Ethanol being blamed for small engine failures
It's certainly true that most ethanol opponents can find plenty of fuel for their arguments. Some claim that food prices have been adversely affected by ethanol production. Others point to the fact that most cars get worse fuel mileage when running E85. Obviously, there have been many debates regarding the effects of running ethanol in our vehicles. While we primarily are concerned with automobile engines, there are many other internal combustion engines to be concerned with, including those in motorcycles, lawn mowers, trimmers and numerous other devices which have become necessary for modern life. Even if automakers are able to ensure that their engines are not harmed by ethanol-blends, small engine manufacturers may not be able to do the same. MSNBC has an polled a handful of small engine mechanics and each of them cite internal engine damage, which they claim can be attributed to the use of alcohol fuels. We've heard about this problem for at least two years, and expect that this is an issue which will get even more attention as the government mandates more ethanol to replace petroleum.
[Source: MSNBC]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jesse 10:47AM (8/27/2008)
What are the foundations for these claims? Ethanol requires more fuel, and is running lean when used in a "straight" gas motor. is this why the engines are failing, or is there some other mysterious cause? Sounds to me like the loose nut behind the wheel(err...mower handle?) is more likely at fault then the E85
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TX CHL Instructor 10:04AM (8/27/2008)
"It's certainly true that most ethanol opponents can find plenty of fuel for their arguments."
Duh. It's pretty obvious to anyone who isn't a politician or an innumerate that ethanol is a mediocre (at best) fuel, and edible grains are a suboptimal feedstock.
The only thing ethanol has going for it is that it looks great when compared to hydrogen (the perfect fuel for people who can freely spend other people's money).
There are at least two superior alternatives to ethanol: electricity (from increasingly cost-effective PV) and biodeisel (from non-edible oils). We should be ramping up on both of those as quickly as practical.
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Arthur 3:11AM (9/01/2008)
the problem with biofuel is that plants are great at making starch and cellulose but lousy at making oils. The problem with solar panels is that they're really expensive and even the most effecient panels are no where near as effecient as plants and trees are at converting sunlight to energy and storing the energy better than an man made battery. Ethanol is solar power just converted by plants instead of panels and stores by biological cells structures instead of battery cells.
MBM 11:02AM (8/27/2008)
Small engines such as found on lawnmowers can hardly be expected to sport the kinds of sophisticated engine management systems that allow automobiles to adjust their operating parameters for varying amounts of ethanol in current fuels. Oh they could do it, for many hundreds of dollars more, at least, but how many want to shell out a couple thousand bucks for an ordinary lawnmower? A computer controlled fuel-injected lawnmower sounds all crunchy green I suppose but the literal price to be paid would be wildly more than warranted--to put it mildly.
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jpm100 11:04AM (8/27/2008)
I see two general problems being confounded here
1) The problems caused by the increased use of E10 as replacement for MTBE.
- This is not a biofuel initiative. This is "other than C02" emissions quality initiative. MTBE pollutes groundwater. So we're all going be switching to E10 unless we drop the emissions driven requirement all together.
2) The problems caused by people putting E85 in a non-E85 capable vehicle.
I don't see any problems here caused by E85 being used in a E85 "Flexfuel Marked" vehicle.
What I do see is legacy engines having issues with E10 being required universally in a City or State. Primarily Two-stroke engines seem to have the problems. If States want to relent and allow non-E10 fuel to be made available for those small engine users, that wouldn't bother me.
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Pditty 11:44AM (8/27/2008)
E10 is simply destroying my fleet of small rowing coaching boats. We've been through 4 carbs on 6 motors this month WITH fuel filters and water separators.
It does a few things, in some cases is dissolves crud in lines and tanks and redeposits is in engines.
In most cases, it carries water with its (the ethanol does) and causes problems.
In our case, it's eating up the inside of the carb itself and that is clogging the carb with metal bits.
For a few unlucky people with fiberglass tanks, it's dissolving the resin and gumming up motors. Then you get to cut a hole in the side of the boat, remove the fiberglass tank, replace it with a (small because it isn't molded) metal tank, reseal and repaint your hull, and repair your engines.
Woohoo!
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paulo leme 2:20PM (8/27/2008)
You guys are misleading
the ethanol is great
if you doubt
ask to the brazilians
that use extensively alchool (ethanol) in theirs cars
absolutely - the mileage is worst
but is cleaner and delivery more power and response
well, remains the fact
that get ethanol from corn does not make any sense
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jim 2:54PM (8/27/2008)
Small engines are an entirely different beast than a car engine. Up until the last few years a significant amount of the cooling and some of the lubrication (even in 4 strokes), came from unburned gasoline. This is the basis for the CARB claims that running a lawn mower for a hour produced more pollution than running a car for a week.
The carburetors are very simple and clog easily and any moisture that found its way into the gas due to the alcohol would contribute to the clogging.
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MikeW 4:57PM (8/27/2008)
Gasoline grades, nationwide, should be 87AKI, no ethanol
90AKI 5% ethanol
93AKI 10% ethanol
This solves small engine ethanol compatibility.
This solves the MTBE problem, without jacking the price of gasoline into space.
This solves the low octane rating of US gasoline
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HoosierRon 6:20PM (8/27/2008)
If (as the article points out) "most" gasoline sold in the U.S. is blended with up to 10% ethanol, perhaps engine manufacturers should consider designing products compatible with the nation's fuel supply rather than sounding like Gomer Pyle and complaining that the carburetor on their 2 stroke engines is getting gummed up.
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Nobody Special 9:07AM (8/28/2008)
Uh,,,,,,Ag/Seed/Petro/Fertilizer/Herbicide/Conglomerates like it, make more money, laugh way to bank.........'everything will be fine'....
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motorman 11:22AM (8/28/2008)
maybe that is why my 35 year old power mower gave up the ghost this week.
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Uncle B 9:02PM (9/27/2008)
Tender spot hurting a lot? Other side too? bruises on your face and body throbbing? Is that blood running out your nose, skirt above your head in the wind, panties torn and soiled, titties swelling and turning blue by the minute, lost on the roadside, hoping not to die? Did you recognize the tail lights of the limo that threw you off? Was it the same limo that picked you up at election time, promising a good decent clean ride? Will you ever learn? Last time these guys did this to you, your babies were killed in Iraq and your retirement fund spent to do it, your taxes went up, you did not get destroyed by the weapons of mass destruction, they were never found. Poor little America. Our heart-felt prayers from Canada go out to you!
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Matthew 4:15PM (4/14/2009)
Hello
I have a 93 nissan altima it does not run on the 10% ethanol fuel, causes my car to stall and fuel pump failure,
I recently had the car converted to use E-85, and it runs on the crap now, but I am getting lower gas mileage then straight gas
Im just curious if im using more gas am I releasing more co2? I get 32 mpg, before ethanol I got 40.
take care
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