Are all gas sources Ethanol free in Summer

Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
I read a WSJ article today saying the president intends to overturn EPA rules to allow ethanol to be added to fuel during Summer months. The petroleum companies vowed to fight this. I did not know that ethanol was illegal in fuel during Summer months. I purchase fuel that is specifically marketed as ethanol free for my outboards.

“Under the decision to be made public Friday, the Environmental Protection Agency will allow gasoline with a 15% mix of ethanol to be sold year-round, instead of just eight months a year, effective as soon as it is published in the Federal Register, which officials expect to happen within days.”

This suggests that any grade of gasoline from any station is ethanol free during Summer months. Am I missing something, or does that seem to be the case? Do I not need to buy fuel specifically marketed as ethanol free during Summer months? Of course, if the change goes through, then I WILL need to seek ethanol free fuel.

What do you think?
 
Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
I think the article might be a little confusing. The change is to allow up to 15% ethanol in gasoline (E15) up from the normal 10. There is usually up to 10 % ethanol unless stated different.
 
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Oct 3, 2014
261
Marlow-Hunter MH37 Lake City, MN
10% ethanol is the standard year round in Minnesota. 15% has been available for a couple of years years. It's usually cheaper than E10 but considering the lower energy content of ethanol it's false economy to buy it. I'd prefer E00
 
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Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
Ah... thank you! That makes sense. You are right, the article does not do a good job of indicating the 5% difference over the 10% norm.

Thanks!
 

DougM

.
Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
I am reasonably sure that “up to” E10 has been standard fare year around. I recall there has been a bruhaha over E15 because it is thought to be more damaging to engines, and reduces fuel economy.
 
Mar 29, 2015
69
MacGregor 25 trailer sailer
Here in Georgia the pumps say may contain up to 10% ethanol. During the Obama administration the amounts we measured went from 8-12% to as high as 23 percent at many of the local pumps. It is easily checked using a 2010 or newer car or any flex fuel cars and a Snap-on data scanner. I prefer the stations with the lowest amounts in my stuff. All marinas have ethanol free rec 90. In Georgia ANY fuel with ethanol is banned in watercraft, but the weekend warriors are fueling at gas stations "saving money". I make the money they "save" when their carburetors get fouled from the ethanol.
 
Mar 26, 2011
3,400
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
It is really easy to learn to live with ethanol. I hate the politics and it NEVER should have happened (corn lobby), but here we are.

  • Keep the vent closed (portable tanks) when not running.
  • Add a silica gel vent filter (installed tanks). These require regeneration every 5 years, which is quite simple.
  • Use a good additive. The problem is not gum formation, it is corrosion due to ethanol increasing conductivity. Biobor EB, Seafoam, and Merc Quick Stor are three of the best. There are some that actually make it worse, by dissolving more water.
Piece of cake. I figured this out over a decade ago (I'm in the fuels industry) and have not had a carb issue since.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
The petroleum industry doesn't want E15 because for every gallon of ethanol that is added to the fuel, there is one less gallon of petroleum. Going from 10% to 15% increases the demand for ethanol by 33% and reduces the demand for gasoline by 5%.
 
Dec 23, 2016
191
Catalina 27 Clinton CT
The other problem is that car makers are saying that going to E-15 will blow every catalytic converter that is out there.
 
Mar 26, 2011
3,400
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
The petroleum industry doesn't want E15 because for every gallon of ethanol that is added to the fuel, there is one less gallon of petroleum. Going from 10% to 15% increases the demand for ethanol by 33% and reduces the demand for gasoline by 5%.
Really? Even Al Gore has stated that ethanol is bad public policy and that he made a mistake.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-not-a-good-policy-gore-idUSTRE6AL3CN20101122

It is not, in fact, good for the environment and has raised global food prices, which although US citizens can mostly afford, people in developing countries cannot. Pure and simple corn lobby. Lacking any social benefit, it is indefensible that we are subsidizing it. If I were convinced it were good for the environment or good for society, I'm generally liberal and I would love it, but it is an agribusiness boondoggle that just costs.

But that is not to say we can't learn to live with this mistake.
 
Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
Really? Even Al Gore has stated that ethanol is bad public policy and that he made a mistake.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-not-a-good-policy-gore-idUSTRE6AL3CN20101122

It is not, in fact, good for the environment and has raised global food prices, which although US citizens can mostly afford, people in developing countries cannot. Pure and simple corn lobby. Lacking any social benefit, it is indefensible that we are subsidizing it. If I were convinced it were good for the environment or good for society, I'm generally liberal and I would love it, but it is an agribusiness boondoggle that just costs.

But that is not to say we can't learn to live with this mistake.
It's good to drink...
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Really? Even Al Gore has stated that ethanol is bad public policy and that he made a mistake.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-not-a-good-policy-gore-idUSTRE6AL3CN20101122

It is not, in fact, good for the environment and has raised global food prices, which although US citizens can mostly afford, people in developing countries cannot. Pure and simple corn lobby. Lacking any social benefit, it is indefensible that we are subsidizing it. If I were convinced it were good for the environment or good for society, I'm generally liberal and I would love it, but it is an agribusiness boondoggle that just costs.

But that is not to say we can't learn to live with this mistake.
I wasn't defending E10, just commenting on why the petroleum industry would not be supporting the move to E15 and why the corn lobby would be supporting it.

Now that the Chinese soy bean market is basically dead, farmers will be looking for other crops. Go with E15 and there is a greater demand for corn.
 
Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
You can check for ethanol in your gas by taking a sample of the gas, adding 10% water to it (carefully measured), then shaking up the mix. If it settles back out in the original proportions, then you have ethanol free. If the lower phase grows larger, gets thicker & gets a little cloudy, then the extra goo in the lower phase indicated how much ethanol you just sucked out of the gas.

That goo in the lower phase is the stuff that sits on the bottom of a tank when ethanol sucks moisture out of the air. The goo does not burn like fuel does, but it does clog up carbs/injectors, fuel pumps, etc. Sucking the ethanol out of the gas like that, results in an incorrect octane & poorly balanced characteristics in the remaining fuel.

Also, +1 on ethanol making rust grow quickly. I was amazed at the difference it made the first time I tried to run alcohol fuel in a drag bike. It just made every speck of rust in the entire fuel system blossom like it was spring time.
 
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Mar 26, 2011
3,400
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
Sep 25, 2018
258
Catalina Capri 22 Capri EXPO 14.2 1282 Stony Point
Can't get ethanol free in the NY area. Easy to get in Florida. Agricultural socialism!
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Can't get ethanol free in the NY area. Easy to get in Florida. Agricultural socialism!
You can in Upstate NY. Look for 90 Octane Recreational Fuel. Around here (Syracuse) Sunoco sells it and several other gas stations. If you can't find it near by ask at a small engine repair shop or a business where small engines are sold, snowblowers, lawn mowers, etc. In the worst case, go to a marina, it is quite likely that it is sold there.
 
Oct 22, 2014
352
Pearson P303 #221 RockPort Maine
In answering your question! NO! Do your homework first. Then pay for it Big Bucks.