Date:         Sun, 1 Sep 2013 10:25:24 -0400
Reply-To:     KIM BRENNAN <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         KIM BRENNAN <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: Bad fuel economy (solution)
In-Reply-To:  <522342F2.3090207@charter.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Show the scientiffic studies, please. 

Many years ago (think 1960s), pure alcohol based rules (such as used in Brazil) had a tendency to damage the "rubber" that was typically used in fuel lines and o-rings. The industry has dealt with that. Most cars built after the 80s should have fuel lines and systems that can certainly deal with 10% alcohol. And as to our Vanagons, you have replaced your fuel lines right? If not you're in a powerkeg anyway. 

Water damages a lot of things. Gas dry additives are used to help get the water out of our gas tanks. And gas dry, is simply alcohol. 

My point in my original post was to point out that fuel with alcohol in it can have a more devasting effect on fuel economy that one might think (as well as to point out how pervasive it is). This is probably more an issue with the engine management system, and will vary depending on your engine. In my case I have a Subaru SVX engine, with aftermarket ECU ROMs. I should try reverting to the factory ROMs to see if they perform better with alcohol based fuels. 




On Sep 1, 2013, at 9:36 AM, Mike B <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET> wrote:

> ...
> about the long term effects of using this fuel in older vehicles.  It
> has been well known and thoroughly documented for years.  Long-term fuel
> storage (phase separation) water absorption, damaged steel fuel tanks,
> steel fuel lines, rubber fuel hoses, fuel pumps (both electric and
> mechanical), fuel injector erosion and ultimately entire engines
> destroyed due to overheating from running a fuel that they were never
> engineered to run.  ...