[toby]

Pure gasoline. Non ethanol gas. There is only 5 stations in California that sale Ethanol-free gas. And 3 of them are in my area. I'm told you get much better mpg using pure gasoline than ethanol. My questions are,
#1 Does any one know if this is true or know anything on the subject?
#2 What will happen to or can we run pure gasoline in our Strykers?
I wasn't aware that you can find pure gas anymore but since I buy gas at one of the stations that sale it I want to find out more. Here is a link to get started on research. I hope some one will get more info an post it. I will as soon as possible.
http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=CA
Here is another article that confirms my what I remembered
http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aacarsgasa.htm
First was steam then gun powder was experimented with then came gas and diesel and kerosene then in the 19th century ethyl alcohol?

 

[crazy8ight]

Hey Toby,
I know a bicycle cop here.. and i hope this helps a little without all the detail. he basically told me that gas is gas. there are the big 4 gas companies, and the percentages really dont matter to them. ok, so he told me that the state of Texas mind you regulates that they run on 88 grade or better. but he states that he never really feels a difference, nor has seen any wear or performance because of grade. (he has had the same cop bike for 8 yrs.... albeit city miles). and i am actually glad you asked this question because i asked this before.. whether to go premium or regular, and i heard the spectrum of either.

 

[Mentat Ix]

Short answer: Yes, you can run it and it's better for your bike. I'm sure we'd all use it if we could.

I don't know how it will affect your mpg for sure, but it will run cleaner and be less likely to varnish the crap out of your fuel system. It also won't go bad as fast.

 

[toby]

Hey Toby,
I know a bicycle cop here.. and i hope this helps a little without all the detail. he basically told me that gas is gas. there are the big 4 gas companies, and the percentages really dont matter to them. ok, so he told me that the state of Texas mind you regulates that they run on 88 grade or better. but he states that he never really feels a difference, nor has seen any wear or performance because of grade. (he has had the same cop bike for 8 yrs.... albeit city miles). and i am actually glad you asked this question because i asked this before.. whether to go premium or regular, and i heard the spectrum of either.

crazy8ight! I think you are confusing octane with ethanol. Octane level, grade of fuel, 87-89-91 etc. has nothing to do with gas mileage. Octane helps compress fuel vapor in the ignition chamber for faster ignition of fuel. The higher compression ratio of an engine the higher level octane you should use. If I am explaining that correctly correctly. I'm sure some one will correct me if not. Anyway ethanol is something different and I intend to find out exactly what it is and what it's purpose is and why they still sale ethanol-free gas in just a few stations throughout the US and Canada. only 4,646 to be exact according to that link I posted.

 

[toby]

Short answer: Yes, you can run it and it's better for your bike. I'm sure we'd all use it if we could.

I don't know how it will affect your mpg for sure, but it will run cleaner and be less likely to varnish the crap out of your fuel system. It also won't go bad as fast.

Thanks Mentat! that's a start but I want to no more. Seems there is three station in my area that sale it. 1 in Garborville 30 miles from here where I get gas all the time and 1 in Fortuna 20 miles from Eureka and 1in Eureka. The link I posted shows where they are. Maybe you can find one near you.( http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=CA ) ( http://www.fuel-testers.com/state_guide_ethanol_laws.html )
Nope nothing near you you are down south. Corning and Redding are where the other two in Ca are.

 

[roger]

I don't know all that technical jargon but if i had a choice i would use pure gas not ethanol. If you are using the latter then you should be using an additive from your dealer or auto parts store and not just on your bike your cars too. Ethanol will eventually ruin your tanks if left untreated.

 

[sfcmcgan]

Hey Toby,
I know a bicycle cop here.. and i hope this helps a little without all the detail. he basically told me that gas is gas. there are the big 4 gas companies, and the percentages really dont matter to them. ok, so he told me that the state of Texas mind you regulates that they run on 88 grade or better. but he states that he never really feels a difference, nor has seen any wear or performance because of grade. (he has had the same cop bike for 8 yrs.... albeit city miles). and i am actually glad you asked this question because i asked this before.. whether to go premium or regular, and i heard the spectrum of either.

crazy8ight! I think you are confusing octane with ethanol. Octane level, grade of fuel, 87-89-91 etc. has nothing to do with gas mileage. Octane helps compress fuel vapor in the ignition chamber for faster ignition of fuel. The higher compression ratio of an engine the higher level octane you should use. If I am explaining that correctly correctly. I'm sure some one will correct me if not. Anyway ethanol is something different and I intend to find out exactly what it is and what it's purpose is and why they still sale ethanol-free gas in just a few stations throughout the US and Canada. only 4,646 to be exact according to that link I posted.

you a pretty much correct Toby... think of ethanol as a thinner... ethanol is used to "stretch" the gas...it is basically "alcohol" made from corn. the biggest difference you will see from using pure gas... a cooler running engine, but you will also see more carbon deposits. Ethanol also acts as a carbon reducer simply becuase technally... there is less real gas by volume.

Also.. Roger is correct... ethanol retains water...there by eventually destroying a steel tank if left for long periods of time.

 

[11Stryker]

We have 1 Station in little old Penn Yan,N.Y. where I live that sells non ethanol. I use it in the bike and lawn mowers. Cost 25 cents more per gallon. Very popular gas for the boaters here in the Finger Lakes!

 

[MY LIFE]

Well fellow riders here's the info on ethanol. Sorry for disputing some fellow riders info, but most of what people think about ethanol is myth. First let me say that ethanol is basically what everyone runs on up here and will or is already down your way and you just don't know it. At one time when it first came out, the pump had to tell you that the gas contain ethanol and had to be labeled and dependence from a separate pump, but now it just has a small sticker that says " May contain up to or min. of 10 %". It will not harm your engine or do any harm to any of your engine parts or tank. This is a from 30 years ago when they first started to produce ethanol. Today it is as clean and burns as well as gas. It raises the octane level of gas and is a natural antifreeze, for cold weather climates that prevents freezing of lines. It does not retain water it will actually remove it, that is why it prevents freezing. You will also achieve better gas mileage using ethanol. On my bike I get about 5 to 10 extra miles per tank, so about 5 to 10%. It can be made from any product that contains sugar. Mostly corn and soybean in our areas, but cane sugar is another used product. I've been using it from the start and it works just like your gas. Like I said, today you would not even know the gas your burning is a ethanol blend. Reason they use it besides what I've already stated, is if you use 10% ethanol blend, then that means you have 10% more gas you can use.

My entire life I've lived in this area and I've seen the start and growth of ethanol. One of the first producers of this product "MacEwen's" is 15 miles from me. I use this product and in my current vehicle I have 300,000 KM and my wife has 360,000 KM.

 

[11Stryker]

Bull Pucky Mylife! Sorry, but got to disagree. I am around people everyday in my business that have had more trouble with small engines with plastic and rubber components in carbs. I have experienced it myself on my own equipment and seen the damage first hand. I have been working on engines big and small for the past 37 years. Ethanol is thermally introduced to gasoline. Ethanol will start to separate from the gas in 4 to 6 weeks and there is no additive that will mix the 2 back together. Sorry- But I have been There- Seen it!! All is OK if you are constantly using the equipment and adding fuel, but not recommended for storing it more than 4 weeks without initially adding some additive such as Sea Foam or equivalent to keep the 2 from separating.

 

[toby]

Well fellow riders here's the info on ethanol. Sorry for disputing some fellow riders info, but most of what people think about ethanol is myth. First let me say that ethanol is basically what everyone runs on up here and will or is already down your way and you just don't know it. At one time when it first came out, the pump had to tell you that the gas contain ethanol and had to be labeled and dependence from a separate pump, but now it just has a small sticker that says " May contain up to or min. of 10 %". It will not harm your engine or do any harm to any of your engine parts or tank. This is a from 30 years ago when they first started to produce ethanol. Today it is as clean and burns as well as gas. It raises the octane level of gas and is a natural antifreeze, for cold weather climates that prevents freezing of lines. It does not retain water it will actually remove it, that is why it prevents freezing. You will also achieve better gas mileage using ethanol. On my bike I get about 5 to 10 extra miles per tank, so about 5 to 10%. It can be made from any product that contains sugar. Mostly corn and soybean in our areas, but cane sugar is another used product. I've been using it from the start and it works just like your gas. Like I said, today you would not even know the gas your burning is a ethanol blend. Reason they use it besides what I've already stated, is if you use 10% ethanol blend, then that means you have 10% more gas you can use.

My entire life I've lived in this area and I've seen the start and growth of ethanol. One of the first producers of this product "MacEwen's" is 15 miles from me. I use this product and in my current vehicle I have 300,000 KM and my wife has 360,000 KM.

Thanks for the info MY LIFE. I guess I wont concern myself with trying to run non ethanol gas because freezing temps and moisture is a concern up here. In fact I ad denatured alcohol to the gas in the old Virago because it helps break up water and allows it to vaporize and pass through the jests. Before I started using DA in the gas I had to drain the boles every 2 months and the tank.

 

[christopher]

Well in the south gas stations have started poping up offering ethanol-free gas. I know many who have gone to it though it is a little higher and the mgp and performance improved back to the way it once was. If you go to Kroger's now they have added an extra additive that you can pay to have added to the gas to improve both. Ethanol may work well in the north but I have a lot of friends who are ASE mechanics and can tell you they are murder on an engine. And thats not a myth.

 

[rodekill]

My truck doesn't get as many mpg with ethanol as it does without, and the "may contain up to 10% ethanol" is just a fancy way of saying "may contain up to 10% less gasoline". The only thing I know ethanol actually does is drive up the price of corn.

 

[strykenshane]

Yep, my truck avgs 20 mpg's but with ethanol gas I'm lucky to get 18

 

[roger]

Does anybody use plain old dry gas anymore i think you use to be able to get it for like 2 for a dollar?

 

[toby]

OK now we are getting some where. keep the info coming

 

[ROADKILL]

According to the manual I have it says that ethanol enriched gas is fine and to run the highest grade available....but if the ethanol content is higher than 10% it could damge the fuel system....It also says not to use gas with methanol or leaded gas.

 

[sfcmcgan]

Well fellow riders here's the info on ethanol. Sorry for disputing some fellow riders info, but most of what people think about ethanol is myth. First let me say that ethanol is basically what everyone runs on up here and will or is already down your way and you just don't know it. At one time when it first came out, the pump had to tell you that the gas contain ethanol and had to be labeled and dependence from a separate pump, but now it just has a small sticker that says " May contain up to or min. of 10 %". It will not harm your engine or do any harm to any of your engine parts or tank. This is a from 30 years ago when they first started to produce ethanol. Today it is as clean and burns as well as gas. It raises the octane level of gas and is a natural antifreeze, for cold weather climates that prevents freezing of lines. It does not retain water it will actually remove it, that is why it prevents freezing. You will also achieve better gas mileage using ethanol. On my bike I get about 5 to 10 extra miles per tank, so about 5 to 10%. It can be made from any product that contains sugar. Mostly corn and soybean in our areas, but cane sugar is another used product. I've been using it from the start and it works just like your gas. Like I said, today you would not even know the gas your burning is a ethanol blend. Reason they use it besides what I've already stated, is if you use 10% ethanol blend, then that means you have 10% more gas you can use.

My entire life I've lived in this area and I've seen the start and growth of ethanol. One of the first producers of this product "MacEwen's" is 15 miles from me. I use this product and in my current vehicle I have 300,000 KM and my wife has 360,000 KM.

According the Government... same ones who have made ethanol mandatory... says that you get 3-4 percent LESS fuel economy than straight gas...

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/ethanol.shtml

it does create a sort of "antifreeze" but only because it is alcohol by nature... very low freeze point. however... the opposite is true... more prone to vapor lock in hotter climates... not a big issue anymore because of fuel injection. but be aware... alcohol does Attract water... and ethanol is Alcohol. any chemist will affirm this. see:

Excellent reading
http://www2.highlandstoday.com/news/highlands-news/2008/jun/22/problem-ethanol-ar-311037/

Ethanol also has an effect on some plastics as Confirmed by Yamaha motor corp.
"Ethanol Dissolves Plastic "Ethanol can dissolve some solid materials," says a June 2006 Yamaha advisory to dealers. That includes varnish and rust on steel and corrosion on aluminum tanks. The result is contaminated fuel."

everything I have stated earlier has been well known for many years... the Government promotes ethanol because of the corn industry... that is the bottom line. All car manufaturers have been against ethanol from the beginning because they must use higer grade of both metals and plastics to compensate for the deteriorating properties of ethanol."

 

[middleagecrisis]

I've run both. Ethanol decreases performance and mpg. Ethanol gas is cheaper at the pump but it isn't worth it in my opinion. I wish straight was easier to find.

 

[toby]

Now that,s what I'm talking about. You guys are awesome. Keep the info coming.