Okay, a random question if I may?
I'm toying with the idea of getting an American classic from the 70' or 80's, here in the UK they are just about to bring in E10 petrol, how do older American cars stand up to this stuff? I know many older British cars can't take it but I miss my Yank-tanks. Advice or suggestions appreciated
The E10 fuel tends to disintegrate rubber based parts in the fuel system. The alcohol attracts water also. Carburetors should be rebuilt using the new greenViton seals and o-rings to last.
Fuel stabilizers are a good idea for anything where the gas will be sitting for long periods - i.e. lawn mowers, motorcycles in the winter, classic cars. It's even more important for ethanol containing fuel.
I've read it can block fuel filters, make fuel lines rot, loads of horror stories, but you've been living with this stuff over there a while so I thought I'd try and pick your brains
As other have said, ethanol tends to eat rubber and cause premature wear of your rings. If your classic is carbuerated, do as @Doc suggested and rebuild it with the correct, newer rings that can handle ethanol. I have to say that I haven't really seen fuel filters being killed by ethanol at any faster rate than normal, but that's just my experience.
Whatever you do, stay away from E85.
Luckily there doesn't seem to be a chance of E85 here, they sneaked in E10 under cover of Covid, our politicians are *******s
Can you buy fuel at a small airport?
you may still be able to get the good stuff there
BTW down here in Florida we can still get non-ethanol fuel as the E- crap plays havoc with outboard motors
It will mostly hurt your wallet by increasing the price of fuel. What is the price of petrol there?
Petrol at the moment is around £6.00 a gallon, we get bled something rotten by our government. It would only be a weekend car so it's not as important as if it's a daily driver
Oh my. That is worse than I thought.
To run an older car when e10 comes online it will cost more, I'm thinking of starting a crowd funding page for a tank of petrol/gas LOL
From the UK Esso website:
Esso super unleaded petrol (Synergy Supreme+ Unleaded 97 and Synergy Supreme+ 99 ) is ethanol free (Except in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland). We would therefore advise anyone who has concerns about the presence of ethanol in petrol to use Synergy Supreme+ – providing they do not fill up in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland. The European standard BS EN228 covers the requirements for 0-5% ethanol unleaded petrol, the labelling requirement for zero % ethanol is E5 (as is up to 5%), a E0 label doesn’t exist.
I wouldn't touch the E10, not even in my daily driver. Never had any problems leaving Esso in over winter either.
There's no Esso station near, this is a really rural area, our 3 petrol stations (within about a 30-mile radius) don't sell super unleaded so it would be E10 - which my 1998 Rover can't run on, or sell or scrap it. I'm trying to sell it to raise the money for a diesel car. I'll miss my old car and an American classic looks to be out now, so I'll aim for a Chrysler 300. I know many people don't like them but I've had 2 diesels and a HEMI and always liked them and not had problems with them