) have great singsongs in Irish pubs, but if you suddenly can't hear the violin playing anymore, that's usually the time to stop drinking!

We are known for our singsongs alright.
Funny that it's usually when the guards burst in and take all of our names for drinking in a lock in is where I know I've drank too much

Looks like you had more of a wild time, than I ever did!

Never have got guard busted ......but they usually don't look under the tables!

Back on topic...
Fuel filter blockage!

During the life of a vehicle deposits such as gums (fuel degradation products), rust and scale will tend to build up in the fuel system.
Often the gums act as binders for the inorganic deposits.
If the vehicle is switched from E0 to E5 or E10, the increased solvent properties of the ethanol blend will loosen the binding gums and destabilise the fuel system deposits which will be transported to the fuel filter causing accelerated blockage.

Sometimes this can result in loss of power and eventually complete vehicle failure.

In some cases where the E10 fuel is not compatible with material present in the fuel system, the material can be attacked and the resulting debris can result in filter blockage or worse.

It has been suggested that filter blockages can be simply dealt with, by just changing the blocked filter.
The possible scenario is very much more serious than that.

For instance, a sudden loss of power on a motorway is possible, followed by an unpowered cruise across lanes of traffic and a fuel filter change on the hard shoulder (if any exist!) represents a very serious risk to the safety of the vehicle occupants and other road users in the immediate vicinity.

A recent study evaluated the effects of E5 followed by E10 blends on a selection of vehicles, some of which are common to the UK market
Both the blends tended to increase deposit on fuel filters.
One vehicle, out of 15, failed to start due to a blocked filter!

If filter blockage is going to be a significant issue it would be expected that reports would be noted.
Anyone had a non-start situation, or a sudden blockage?

In addition:
The vast majority of modern vehicles use electronic fuel injection with some form of compensating ‘closed loop’ or feedback control in some areas of engine operation.
The feedback is via an oxygen sensor in the exhaust that directly measures oxygen content in the exhaust gases.
The engine management system employs this signal to calculate the mean air/fuel ratio of the mixture entering the engine cylinders.
If the actual air/fuel ratio differs from the desired air /fuel ratio then the fuel delivery is adjusted to bring it back to within the desired range. Usually this leaning effect is compensated for by increasing the flow of the fuel.

Ethanol contains approximately 35 % oxygen by weight and so will lean the air/fuel mixture.
A lean mixture results in hotter combustion, a greater tendency to cause engine spark knock and hotter exhaust gas temperatures, so a higher combustion temperature increases NOx formations.

It would appear then, the so called REDUCTION of emissions won't happen in practice, because the onboard engine management systems adjust the engine accordingly (wrongly) due to the Ethanol addition.

So, unless the software for the EMS is updated... the vehicle will now pollute even more!
Anyone had an update recently?
It is unlikely also that carburettored vehicles and those fitted with mechanical or early electronic fuel injection will be able to make sufficient adjustment to the mixture strength while running on E10.

Most garden power equipment still operates using carbs.

Can't easily start your mower or strimmer?
Even if you can, the amount of gunky exhaust coming out is likely to be FAR worse now with added Ethanol.