Daniel J. Stern wrote:
<<Snip>>
> Ethanol was for many years considered a fuel adulterant/contaminant in
> North America. Then Archer Daniels Midland, the agricultural products
> corporation that now produces over 98% of North America's fuel ethanol,
> revved up their lobbying machine. Over the course of a decade, what had
> been correctly regarded as a cause of vehicle damage, driveability
> problems and reduced fuel economy came to be pushed as an
"environmentally
> friendly" fuel additive, now mandated as a "pollution fighting" gasoline
> ingredient in many areas. Most newer vehicles are built to tolerate up
to
> 10% ethanol without short-term component damage or significant
> driveability faults, but there is a drop in fuel economy due to
ethanol's
> lower energy content per unit volume as well as secondary effects. Older
> cars are disregarded; their owners' lobbying groups aren't as loud or
well
> funded as ADM's. "Just buy a new car. Everyone wants a new car."
Alcohols are superior motor fuels in many respects to gasoline, but
the cheap price of gasoline because it was actually a byproduct of
kerosene distilling made it the standard fuel.So manufacturers used the
cheapest possible materials in their fuel systems, which weren't
compatible with alcohols.
Alcohols have been sold as motor fuels in many countries for many
decades yet car manufacturers insist on using cheap gaskets, floats,
seals, and diaphragms that are not alcohol proof.
If you have an older car, you can bitch, whine and moan or you can do
what you should anyway and rebuild the fuel system this winter. Use
alcohol proof flex line, fittings (I would go with AN fittings) floats
and gaskets. Then you can motor on happily with the alcohol that ADM
lobbying is doing us the favor of making them supply anyway. Cars 30 or
40 years old are due for it anyway.
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