Thunder Roads Colorado Magazine Volume 11 Issue 8 | Page 8

E15 Fuel : What is it and How Bad is it ?

Hello Motorcycle Enthusiasts ,
E15 fuel is gasoline with 15 % ethanol in it . Current ethanol blends are 10 %, but in an effort to decrease U . S . dependency on foreign oil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles , more corn-produced ethanol is being added to gasoline . In June , 2012 , the U . S . Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) approved the sale of E15 fuel over the objections of from automakers and the oil industry . Testing was done prior to approval , but emissions were the only concern tested .
The Department of Energy concluded that virtually all vehicles built in 2007 or later could safely use E15 fuel . However , several automakers and the American Automobile Association ( AAA ) have disputed these claims , maintaining that E15 could damage fuel lines and void vehicle owner ’ s warranties . The EPA later changed the “ safe ” vehicle manufactured date to 2001 . Click on this link to read the complete AAA report : http :// www . usatoday . com / story / news / nation / 2012 / 11 / 30 / aaa-e15- gas-harm-cars / 1735793 /
You can also view the list of vehicles recommended by automakers for safe use of E15 by clicking on this link : http :// www . exxonmobilperspectives . com / 2015 / 03 / 02 / e15-thischart-kind-of-says-it-all /
So , besides certain vehicles , E15 should NOT be used in the following vehicles and tools : the estimated 22 million motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles ; vehicles with heavyduty engines , such as buses and delivery trucks , boats , snowmobiles , tractors , lawnmowers , chainsaws and other gasoline – powered tools .
The four main problems with ethanol-blended fuels are : ( Reprinted from StarTron fuel additive info brochure )
PROBLEM 1 : DEBRIS IN FUEL - Gums rapidly form in the fuel tank and fuel delivery systems as ethanol fuels age . However ethanol is also a powerful solvent that will strip away and disperse this build up back into the fuel as large , performance-robbing particles . This leads to clogged filters , injectors and carburetors .
PROBLEM 2 : EXCESSIVE WATER IN THE FUEL AND PHASE SEPARATION - Ethanol attracts moisture from the atmosphere , forming an ethanol / water solution mixed in the gasoline . Ethanol-blended fuel will naturally hold . 5 % water in suspension , but when water levels exceed this threshold , or when the fuel cools significantly , the water / ethanol mix drops out of suspension . This is phase separation . Excessive water in the fuel tank causes engines to run rough , stall , and can lead to internal damage to engine components . Ethanol provides a significant amount of the fuel ’ s octane , so when the ethanol / water solution separates and drops to the bottom of the tank , the remaining fuel is left without enough octane to properly operate the engine . Additionally , the ethanol / water solution can become partially combustible , which can lead to engine damage .
PROBLEM 3 : ETHANOL FUELS BREAK DOWN QUICKLY - Over a short period of time ethanol fuel begins to break down . As ethanol and other components evaporate ,
the fuel loses octane and becomes “ stale .” This causes hard starts , pinging and engine knock , which robs your engine of power and can cause damage .
PROBLEM 4 : ETHANOL CAUSES LOST POWER , PERFORMANCE AND DECREASED FUEL ECONOMY - Ethanol fuel does not produce as much energy as traditional fuel . This results in inefficient combustion , decreased performance , reduced throttle response and poor fuel economy .
So what ’ s being done to keep motorcyclists from using E15 and ruining their engines ? The EPA said a sticker must be displayed on the pumps .
Do you think that works ? How many other stickers have you seen on pumps and do people really read them ? What color is the sticker currently displaying , “ Could contain up to 10 % ethanol ?”
Speaking of pumps , E15 is generally dispersed through a “ blender ” pump where you can select the amount of ethanol you want ( 10 %, 15 %, or other if so programed ). Here ’ s where another problem arises . If the motorist ahead of you dispersed E15 and you want E10 in your motorcycle , or your 1 gallon gas can to use in your lawnmower , you could get up to 1 / 3 of a gallon of E15 that was left in the gas hose before actually pumping E10 . The EPA ’ s initial response was that you MUST pump at least 4 gallons to dilute the E15 . Many bikes don ’ t have 4 gallon tanks . The EPA ’ s next solution ( which is noted on the “ Warning Sticker ”) was to make it illegal to use in the above mentioned vehicles and equipment . So you not only ruin your engine but you break the law too !
In addition to the negative , physical limitations of E15 , numerous environmental / economic issues exist . The Associated Press reported that 5 million acres of land set aside for conservation have vanished as farmers fill in wetlands and plow pristine prairies to grow more corn . Increased production of ethanol has also raised food costs . Click on the following link to read . “ Ten Reasons To Care That E15 Ethanol Is On The Way To Your Gas Station ”; http :// www . forbes . com / sites / larrybell / 2012 / 09 / 23 / ten-reasons-to-care-that-e15-ethanol-ison-the-way-to-your-gas-station /# 5edba6d96ac0
So where do we stand legislatively on the E15 issue ? U . S . Congress has bill H . R . 21 ( To provide for a comprehensive assessment of the scientific and technical research on the implications of the use of mid-level ethanol blends , and for other purposes ) pending , which is strongly supported by the American Motorcycle Association ( AMA ) and the Motorcycle Riders Foundation . The real problem stems from the EPA and the Renewable Fuel Standards ( RFS ). Title II of the Energy Interdependence and Security Act of 2007 ( EISA ) requires the total volume of biofuels to increase yearly from 4.7 billion gallons in 2007 to 36 billion gallons by 2022 . The volume required in 2016 is 17.4 billion gallons . A National Poll was conducted about the RFS mandate which showed that a majority of voters nationwide have serious concerns about the
6 Thunder Roads Magazine ® Colorado May 2016 www . thunderroadscolorado . com