[snodood]

Few gas stations round here say they are pumpin Regular Ethanol/Gas mix.
Is this new thing? how is it going to effect the 2 stroke engine that runs regular.?
Dont know % ratio.

 

[rob7374]

Around here a few gas stations have a gasoline/ethanol blend...usually about 10% ethanol....usually it raises the octane rating of the fuel and they may get away with mixing the ethanol is a lesser quality gasoline..but the drawback..as far as I know...is that it leans out the air/fuel ratio...which can cause problems if your jetted right on the edge.

 

[snodood]

so its ok to run if , set on heavy side for jetting.

Will be tuff keepin plugs from loading on warmer days.
Hows this workin with SDIs?

 

[Banditpowdercoat]

I have heard that you can run Octane boost to offset the Methanol loss, double the reccomended amount. But I dunno if that was just a rumor or what??

I do know that at reccomended Octane boost doses, it only increases octane by .1

 

[doo rider]

Its been like that in ontario for a while. If you have a choice, use the non, but if no choice then run what you can get. I doubt you will see any harmful side effects in your sled

 

[rob7374]

I have heard that you can run Octane boost to offset the Methanol loss, double the reccomended amount. But I dunno if that was just a rumor or what??

I do know that at reccomended Octane boost doses, it only increases octane by .1[/b]

Both Methanol and Ethanol can actually increase the octane rating by themsleves. However lets look at both and you will se where the trouble begins.
While both add alcohol they are different.
Methanol is cheaper to produce than ethanol as it can also be made from a broader variety of biomass materal, as well as from coal and natural gas.
Methanol is one of the safest motor fuels due in large part because it is much less flammable than gasoline.
However, ethanol is much less chemically toxic than methanol
Ethanol also carries more energy per gallon. Ethanol contains about 75 percent of the energy of gasoline per gallon, where as Methanol only carries up to 67 percent.
What does this mean ?...fewer miles per gallon than gasoline, however it is cheaper so theoretically about as many miles per dollar at current prices.
Methanol is more corrosive than ethanol. This can be dealt with by using appropriate materials in the automobile fuel system..is the same being done in a sled fuel system?. A fuel system made acceptable for methanol use will also be fine for ethanol or pure gasoline. Both methanol and ethanol soften hoses and gaskets, dissolve your carburetor float and other plastic parts, and corrode metal. It can also cause vapor lock and hot-weather restarting problems, along with lowering your gas mileage. Methanol is the more serious offender, but ethanol will give you trouble too.
Lastly both ethanol and methanol are water soluble and biodegradable in the environment. But I wouldn't go drinking either of them

 

[Pepsi_fuzz]

So if I've used a fuel additive, it's possible that I've done damage to my machine, and in the long run reduced mileage?

 

[snodood]

dealers here say use premium until its gone.
apparently the mixed stuff will detonate your 2 stroke onto oblivion,unless u lower compression by way of thicker base gasket.
Sounds like they are trying to terminate the 2 stroke as we know it.Just when the mileage is about equal with the 4 stroke via SDI.hmmmmmm

 

[revrnd]

The "mixed" fuel isn't causing detonation. The added oxygen that the alcohol molecules carry causes your sled to run leaner if your jetting is borderline w/ pure gasoline.

I don't know about premium being eliminated in Ontario, but there is a minimum alcohol % regulation coming in the future.

BTW rob, good post.

 

[rob7374]

BTW rob, good post.[/b]

Thanks...It's all about sharing info and helping each other out.

 

[Plamb]

10% ethanol blends will not hurt any 2-stroke engine. Oxygenates of various chemistries have been used in gasoline in the states for over 20 years. Not sure about Canada, but I'd guess its the same there, but either way, the engine materials are designed for this. Its when you start to get around 20% ethanol that you have issues, and those are primarily related to the ethanol attacking the gaskets, seals, and hoses, not due to lean siezes or burning a piston. And yes, you change the stoichiometry if you add ethanol, but it isn't the same "lean" that we think about when we run pure gasoline lean and it can burn up pistons. The real issue with running lean is that the gas burns faster locally in the combustion chamber, due to the excess of available oxygen. This creats local hot spots, often right around the spark plug, and that is what burns your piston. The "lean" created by adding ethanol doesn't act the same way at low percentages of ethanol because the lower energy available from ethanol doesnt create as much heat and the blend has a different burn pattern. If you ran engines at much higher compressions, like 15:1, a lean ethanol mixture starts to act like a lean gasoline mixture. But at the compression ratios in snowmobiles, this effect is minimized.

Sorry for the techie post - just regurgitating some info from a couple classes in college...

 

[milrlite]

Ethanol has been mixed with most all the fuels in Canada for quite a few years now but only "up to" 10 percent. This amount will not do anything to fuel driven engines, and it is a great fuel de-icer because of our cooler winter months temps.