E10 Petrol

[Donels]

The government intends to introduce E10 petrol by 2020. Currently petrol contains 5% ethanol and this will be increased to 10%. Does anyone know what effect this will have on historic cars? I guess that the impact will probably be on any rubber parts in the fuel system but what about engine operation.

[69S4]

I've just been down through France and back - around 2000km - using E10 and not had any issues. Engine ran fine and didn't seem to be down on power, but touring you don't tend to work it hard anyway.

2k over a few weeks may be too short a time for any issues to show up but there wasn't any immediate reaction. My fuel lines were replaced with more modern materials around 10yrs ago and I'm using a facet electric pump.

[Barney]

It's already been advised/discussed previously.
If you feel strongly then complete the government consultation detailed in this post

Survey
http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-talk-f50/survey-for-members-t42581.html

More Discussion:
http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-talk-f50/potentially-damaging-effects-ethanol-fuel-t30182.html

[SENC]

This is a recently published piece from a primary US classic car insurer, for what it is worth....

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos ... ur-classic


And here are a few more...

https://www.hagerty.com/Articles-Videos ... as-Station

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos ... -or-devine

https://www.hagerty.com/Articles-Videos ... t-the-Pump

Nothing absolute, but general wisdom seems to support avoiding it in our classics where possible, but if not there shouldn't be major worry just more regular attention needed on the fuel system, in particular in lower use vehicles where the gas may sit.

[prezoom]

I have found that E10 is not that much of a PITA as some report. If the car is going to sit a while, I do try to keep the tank as full as possible to prevent any rusting in the steel tanks. Last Saturday, I drove my SU equipped car, that had sat for approximately four months. With no accelerator pumps, I usually give it a slight squirt of starting fluid down the carb throats, and the engine starts immediately. It does have an electric priming pump to fill the float chambers. Ran the car through the foothills and on the freeways at 80mph to keep up with traffic. Again no problems. I have removed as much old style rubber line as possible in the fuel system, replacing it with modern line that is made for ethanol laced fuels. After six years on the Sabra, and ten years on the Elan, have never had a problem.

[Bigbaldybloke]

I thought I read somewhere that if E10 fuel is introduced, one caveat is that petrol stations will have to retain at least one E5 fuel pump? I use the super unleaded fuel anyway, will this go to E10 as well?

[Paul Chapman]

Just found this with some general info. & comment on the forthcoming introduction of E10 fuel into the UK, worth a look

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars ... duced.html

[gus]

We have had ethanol fuel over here for at least 15 years

It eats up small engine fuel system components because they use a lot of rubber parts internally, I have not had as much problems with Weber and Strombergs, but that is not to say there are none

[prezoom]

One part not mentioned, is the diaphragm in the mechanical fuel pump. I finished the restoration of the Sabra in 2012, and had ordered a kit to rebuild the fuel pump. The diaphragm in the new kit was incorrect, and when the vendor was called, he offered to rebuild the pump with the correct diaphragm for a cost less than shipping. The new diaphragm performed perfectly until late in 2016, all the while using E10 fuel, when returning home from a vintage race the engine died. The first check was electrical, nothing to report, then taking a chance, I switched on the electric priming pump. That seemed to cure the running problem, but I worried about possibly having fuel entering the crankcase from a damage diaphragm. Once home, I found that no fuel had entered the crankcase, and after some delays, ordered a new kit. Seems almost all of the AC fuel pumps used in the era of the car are almost universal amongst Ford based engines, and other British cars, including Triumphs. I had compared the fuel pump from the 204E to the one from a twin cam. Only the shape of the operating arms appears to be different. After having the offending diaphragm sitting in E10 fuel for about 5 years, I found no damage to the diaphragm. The problem was traced to the rebuilder, not getting the shaft from the diaphragm to the operating lever correctly seated into the arm. The shaft had worn significantly and slipped out of its attachment point. My worries about the non-compatibility of the diaphragm and the E10 fuel was misguided. The ethanol laced fuel had not damaged the diaphragm in that period of time.