Bioethanol/fuel problems?

[codprawn]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6405051.stm

Just seen this article about loads of people having expensive problems with their cars. Of course they say it's nothing to do with the introduction of 5% bioethanol - seems a bit of a coincidence to me!!!

According to trading standards

"Including ethanol in petrol is not really contaminating it, but there has to be a clear warning to people who buy petrol as to exactly what is in it."

Obviously motorists aren't getting the choice - unleaded is going to include ethanol anyway by the look of it. Yet another attack on common sense by the Greens!!!

[Biggles]

And as far as I'm aware its not recomended for Outboards.

How come we weren't told the nature of fuel was changing.

[Biggles]

Mercury state in a manual I have the following:

We do not recommend the use of gasoline which contains alcohol because of the possible adverse effect the alcohol may have on the fuel system. In general, if only gasoline containing alcohol is available, it must not contain more than 10% ethanol or 5% methanol, and the addition of a quicksilver water seperating fuel filter is recommended.

Gasoline containing alcohol may cause the following problems to your outboard and fuel system:

Corrosion of metal parts
Deteriation of elastomers and plastic parts.
wear and damage of internal engine parts.
Starting and operating difficulties.
Vapour lock or fuel starvation.

In short this is caused by the tendency of the alcohol to absorb moisture which seperates from the fuel in the tank.

[codprawn]

Exactly - I don't think people realise the problems it could cause - maybe JK should move this to the Engines thread.

[codprawn]

I wish the press wouldn't keep on about "contaminated" fuel - Tesco can quite rightly deny that.

http://www.tescocorporate.com/page.a...036B166F457970

This explains the REAL problem.

"Tesco is the first major petrol retailer to offer the most environmentally friendly petrol available, to millions of customers in the UK.
More than 150 Tesco petrol stations in South East England are selling standard unleaded petrol, which now contains five per cent bio-ethanol, a renewable product which delivers lower emissions of greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide."

Notice which area the problems are occuring in!!!

[Richard B]

"Tesco expect to use around 80 million litres of bio-ethanol this year" I wonder if they'd like to revise that estimate!?!

[ian parkes]

it Seems its the lambda sensors that are failing , . Do outboards have them ? or catalyzers .
by the sounds of the repair bills it sounds like the cats are effected as well as the sensors .

[Nos4r2]

I wonder if this means that the exhaust sensors are getting steam cleaned-or that the oxygen levels the lambda sensors are detecting from the water absorbed in the fuel are so high they're telling the car it's running way too lean?

[ian parkes]

whatever its doing must be pretty extreme to screw the system up in less than a tankful of fuel .
I wonder if they are adding anything to the diesel , the HDI's etc won't like it iether .