Should i try ethonal free gas?

[98chevy2500SS]

Yeah I'd rather do that as well. You will have to let us know on the news about the truck.

 

[Ken K]

I do not like burning food in my vehicle, but there are several things to discuss. E10 is not 10% ethanol as it is de-natured at the plant by adding gas. Otherwise it is subject to tax by the ATF. The mix is done at the distributor, so depending if their abacus is a few beads short, who knows what you get. Also, ethanol brings additional oxygen into the mix so O2 sensor and ECM/PCM fuel trim can adjust very easily without going the block learn chart. It does reduce emissions at the tail pipe without burning more than normal. E85 is a wash...save 30 cents at the pump, but burn 30% more in the engine. This is true, until you get to 100%. The change in temperature different, causes moisture to form inside gas & diesel tanks (+ boats & tractors). One gallon of ethanol will absorb 7 tablespoons of water and pass it thru injectors & carbs due to the loss in waters surface tension. Ethanol sold at E10 is about 8% alcohol and provides, by the nature of this fuel, light aromatics chains of molecules between 7-9 long. Gas (A mixture of various chains of hydrocarbons +additives) has molecules between 9-12 long. Longer chain 18-22, are broken using the fracturing process under pressure & heat in a sealed vessel, once the longer chains of hydrocarbons are isolated. This is why refineries can produce up to 87% gasoline from sweet crude. With all of this being brought to light, materials used in fuel pumps, carbs, lines and hoses handle E10 very well. On non-mixture ratio feed-back fuel delivery systems, found on motor cycles before 2005, diaphragm carbs on string trimmers, chainsaws, etc. needs "Fuel Stabil" ran, then emptied back into the can before storage. Plus, E10 raises the anti-knock index or octane. (Research + Engine divided by 2 = Octane. This alone allows for higher timing advance schedules and knock sensors don't kick back as bad. I never would give it a second though in my truck. The part I do NOT like, is government subsidies. To block cheep ethanol from Brazil, easily made from sugar cane, has a 51 cent import tax, while the U.S. ethanol producer get 49 cents of our hard earned tax dollars for each gallon produced. Also, seed companies have modified corn species (Not for Food) to create more starch that breaks down easier in the distillation process, producing more ***** per bushel. I prefer the free market. Let it stand on it's own... if it fails, so be it. And it's still a hot topic decades since the EYTHAL Globe disappeared from pumps across the fruited plains.
Retired ASE Master / Ex-ACDelco instructor.

 

[Jiggie]

I do not like burning food in my vehicle, but there are several things to discuss. E10 is not 10% ethanol as it is de-natured at the plant by adding gas. Otherwise it is subject to tax by the ATF. The mix is done at the distributor, so depending if their abacus is a few beads short, who knows what you get. Also, ethanol brings additional oxygen into the mix so O2 sensor and ECM/PCM fuel trim can adjust very easily without going the block learn chart. It does reduce emissions at the tail pipe without burning more than normal. E85 is a wash...save 30 cents at the pump, but burn 30% more in the engine. This is true, until you get to 100%. The change in temperature different, causes moisture to form inside gas & diesel tanks (+ boats & tractors). One gallon of ethanol will absorb 7 tablespoons of water and pass it thru injectors & carbs due to the loss in waters surface tension. Ethanol sold at E10 is about 8% alcohol and provides, by the nature of this fuel, light aromatics chains of molecules between 7-9 long. Gas (A mixture of various chains of hydrocarbons +additives) has molecules between 9-12 long. Longer chain 18-22, are broken using the fracturing process under pressure & heat in a sealed vessel, once the longer chains of hydrocarbons are isolated. This is why refineries can produce up to 87% gasoline from sweet crude. With all of this being brought to light, materials used in fuel pumps, carbs, lines and hoses handle E10 very well. On non-mixture ratio feed-back fuel delivery systems, found on motor cycles before 2005, diaphragm carbs on string trimmers, chainsaws, etc. needs "Fuel Stabil" ran, then emptied back into the can before storage. Plus, E10 raises the anti-knock index or octane. (Research + Engine divided by 2 = Octane. This alone allows for higher timing advance schedules and knock sensors don't kick back as bad. I never would give it a second though in my truck. The part I do NOT like, is government subsidies. To block cheep ethanol from Brazil, easily made from sugar cane, has a 51 cent import tax, while the U.S. ethanol producer get 49 cents of our hard earned tax dollars for each gallon produced. Also, seed companies have modified corn species (Not for Food) to create more starch that breaks down easier in the distillation process, producing more ***** per bushel. I prefer the free market. Let it stand on it's own... if it fails, so be it. And it's still a hot topic decades since the EYTHAL Globe disappeared from pumps across the fruited plains.
Retired ASE Master / Ex-ACDelco instructor.

Wow that was a long but informative read. I will have to reread and google some things but if im understanding it right your saying that due to the refining methods and other factors the gas we buy if its e blend isnt that bad but that the non e blend would be better.

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[Jiggie]

Yeah I'd rather do that as well. You will have to let us know on the news about the truck.

Fuel pump was bad. But also found the mass air flow sensor to be bad which the mechanic is 98% sure has been the power issue the entire time. But why it wasnt triggering the cel is still up fir debate. 1300 dollars later and we will have it back tomorrow. I opted for the dealership just because chevy delaerships give you a 12mo/12000 mile warranty on repairs for parts and labor and since we dont have a 2nd vehicle i needed it fixed right the first time lol

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[alpinecrick]

Wondering if it would hurt anyting to try ethonal free gas in my 99 obs burb with a 5.7 vortec. It has 188k and found out that a local gas station has it instead of the 10% ethonal blend. Is there a big difference or will i notice anything like better mpgs? Not that mpgs matter in a burb lol.

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I bought a new 91 "Light Duty" K2500 with the 5.7 and manual 5 spd in the spring of 91. I probably kept track of every tankful for 20K+ miles in that truck. At the time Colorado ran straight gas during the summer and ethanol blend in the winter. Every fall when ethanol blend gas kicked in my truck lost 1 mpg.

I live and drive my trucks at 5k ft to 11k ft in altitude.
Here in Colorado regular is 85 octane, mid is 87 octane, and premium is 91 octane because lower air pressure at altitude serves to allow the air-fuel mixture to mix better and "raise" the octane rating (hypothetically). Every TBI and Vortec 350, and Vortec 5.3 and 6.0 I own/owned gets better fuel mileage with 87 octane than 85 octane. With that 91 K2500 I could go 2 miles further up the pass before downshifting out of 5th with 87 octane compared to 85 octane.

I have 5.0 and 5.7 Vortec cargo vans and their everyday payload is maxed out--the 5.0 won't hardly get out of its own way with 85 octane.

Running 91 octane makes no diff in fuel mileage or power in my 96 and 97 K1500's or my 02 G2500, but interestingly, 91 octane makes even more power than 87 octane in the 5.0 van.........

 

[alpinecrick]

I have 4 Honda power plants on various tools/equipment, 7 restored McCulloch chainsaws from the 60's and 70's, plus more recent vintage Stihl and Husky saws, and a 1942 M-38 Jeep that spends 7-8 months inside the shop at our high country place, plus the usual collection of lawnmowers and trimmers.

Stabil Marine grade is my friend. It goes into all my small engine gas cans when I fill them (with premium fuel).

I don't empty the gas out of any of them anymore. Yesterday I just fired up my fav Mac saw that I haven't ran since late last winter--took the usual 4-5 pulls to light off.

 

[Jiggie]

I bought a new 91 "Light Duty" K2500 with the 5.7 and manual 5 spd in the spring of 91. I probably kept track of every tankful for 20K+ miles in that truck. At the time Colorado ran straight gas during the summer and ethanol blend in the winter. Every fall when ethanol blend gas kicked in my truck lost 1 mpg.

I live and drive my trucks at 5k ft to 11k ft in altitude.
Here in Colorado regular is 85 octane, mid is 87 octane, and premium is 91 octane because lower air pressure at altitude serves to allow the air-fuel mixture to mix better and "raise" the octane rating (hypothetically). Every TBI and Vortec 350, and Vortec 5.3 and 6.0 I own/owned gets better fuel mileage with 87 octane than 85 octane. With that 91 K2500 I could go 2 miles further up the pass before downshifting out of 5th with 87 octane compared to 85 octane.

I have 5.0 and 5.7 Vortec cargo vans and their everyday payload is maxed out--the 5.0 won't hardly get out of its own way with 85 octane.

Running 91 octane makes no diff in fuel mileage or power in my 96 and 97 K1500's or my 02 G2500, but interestingly, 91 octane makes even more power than 87 octane in the 5.0 van.........

Were from wyoming and i agree. I noticed a difference when i ran 85 vs 87 or 91 octane. But when we moved to the flat lands of ks i jusy kept running 91 except when gas shoots up yhen i go to 87. Ima run 89 which is midgrade here from now on just because of the new fuel pump.

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[Tachyon]

Intresting to see everyones thoughts. I wish my burb was a little better taken care of by its ptevious owners but it was a work horse and its showing the repercussions of it. Trying ti avoid the fuel spyder upgrade or any other major repairs other than ones ive done. I was thinking the ethnol free gas might be better for it. Maybe ill givr it a try and see how it works for me. Ill def stop paying for top gas though since its not needed

If you're trying to avoid fuel spider replacement, you need to keep the poppet valves clean, the number one enemy of the OEM fuel spider is clogged poppet valves*. one part of this is quality gasoline (before someone jumps in screaming "It's all the same! Brands are a scam!", well that's not entirely true, but either way handling and storage are NOT the same. Some stations have old tanks that leech crap, corrosion, and even groundwater into the fuel. Your vehicle will tell you what gas sucks by how it runs). 5% ethanol won't hurt because the one useful feature of ethanol is that it does act to clean some types of build up. However it's also hard on anything rubber. Personally I run a bottle of quality fuel system cleaner in about every 3-4 tanks of gas. I've tried several and ad good luck with Lucas deep clean fuel system cleaner. YMMV.
The other thing to do is keep the engine tuned up. Good, properly gapped plugs, and quality wires in good condition, are important and you should see if your cap and rotor need replaced. They're pretty cheap. If your engine is running well, no missing or fouling, you're on the right track.

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*This is why the upgrade, non poppet, fuel spider is such a big upgrade.

 

[Tom P]

Fuel pump was bad. But also found the mass air flow sensor to be bad which the mechanic is 98% sure has been the power issue the entire time. But why it wasnt triggering the cel is still up fir debate. 1300 dollars later and we will have it back tomorrow. I opted for the dealership just because chevy delaerships give you a 12mo/12000 mile warranty on repairs for parts and labor and since we dont have a 2nd vehicle i needed it fixed right the first time lol

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I would be interested to see how they diagnosed a bad MAF if there were no CEL activated. I know the GM scanners are fairly comprehensive and most techs know their stuff but I’d like to know what data they went on to determine that failure. I know a dirty MAF will cause issues without throwing codes.

 

[98chevy2500SS]

Fuel pump was bad. But also found the mass air flow sensor to be bad which the mechanic is 98% sure has been the power issue the entire time. But why it wasnt triggering the cel is still up fir debate. 1300 dollars later and we will have it back tomorrow. I opted for the dealership just because chevy delaerships give you a 12mo/12000 mile warranty on repairs for parts and labor and since we dont have a 2nd vehicle i needed it fixed right the first time lol

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That sucks that it's the fuel pump, I hope that it'll run like a top once it's replaced.

I did look at the gas selections more closely at Casey's and we do NOT have ethanol in the 87 (Unleaded) or 91 (Premium Unleaded) octane, only 85 (Super Unleaded) has ethanol, just like I thought.