Fuels, additives and Ethanol

[paul wilks]

Hello,

I know that the subject of fuels and additives has been aired many times before. I use an additive for unleaded petrol produced by Castol but yesterday I received this email from Frost Autos. Anyone any thoughts on their claims and assertions re fuels please? Apart from allowing petrol to stand in tanks for too long (as I did!) has anyone had experience re detrimental effect of ethanol please?

"The Frost team are very happy to introduce a brand new product to you which is exclusive to us; it will solve many problems you may have with Ethanol. Indeed, petrol containing ethanol is potentially harmful to the fuel systems of the majority of vehicles operated by FBHVC members (Generally vehicles built after 1996 have been designed with Biofuels in mind, but earlier cars and engines with carburettors are going to need help). The dangers of corrosion and degradation of materials used in the fuel systems of historic vehicles have been highlighted by the CONCAWE organisation. There are no benefits to FBHVC members from the inclusion of ethanol in petrol, and in general, the higher the ethanol content the greater the concerns”. (see FBHVC website).

"Ethomix additive prevents corrosion in the fuel system and internal engine components and neutralizes any acid formation. Essential for nearly all pre 1996 engines"

Thanks

Paul

[Keith Andrews]

Read that very carefully
"many problems you may have " " may " ?
"potentially harmful to the fuel systems" "potentially" ?
OH well that gets them over the technical legal requirents for product claims.
"the higher the ethanol content the greater the concerns”.
Change seals, jets (huge jets) timing etc and damn near any car will run very well on 99% ethanol....trouble is you have a huge increase in power but real crap economy...tank range.
Ethanol blends may effect SOME ORGINAL fuel rubbers and seals in hoses and fuel pumps etc.
On the other hand most new vintage parts make use of modern technology....bushes, specs for modern fuel hose ad even remanufacture of fule pump diapgams....also because the orginal compounds / raw materials no longer exist.

The issue with methanol is the specfic gravity....it is higher than non ethanol fuels (note modern unleaded is higher than the old leaded to) this means there is less energy (BTU) per volume but more per weight (mass)....which generally requires slightly larger jetting.

Keep in mind the biggest scam in $ value of the 29th century...the world wide monopoly of lead additive in fuels around the late 1930s/ 40s....before then there was no lead...was orginally added for the superchargers in the spitefires.
And Post lead..all those 'lead' compensating additives for 'old ' vechiles....once again the real issue was/is the solvents used to increase the octanes without lead attacking old rubber hoses , fuel pump and carb gaskets/seals.
AND changing jets...often mooted by patch fixing by changing (advancing) the timing to compensate for the slower burn and leaner mixture due to the higher SG.
And even now there are so called additives for unleaded cars ...who in there day leaded gas did not exist at all....the change betwen then and now is the octane...change of solvents, (the lead yrs mean nothing.)