The Ethanol Papers - Paperturn manuscript - Flipbook - Page 385
ethanol days in America that vehicles didn't regularly require repairs, maintenance, and replacement parts. She makes it sound as if ethanol-free gasoline
is a soothing, life-giving elixir that gently encourages an engine to run. Gasoline
is a highly combustible liquid. Using gasoline in a vehicle causes thousands of
small explosions to occur in every minute. Parts wear down; they break under
stress; explosions cause stress. Why does a so-called automotive expert not
know this?
Why does a so-called independent automotive expert, and a so-called independent energy consultant have to lie or invent derogatory stories about ethanol? What's the point?
At about 11 minutes into the show Ms. Fix brings up the grand old canard about
ethanol having 30% less energy than gasoline so that you get far less miles per
gallon of ethanol or an ethanol-gasoline blend than you would from ethanol-free
gasoline. In my opinion, using the "BTU" energy-content issue to explain why
there is a difference in MPG when you use ethanol is the litmus test that proves
a person's ignorance of the overall issue.
Using ethanol or an ethanol-gasoline blend in a gasoline optimized vehicle will
deliver fewer miles per gallon. However, the lower MPG is not because of the
difference in BTUs, it's simply because the engine is OPTIMIZED to run on
gasoline. A comparable engine OPTIMIZED to run on ethanol will deliver the
same or better MPG. If you don't know this then you don't know what the issue
is about. If you ignore the facts and continue to state information that is irrelevant, then you are a liar or a fraud.
Next, Lauren Fix promotes some products that "stabilize" ethanol and makes
your engine run better. Here's what Mercury Marine had to say about ethanol
additives:
"No fuel additive can prevent ethanol from acting as a solvent. No chemical agent can be added to E0-E10 gasoline, in a reasonable quantity,
that will recombine a phase separated layer. Fuel cannot be rejuvenated."
As I mentioned earlier, I'm using the information from Mercury Marine because
it has often been claimed that boats suffer from ill effects of ethanol far worse
than cars and trucks. But if E10 is actually better for a boat engine and fuel
system than E0, then it must be better than E0 in a late model car or truck.
