Ethanol reform rule

[E. Davis]

The EPA intends to take final action November 30, 2015 (two weeks away) to force a 15% ethanol in gasoline rule. As we all know this will drastically effect owners of older cars, motorcycles and ATV's. It is improbable that we can voice enough opposition to stop this out of control agency from mandating this rule but at least the SDC president should go on the record of opposing it on behalf of the membership and maybe others would follow.

[Commander Eddie]

Does anyone know if we will need to do anything different regarding fueling our older vehicles? Is there any additives available that might counter any negative effects of using 15% ethanol gasoline?

[alanmende]

Supposedly, using E15 in modern vehicles will void their warranties. I'm sure the automakers will be up in arms, too.

[Hallabutt]

The easy answer is to look for a station that serves up non-ethanol fuel! Try to never fill your tank with EF unless you have more then half of a tank of the good stuff, and try not to store your car for long periods of time with EF in it.

Real zealots have been known to add water to EF with petcock on the bottom of their holding tank. This allows the water/ethanol mix, which is heaver then gasoline, to be drawn off once the solution has a chance to settle out. It's a simple process but one I doubt many of us would want to tackle this on a regular basis.

[studegary]

The easy answer is to look for a station that serves up non-ethanol fuel! Try to never fill your tank with EF unless you have more then half of a tank of the good stuff, and try not to store your car for long periods of time with EF in it.

This sounds "easy", but not so in many parts of the country, such as where I reside, that do not allow non-ethanol fuel to be dispensed to automobiles.

[Commander Eddie]

Dispensing non-ethanol fuel to autos and trucks is allowed here in Oregon, but the number of places where it can be purchased are very limited. The nearest fueling station with ethanol free fuel to where I live is 15 miles away. I drive my truck daily and going 30 miles round trip in the opposite direction from my work is not terribly feasible.

[Dick Steinkamp]

I'm reading the opposite...

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/1...mandate-099928

Can you link to a recent news story where the EPA may force a 15% ethanol in gasoline rule this month?

BTW, the few stations the do offer e15 are forbidden to dispense it to vehicles older than 2001. This is unlikely to change in any case...

http://www3.epa.gov/otaq/regs/fuels/...15/e15-faq.htm

[karterfred88]

As far as I can determine, there will be no "mandate" to use 15% ethanol mixed gas, it may be "allowed" to "on paper" meet use of total amount of "renewable fuels" required by our friends in congress. And yes, using it will void your warranty in all but E85 equipped vehicles. No, there is no additive to render it non-destructive.

[345 DeSoto]

In Upstate NY, non ethanol gasoline is sold as 93 Octane premium at certain stations. The problems associated with E-10 gasoline absorbing large amounts of water when used in boats, and rendering the fuel unuseable in a very short time, have been eliminated. Marina supplied non ethanol gasoline is sold at exhorbitant prices. Now I can take my portable outboard motor fuel tank to the gas station, and only pay a few cents more per gallon for ethanol free gas...not to mention bumping up the timing a few degrees on my carbureted cars and taking advantage of the higher octane...

[E. Davis]

Dick, this item was published in the kickstarts section of the December issue of Rider Magazine. They have been following the ethanol issue closely because of the inherent damage ethanol causes to motorcycle engines and fuel components. They are a reputable source of information on this issue. Remember, there is no more sneaky agency than the EPA when it comes to getting older vehicles off the road.

[Dick Steinkamp]

I don't doubt that you read it in that magazine, but I can't find anything on line to support the claim that the EPA is about ready to force a 15% ethanol in gasoline rule.

Anyone? Link?

[E. Davis]

Its called "the renewable fuel standard proposal" announced on may 29th 2015 by the EPA. Keeping in line with their past practices they will probably make it public after they pass it. As I understand it the rule will not apply to all unleaded gasoline but would provide for the inadvertent misfueling by forcing widespread availability of higher ethanol fuel blends such as E-15. In other words you will have to be very careful of what you put in your tank. The best solution would be to not provide it but that will never happen.

[Dick Steinkamp]

I can't find much on "the renewable fuel standard proposal". Here's one blurb...

http://watchdog.org/221570/epa-renewable-fuels/

The proposal is for a slight increase over 2014 and 2015, but less of an increase than the levels Congress originally mandated. But that was a June proposal of this year. The latest is for a DECREASE in ethanol to 2012 levels as I posted above. I could find nothing about a forced 15% ethanol in gasoline rule.

With a very limited demand for e15, I don't see more e15 pumps popping up. If that happens, you are correct. We will have to be careful about what we put in our tanks...just as us diesel owners have to be careful not to put gasoline in the tank and visa versa.

[billslark]

Here is the web site that all classic car owners needs to know about, Pure-Gas.org. It shows gas outlets in the USA broken down State by State, and Town by Town, that carry NonEthanol fuel.


Bill

[JDP]

The EPA intends to take final action November 30, 2015 (two weeks away) to force a 15% ethanol in gasoline rule. As we all know this will drastically effect owners of older cars, motorcycles and ATV's. It is improbable that we can voice enough opposition to stop this out of control agency from mandating this rule but at least the SDC president should go on the record of opposing it on behalf of the membership and maybe others would follow.

The "out of control agency" is just administrating the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that mandated ethanol much to the satisfaction of the corn farmers. Congress could and should reduce the mandate in my opinion.