Ethanol Fuel Blends

[aublutiger]

Gang....
I have a question related to the Ethanol fuel blends. My current job is as a design engineer for many of the fuel and lube filters for many of our domestic auto brands. I have noticed through the years that we have altered our specifications on products to move over to at first a blended ethanol/gasoline...and as time progresses I see the trend moving even further in the biofuel direction. This weekend, it hit me hard....WHAT ABOUT THE MERC! As we move over to (and eventually will have no choice) Ethanol blended fuels what can we do to protect our existing machines. I'm not too concerned with my daily driver (2006 audi a4) as their engineering should have already incorporated biofuels when designing and specifying material choices for components. My problem is that 40 years ago, German engineers had not planned on their cars eventually switching over to a different fuel.

Are we going to have to switch out orings? Fuel lines? pumps? Tanks? Injectors? Shoot...if we have an Iron block we would have to replace the whole engine right? Ethanol and Iron don't mix! Has anyone in other states that are more "fuel progessive" (like California) noticed any issues with the blended fuel? So far, my station has not switched over to any blended fuels because it would require them spending a ton of money changing out their underground storage tanks...but eventually the day will come.

BTW...the Merc in question is my beloved 1976 450SL (R107)

[todds]

Boston's been on ethanol for awhile, I have not noticed any difference whatsoever in my cars. Supposedly it's harder on rubber components. I feel like my fintail was designed to run on some pretty lousy gas if need be. There is an octane setting on the distributor to compensate. Furthermore the same engine was used in the unimog military truck.

In a previous life I lived in San Diego and owned a 91 alfa sedan. This car had most of it's fuel system rubber replaced by a previous owner, I always wondered why on such a new car. Perhaps it was the ethanol, then again, perhaps it was the 230k on the counter.

The only fuel system work I've ever had to do was due to sitting or lack of use. I feel like that is a much greater concern for most of our cars.

[Emmerich]

It will run 10% leaner on normal gas with ethanol. Cars without computers can't automatically compensate. My 77 CIS car doesn't run very well on that type of gas.

[cheapold280ce]

What Blens are we talking about? For years now the only choice in Virginia (USA) is 10% ethanol fuel blended gas. If we are talking about E85 we don't have it yet. In my area it's only available at the Army base and you have to be in the Army or military to buy it. I believe in the 80's the government and oil companies did extensive studies and found no detrimental effect in running 10% ethanol.

E85 is another issue. Is that what this post is about?

[aublutiger]

but the government may say that it is okay for us to run the 10% blend...BUT...ethanol is still in the system...is still going to damage components which materials are not ethanol compatible...the damage may be slower, but it still occurs. I'm concerned that as our country progresses onto other fuel sources...what are we going to do with our older cars? Replace every hose? every gasket? every plastic piece? even iron is not compatible with ethanol. I am fortunate that if I go to the local Chevron, they haven't switched over to the 10% ethanol blend like other stations around....but what is going to happen as our cars get older?

[sjefke]

Unless we drive our cars all out, I don't think we are going to see much difference. Your replacement parts are by definition probably already better than what they were in the 70s because materials keep getting better. I don't expect an engine seal to last for 25 years anyway.

I know it is different, but I have seen concerns being raised with going lead free in Europe. I have had cars that MUST have lead (according to the experts) and they ran and still run fine (one being my '63 MGB). Now, I don't run it at its extreme either but we do not tend to do that with these classics anyway. A bigger issue for MB may be that the "best" gas in US is only 93 octane. Many of the MB engines were build for European Super gasoline with 98 octane. And as you all know, pinging is very detrimental to an engine.

I know big rig trucks use the bio-diesel blends and we may have some data on that. I'll do some checking whether there is/was increased maintenance.

Bert