Posted by Mike Hernke (MO) [108.162.216.235] on Sunday, June 24, 2018 at 16:37:05 :
In Reply to: Fuel Economy posted by Andrew in MI [172.68.206.85] on Sunday, June 24, 2018 at 15:44:32 :
Ethanol is about 2/3 the energy content of gasoline 114,000 btu/gal vs 76,000 btu/gal. It also has a different stoichiometric ratio. When ethanol was first introduced carburetors where still very common and I remember reading that even 10 percent had an effect on the ratio. Generally carbs are set fuel rich and the view was that the leaning out effect would reduce carbon monoxide. As far as power carbon monoxide is incomplete combustion and is wasted energy anyway. For a modern fuel injection engine it will tune to the fuel and should see the roughly 2/3 fuel economy loss.
One effect I have heard of with ethanol is that because water absorbs into ethanol really well it can pick up water in tanks. Could be in the tanks before dispensing or in your fuel tank. Sometimes if you have some water in your tank and running straight gas when you first add ethanol it absorbs the water. Water will kill economy and power.
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