E10 Gas and Carburetor Jetting

[Matt Wilson]

Based on what I have read, carburetors need to be re-jetted with slightly larger jet sizes in order for the engine to run properly on E10 gasoline, but is it really that big a deal? I have poked around on a this website and the Power Wagon Advertiser website, and have only found trace evidence of any problems caused by not jetting for it.

If there were really significant problems, it seems that people on these forums would be griping all the time about low power, poor idling, hard starting, and having to re-jet to make up for it, but I don't seem very much of that. I know some folks try to find ethanol-free gas, but I'm sure there are plenty of you who use E10 and have used it for a long time, and haven't had much problem with carb jetting or other carb setup parameters, like float level, etc.

Your guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Matthew Welcher PWA]

As far as E10, are you refering to the 10 percent ethanol blended fuel? What octane rating is this fuel?

[W_A_Watson_II]

Prior to the MTBE (used as an oxygenate and to raise the octane number) ban in 2005'ish: Gasoline contained 2.7% MTBE, and in it's place the refineries/blenders started adding ethanol at a rate of 6%. Because of different lobbying groups ethanol is up to 10% and greater.

As Ethanol is only about 75% by volume the energy of gasoline, the 4% extral Ethanol is small enough to not make any real difference in most applications.

If you were perfectly tuned with high accuracy (Our carburetors are generally not), then yes you would have to make some fuel adjustments depending on the amount of Ethanol.

[Matt Wilson]

As far as E10, are you refering to the 10 percent ethanol blended fuel? What octane rating is this fuel?

Hi Matt, the E10 in my area is available in octane values ranging from 87 to 93 octane.

Ethanol-free gas just doesn't seem to be available anywhere close to my home, unless I'm overlooking it. I've done searches on "ethanol-free gas," "non-ethanol gas," and even had a guy who was trying to help me, who did a search on "100 octane gas," since that would likely have no ethanol, but the few sources that I could confirm were too far away to be practical. I even did a search on the puregas website and no help there.

If anyone has any suggestions for sources near Keller, TX or Hurst, TX, let me know.

Thanks

[Matt Wilson]

Prior to the MTBE (used as an oxygenate and to raise the octane number) ban in 2005'ish: Gasoline contained 2.7% MTBE, and in it's place the refineries/blenders started adding ethanol at a rate of 6%. Because of different lobbying groups ethanol is up to 10% and greater.

As Ethanol is only about 75% by volume the energy of gasoline, the 4% extral Ethanol is small enough to not make any real difference in most applications.

If you were perfectly tuned with high accuracy (Our carburetors are generally not), then yes you would have to make some fuel adjustments depending on the amount of Ethanol.

Thanks for the info. I suspected as much, but wanted some reassurance of that. While I've read of a few complaints over mild driveability issues, it seems that most Power Wagon owners have not complained, and even the ones who have, did not seem to have major complaints.

[Jeremy Horvath]

Ethanol Free near DFW

Drive North of Pilot Point, heading towards 82/Wichita Falls. There is at least one station way, way up there. It's not quite worth the drive for us. But, when we're up there we fill 'er up!

[Matt Wilson]

Wow, that's 45+ miles from where I live, just to get to Pilot Point, so definitely out of the way. Thanks, Jeremy.

[Matthew Welcher PWA]

At least here in Iowa all of the Premium fuel, which is generally higher than 91 Octane is "Supposed" to be free from Ethanol.

[Matt Wilson]

At least here in Iowa all of the Premium fuel, which is generally higher than 91 Octane is "Supposed" to be free from Ethanol.

Lucky for you guys. I don't think it's that way here. I will check around again in person soon.

[Cheyenne Dave]

We have two new Maverik stations here in Cheyenne, both offer ethanol-free gas. Maverik has been making itself known in our area more in recent years. Before then, I had only filled up at their station in Moab, UT.

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[Matt Wilson]

I'll have to look for a place like that here, Dave.

[gyman98]

Around here all premium gas is ethanol free. I try to run it in all my small engines and vehicles that don't get used much. Makes a big difference in the fuel not going rotten

[Matt Wilson]

Around here all premium gas is ethanol free. I try to run it in all my small engines and vehicles that don't get used much. Makes a big difference in the fuel not going rotten

Ok, I really need to take another look at the premium fuel near me and see if it has ethanol or not. Maybe I just assumed it does, but hoping I'll find that it doesn't.

[Jason Mills]

This may give some info: http://www.pure-gas.org/

And I have yet to try it, but learned at a chainsaw workshop that one can remove the ethanol from gas by mixing water in, shaking and then draining the water off. One ends up with pure gas, and bug juice for the windscreen. Something like the following:

http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14679

[Matt Wilson]

This may give some info: http://www.pure-gas.org/

And I have yet to try it, but learned at a chainsaw workshop that one can remove the ethanol from gas by mixing water in, shaking and then draining the water off. One ends up with pure gas, and bug juice for the windscreen. Something like the following:

http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14679

Thanks, Jason. I did try the pure-gas website, but came up with nothing anywhere near me. And I saw that method for removing the ethanol from gas, but I think that's going to be a bit too much work for me. I still have a hard time thinking it really makes that much difference in the way the engine runs, as I've known of many people who have run E10 for many years with stock carb settings, but I'm still going to keep my eyes open for non-ethanol gas.