[Gasification] OT --- Ethanol in non "flex-fuel" vehicles.

[Kevin Chisholm]

De4ar Dan

Thanks for your "heavy user report."

It seems that:
1: All your engines had carburetors, in contrast to fuel injection with 
computer control.
2: The only change you made was to install a high intensity dignition 
system.
3: You don't mention spark advance, so I presume you did not advance the 
distributor setting.
4: You seem to feel that E40 to E50 is a good general mix.
5: You were pleased with Ethanol results, in terms of mileage and 
performance.

Could you please elaborate a bit further:
1: Would you have some approximate percentage indicator of your MPG with 
your preferred ethanol blend vs Gasoline?
2: What do you feel is the disadvantage with say E60, E70, or E85?

Thanks!!

Kevin

Carefreeland at aol.com wrote:
> Harmon, 
>        I have been successfully experimenting/running about E60 through E20 
> blends in my vehicles for several years now. I usually top up once with a half 
> tank of E85, then the next tank fill up 3/4 or more with regular unleaded. 
> This pattern eliminates extra fuel stops to mix.
>         I used to have to stop in Columbus, Ohio, 60 miles away to find an 
> E-85 pump. Now I have a pump couple miles away. Our price for E-85 here in 
> Dayton, Ohio, is only about 30 cents cheaper than regular unleaded. The price in 
> many places around the country is as high as unleaded.  I just smile and think 
> of the gasoline I saved for someone else when I top up with E- 85. Plus I give 
> the ethanol industry the best incentives, sales and cash flow.
>         All of my vehicles have throttle bodies. The old '85 Ford Wagon with 
> a 302 actually gets the best gas mileage tank after tank with about 30-40% 
> ethanol. The 302 engine used to buck with over 40% ethanol in the tank. Then I 
> heard that the spark needs to be stronger to penetrate ethanol vapor. I added a 
> high performance ignition system and now I can use more ethanol in the blend. 
>        I think that more complete combustion combined with the higher octane 
> squeezes more power out of a gallon with the right blend. In old engines the 
> fact that we are making more steam and less CO2 burning ethanol may help make 
> up for leaky rings and valves. I think that ethanol produces more volume but 
> less pressure in the combustion process. Definitely cleaner exhaust with the 
> E-85 blends. 
>         I'd like to add that I pulled my Bobcat with attachments plus other 
> gear, on a trailer 1600 miles back and forth to and from Mississippi on a 
> blend. The total load was over 16,000 lb. and I have a 350 gasoline motor in a 
> Chevy K3500. The best fuel mileage I obtained was with the tanks which contained 
> over 30% ethanol. The bigger factor by far in gas mileage was headwind or 
> tailwind. 
>        My old 85 Ford wagon gets better mileage into the wind on account of 
> the ram fuel intake, ethanol or not. That is an unusual observation. 
>        I think we need to phase all the gasoline to E-25 and forget it. Today 
> I burn 50 gallons of fuel a week running my landscape, mowing, and snow 
> removal business. Gasoline cost can be up to 25 percent of my operating budget on 
> service call jobs.  I have tracked oil and gasoline markets for 25 years. I am 
> sold on ethanol but I think the oil companies which distribute are keeping the 
> price too high. 
>        Have you ever successfully made a batch of ethanol out of cattails? I 
> have some runoff retention ponds to landscape and maintain. I thought of doing 
> a little experimental energy farming. Would grass or shrub clippings work in 
> a mash with cattails? They contain some sugar. How about green leaves?
>         
>        Dan Dimiduk 
> 
> 
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