E10 fuel

[vimal]

Not sure if this is a question for the technical or general section - but what is the view on the suitability of E10 fuel for our engines? What are the options if E5 is no longer available or easily obtainable? (I expect this has been discussed but can’t find that discussion on the forum search)

Vimal

[hot66]

As I see it ....
Not sure on running and what if any performance difference.. but need to watch fuel lines and rubber parts in contact with the fuel even more so.

Don’t think it likes to sit in the tank for as long either

Solution of course will be to use the high octane fuels that tend to be low ethanol

[Bruce M]

Was discussing this week due to:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51731757? ... _138436851

[Hugo 356]

The suggestion is that Super unleaded will continue to use 5% ethanol. I would switch from regular to Super if that is the case due to the reasons mentioned above

[Lightweight_911]

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I use Esso Synergy Supreme+ (Unleaded 97) - which is ethanol free - in each of my 'Classics' ...

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[Hugo 356]

I looked into this a while ago and could find no evidence on-line that high octane was ethanol free. Just had a quick look at Shell V Power & Esso Synergy web sites and I don't see ethanol-free listed as an advantage. The extract from Autocar below suggests high octane is currently formulated to E5:

'the government plans to require that higher-octane ‘Super’ fuel will continue to be made to E5 standards while E10 becomes the default for ‘Premium’ grade 95 octane fuel.'

When I asked Eric Studer about high octane many years ago he told me 356s used to run happily on 2 star and to save my money...

Full article here:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/indu ... witch-2021

[Lightweight_911]

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I mistakenly put 'Shell' instead of 'Esso' in my post above - which I've now corrected.

The reason for choosing Esso Synergy is not for the octane rating (although in the case of my Giulietta Sprint it is - due to the 11.5:1 compression ratio) but the fact that it is ethanol-free (& hence less of a problem for the fuel hoses, etc).


This is from the Esso web site:

"The majority of unleaded 95 Octane petrol sold in the UK contains up to 5% ethanol as required under the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO).

There is currently no requirement for renewable fuel (such as ethanol) to be present in super unleaded (97 grade petrol).

Esso super unleaded petrol (Synergy Supreme+ Unleaded 97) is ethanol free (except in Devon, Cornwall, the Teesside area and Scotland). We would therefore advise anyone who has concerns about the presence of ethanol in petrol to use Synergy Supreme+ – providing they do not fill up in Devon or Cornwall, the Teesside area or Scotland."

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[Hugo 356]

Cheers Andy, found it hidden in the Fuels FAQs section, you'd think they'd make more marketing noise about it being ethanol free, anyway you just converted me to Esso Synergy+!

[Barry]

You can apparently DIY test for ethanol if you fancy, or indeed you can wash your fuel. Don't try it indoors though!

Take a jam jar, mark it about 10mm up from the bottom. Add water up to the mark, fill rest with the dinosaur juice in the flavour you prefer. Shake well, shake some more. Shake, shake ... shake your booty (if you have some). Pop it on a shelf safely away from the sun, heat, small kids, large kids and your pet emu.

Come back next day and if there was ethanol in the fuel it should have now joined the water and the 'water' level should now be a little higher: I suppose by about 5% currently.

In theory the remaining fuel is now washed of ethanol. What the 'water' is now, I don't know.

This is both according to the interweb, but more encouragingly, my precision engineer chum who regularly does it by all accounts.

[Barry]

... you'd think they'd make more marketing noise about it being ethanol free

Double edged sword now: 'Behold, our fuel is demonstrably worse for the environment than our competitors'. This isn't the seventies you know

I imagine they view the current situation, where enthusiasts who care for such things can search out the info but the rest can continue in their zen-like state unconcerned with such matters.

[Chris_911]

Just spotted this - not read it but may well do.

Classic Engines Modern Fuel by Paul Ireland

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Classic-Engine ... 254&sr=8-1