Is gasohol still available in the US? Anyone using it. I really don't know anything about it and don't plan on using it (not available in Canada), but an just curious about it. Any concerns in using it? Any benefits?

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Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired

Gasohol is a mixture of roughly 80-90% gasoline and about 10-20% ethanol (Usually) or methanol (more toxic - MTBE is a methanol based additive more commonly used). Each alcohol has pollution, cost, or performance trade offs. From what I recall from my Environmental Chemistry and Atmospheric Chem colleagues, gasohol tends to produce less of some pollutants, but more of others (typically oxides of nitrogen or formaldehyde - depends on the alcohol) than does 'pure' gasoline. The fuel provides a bit more power and a bit higher octane, but requires a larger gas tank for equivalent range, and it tends to accelerate engine wear and wear on seals and gaskets. It tends to increase transport through the soil and into the water table of spills from leaking storage tanks, and it is not a very economical choice, being driven primarily in this country by midwest Ag politics and government subsidies.

That is pretty much most of what I recall - I may have botched some of the details. There is a site called Ask Jeeves ( http://www.ask.com ) that will probably have a number of articles or additional sources.

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John

2003 Firemist Red/grey leather SL 500
2015 Palladium Silver/black mbtex GLK 350
1987 Smoke Silver/burgundy mbtex 300E Sportline (SOLD)

Click to see 87 300E

As part of the federal goverment's EPA imposed clean air act. All of the gas sold in NJ during the winter months contains 15% MTBE. So in effect we are forced to run Gasohol in our cars, and yes economy does suffer.
On a more serious note, there have been a lot of reports of this additive making people sick, and consideration has been given to removing the additive, but so far to no avail.

Another pain is the new inspection system that requires the treadmill test for emissions where the car is actually placed on a dyno and an emissions reading is taken of a simulated ride in the car. Management of the transition has been horrible, and significant lines have become the norm. I went last saturday in a huge rainstorm, and much to my surprise there was no line, so I was in and out in 10 mins. Talk about luck -

Best wishes and take care,
George Androulakis