Non Ethonol gas - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

cliff · 12-21-2018, 10:54 AM

Hi all. Has anyone had any experience using non ethanol [alcohol free] gas? Wondering if there are pros and cons of using this. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Tcoat · 12-21-2018, 11:16 AM

Well with pure gas you have a higher risk of fuel line freeze up if you get even a little moisture in the tank. Not sure that is relevant for you though.

extrashaky · 12-21-2018, 11:20 AM

Waste of effort if you have to go out of your way for it at all. It doesn't really do anything for you, except that it may quiet crickets, not because of the lack of ethanol but because of the difference in the additive packages and blends. When I tried it to get rid of crickets it either made no difference or made the crickets louder, depending on the station. I have had much better luck using gas with 10% ethanol from brands whose additive packages aren't as noisy in my fuel pump.

Additionally, the Top Tier standard includes a requirement that the fuel have 8% to 11% ethanol as a cleaning agent (nominally 10%). If you buy ethanol-free gas, it's not Top Tier gas. That may mean nothing at all if the gas is fresh. Or it may mean that the gas is crap because it not only doesn't meet the ethanol standard, but also doesn't meet other parts of the Top Tier standard.

You will go slightly farther per gallon on ethanol-free. But you'll pay more for it, so you don't save any money and probably end up paying more overall.

cliff · 12-21-2018, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Well with pure gas you have a higher risk of fuel line freeze up if you get even a little moisture in the tank. Not sure that is relevant for you though.

Thanks, freezing would not be a problem as I live in south Florida/

cliff · 12-21-2018, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by extrashaky

Waste of effort if you have to go out of your way for it at all. It doesn't really do anything for you, except that it may quiet crickets, not because of the lack of ethanol but because of the difference in the additive packages and blends. When I tried it to get rid of crickets it either made no difference or made the crickets louder, depending on the station. I have had much better luck using gas with 10% ethanol from brands whose additive packages aren't as noisy in my fuel pump.

Additionally, the Top Tier standard includes a requirement that the fuel have 8% to 11% ethanol as a cleaning agent (nominally 10%). If you buy ethanol-free gas, it's not Top Tier gas. That may mean nothing at all if the gas is fresh. Or it may mean that the gas is crap because it not only doesn't meet the ethanol standard, but also doesn't meet other parts of the Top Tier standard.

You will go slightly farther per gallon on ethanol-free. But you'll pay more for it, so you don't save any money and probably end up paying more overall.

Thanks for this info. I have a station right down the street that caters to power boaters.

Sapphireho · 12-21-2018, 11:27 AM

The only ethanol free gas I know of in California is the gas you can buy by the gallon for about $10/gal at the lawnmower shop. I guess it is better for storage?

Funny how every time I have been in Boise I see several stations that have signs boasting that they have ethanol free premium gas available?

Tcoat · 12-21-2018, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliff

Thanks for this info. I have a station right down the street that caters to power boaters.

It works much better for carbureted vehicles so some older boats and cars can take better advantage of it. Almost meaningless in injected cars.

Tcoat · 12-21-2018, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

The only ethanol free gas I know of in California is the gas you can buy by the gallon for about $10/gal at the lawnmower shop. I guess it is better for storage?

Funny how every time I have been in Boise I see several stations that have signs boasting that they have ethanol free premium gas available?

That is because the stations still have tanks that were filled in 1972. 'Cuz Boise.

Sapphireho · 12-21-2018, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tcoat

It works much better for carbureted vehicles...

This makes sense. For storage of such vehicles too.

gravitylover · 12-21-2018, 12:42 PM

It's not usually the first tank that makes the difference for me but the second usually does. I get slightly better mpg and the crickets go away.

alphasaur · 12-21-2018, 02:08 PM

Pros Pure ethanol has an effective octane of 160 in direct injection engines and it's great at keeping things clean.

Cons? There is debate as to oil dilution, but I haven't seen much evidence to suggest that it great reduces oil life for e85 let alone e10.

In older cars I suppose it can wreak havok on older fuel lines and cause issues with maintaining a proper AFR.

bee-jay · 12-21-2018, 02:29 PM

read up and decide yourself.
personally I hate it. evaporation, poor economy, lots of reasons not even getting into the political subsidies.

My brother owns a store that sells non ethanol and does quite a business. yay.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/t...l-in-your-gas/

Tcoat · 12-21-2018, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bee-jay

read up and decide yourself.
personally I hate it. evaporation, poor economy, lots of reasons not even getting into the political subsidies.

My brother owns a store that sells non ethanol and does quite a business. yay.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/t...l-in-your-gas/

At 10% all those "issues" are so minor as to have zero impact in normal driving.

ermax · 12-21-2018, 03:35 PM

Ethanol absorbs water which is bad for engines. This isn't really an issue if the car is driven a reasonable amount. It's only really a problem on lawn equipment where you put stuff up for the winter or in a boat where you put 300 gallons in it just before the end of the summer and then it sits all winter. Most marinas sell ethanol free so that shouldn't be much of a problem. Where I live in Florida we have ethanol free all over the place (because it's a boating community) but they are all like 87 octane which wouldn't work well in the Twins.

If anything I would go the opposite direction and get E85. Hahaha.

12-21-2018, 10:54 AM	#1
cliff Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Drives: subaru brz Location: Hobe Sound Florida Posts: 64 Thanks: 22 Thanked 12 Times in 9 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Non Ethonol gas Hi all. Has anyone had any experience using non ethanol [alcohol free] gas? Wondering if there are pros and cons of using this. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

12-21-2018, 11:16 AM	#2
Tcoat Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Drives: 2020 Hakone Location: London, Ont Posts: 69,841 Thanks: 61,656 Thanked 108,295 Times in 46,456 Posts Mentioned: 2499 Post(s) Tagged: 50 Thread(s)	Well with pure gas you have a higher risk of fuel line freeze up if you get even a little moisture in the tank. Not sure that is relevant for you though. __________________ Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar, because Racecar.

12-21-2018, 12:42 PM	#10
gravitylover Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Drives: 2013 BRZ Premium 6MT White Location: SE NY Posts: 1,503 Thanks: 1,218 Thanked 669 Times in 474 Posts Mentioned: 7 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	It's not usually the first tank that makes the difference for me but the second usually does. I get slightly better mpg and the crickets go away. __________________

12-21-2018, 02:08 PM	#11
alphasaur friendly Join Date: Oct 2018 Drives: 17' 86 Location: Dutchess County, NY Posts: 734 Thanks: 1,483 Thanked 483 Times in 293 Posts Mentioned: 6 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Pros Pure ethanol has an effective octane of 160 in direct injection engines and it's great at keeping things clean. Cons? There is debate as to oil dilution, but I haven't seen much evidence to suggest that it great reduces oil life for e85 let alone e10. In older cars I suppose it can wreak havok on older fuel lines and cause issues with maintaining a proper AFR. __________________ Seek comfort in discomfort.

12-21-2018, 11:20 AM	#3
extrashaky Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Drives: 2014 BRZ Limited Location: USA Posts: 4,046 Thanks: 1,100 Thanked 5,620 Times in 2,267 Posts Mentioned: 55 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Waste of effort if you have to go out of your way for it at all. It doesn't really do anything for you, except that it may quiet crickets, not because of the lack of ethanol but because of the difference in the additive packages and blends. When I tried it to get rid of crickets it either made no difference or made the crickets louder, depending on the station. I have had much better luck using gas with 10% ethanol from brands whose additive packages aren't as noisy in my fuel pump. Additionally, the Top Tier standard includes a requirement that the fuel have 8% to 11% ethanol as a cleaning agent (nominally 10%). If you buy ethanol-free gas, it's not Top Tier gas. That may mean nothing at all if the gas is fresh. Or it may mean that the gas is crap because it not only doesn't meet the ethanol standard, but also doesn't meet other parts of the Top Tier standard. You will go slightly farther per gallon on ethanol-free. But you'll pay more for it, so you don't save any money and probably end up paying more overall.

12-21-2018, 11:27 AM	#6
Sapphireho Famous Potatoes Join Date: Mar 2016 Drives: '15 ultramarine Location: Idaho Posts: 14,044 Thanks: 5,813 Thanked 19,643 Times in 9,242 Posts Mentioned: 162 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	The only ethanol free gas I know of in California is the gas you can buy by the gallon for about $10/gal at the lawnmower shop. I guess it is better for storage? Funny how every time I have been in Boise I see several stations that have signs boasting that they have ethanol free premium gas available?

12-21-2018, 02:29 PM	#12
bee-jay Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Drives: 2014 BRZ LTD WR Blue Pearl Location: Eastern, PA Posts: 128 Thanks: 4 Thanked 71 Times in 41 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	read up and decide yourself. personally I hate it. evaporation, poor economy, lots of reasons not even getting into the political subsidies. My brother owns a store that sells non ethanol and does quite a business. yay. https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/t...l-in-your-gas/

12-21-2018, 03:35 PM	#14
ermax Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Drives: 2022 BRZ Limited Silver Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 2,533 Thanks: 883 Thanked 2,049 Times in 1,191 Posts Mentioned: 68 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Ethanol absorbs water which is bad for engines. This isn't really an issue if the car is driven a reasonable amount. It's only really a problem on lawn equipment where you put stuff up for the winter or in a boat where you put 300 gallons in it just before the end of the summer and then it sits all winter. Most marinas sell ethanol free so that shouldn't be much of a problem. Where I live in Florida we have ethanol free all over the place (because it's a boating community) but they are all like 87 octane which wouldn't work well in the Twins. If anything I would go the opposite direction and get E85. Hahaha.

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