Ethanol content increase

[hauser]

Clark Howard was talking about a possible increase of ethanol content of 15% in gasoline.  Anyone else have any info on this?

[MichaelB.]

I was watching that & thinking "we have had a 10% content for over 10 years already."

He was pretty gloomy on it and was insistent that "you will have to hunt out a station that has zero ethenol" & "a station who is not going along with the new government rule!" Right after he said "...anythiing old - cars, lawn mowers do not run well on this stuff!.."

I have yet to find that to be true...

Nevertheless: It will not be the death of driving as we know it.

[hauser]

It was indeed a gloomy picture My Howard had painted.  In a flash I saw my Pagoda days flashing before my eyes. 

[Peter van Es]

Please read this message and especially the attachment.

[hkollan]

From what I understand the ethanol in fuel will attack certain types of rubber, as found in fuel hoses, seals etc.
Cars built after around 1980 when ethanol was first introduced would probably have compatible fuel system components.
Based on that I suspected that there might be some percentage ethanol in regular fuel as well(but I've not been able to confirm that),
since newly installed rubber lines seem to be going bad after just a few years in use.

At least that's my experience with the original braided fuel hoses from Mercedes.
So a while ago I decided to sacrifice originality and have those hoses made with non braided modern rubber.

[Travis71280]

I dont think the increase in ethanol will not be as bad as you think. The only problems I see is the alcohol loosening the sediment in old fuel tanks possibly clogging up fuel filters and the fact you might have to replace any rubber components in contact with it like hkollan talks about.

[Ulf]

It's true that the ethanol content has an effect on certain hoses and maybe also gaskets, but this - I'm told - should be very little. Besides this, most Pagodas have had their hoses, gaskets etc replaced at some point in their life anyway...