Many Gas Stations are over 10% Ethanol : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

Bald_Tire · 06-20-2009, 10:38 PM

If an Ethanol thread hasn't been started already. We need to start one here.

In Virginia many gas stations are selling fuel with more than 10% ethanol. The law states "no more than 10%", however, the almighty federal subsidy has created a greedy monster in the form of a Tax Credit. ie: tax credit for selling ethanol.
farm subsidy?

Companies are adding more ethanol to the fuel.
http://www.wavy.com/dpp/mobile/local...laims_20090619

Read some of the comments.

I am wondering how widespread this is, (country wide) and am urging everyone to to an occasional test.

I have ordered a test kit from http://www.fueltestkit.com/

You can also test your fuel by using a 100 ml graduated cylinder for free. Fill 90ml with the fuel you want to test.
Add 10ml of water. 90ml+10ml=100ml.

Put your thumb over the top and shake it up. Wait 15 or so minutes for it to settle, and read the line. Water is heavier than fuel and will combine with the ethanol and sink to the bottom. If your waterline is at the 20ml level, then your fuel is a 10% ethanol fuel. 20-10=10 (the 10% water we added). If it is higher, well, then you know that gas station is selling higher than 10% ethanol.

There have been some stations caught selling 50% ethanol fuels in the Richmond and Hampton Roads area of Virginia. A 50% ethanol fuel would put the waterline at 60ml.

You can buy these graduated 100ml cylinders on ebay for 10 to 15 bucks.

DueceDog · 06-20-2009, 10:59 PM

Hmmmm, wonder if that's what been giving me troubles with my bike since going to New Hampshire??? It seems to be giving the same symptoms that the article mentions.
Oh well, just re-installed the gas tank after removing it and checking the fuel filter, fuel pickup hose, etc.
I hope that was the problem.

Bald_Tire · 06-20-2009, 11:08 PM

Here's a comment from a few hours ago

Quote:

Yesterday our mechanic informed us that we have bad gas and that the ethanol level is 61%. We were shocked because the only indication was the engine light had come on. We were told to bring in the credit card charge slip and that the gas supplier would pay for the repairs. The tank of gas we purchased on June 7 was from the Fast Food Mart on Indian River Road in Chesapeake, VA.

claydbal · 06-21-2009, 10:15 AM

watching this one. is anyone being prosecuted for the added ethanol?

Bald_Tire · 06-21-2009, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by claydbal

watching this one. is anyone being prosecuted for the added ethanol?

I don't know yet. The Agriculture Dept is keeping it hushed. They won't give out the names of the stations. I may try and get the names through the Freedom of Info act.

This is BS. These stations/companies NEED to be exposed.

I am semi retired, and have plenty of time to ride around and collect samples, and I will expose them if I have to.

I'm just wondering how wide spread this is. I would imagine fuel companies in the rest of the country receive the same tax credits. I can't wait to get my testing supplies. I may even take a video camera with Me, record this and post this crap all over Youtube.

tx_shooter · 06-22-2009, 08:28 AM

WOW... I'd like to say I'm suprised that people are cheating other people like this - but I'm not. Thanks for posting the simple way to test the ethanol content of the gas, I'll have to give it a shot.

Around here the biggest problem is lack of high octane gas - you do good for find 91 sometimes, much less 93.

Vern1 · 07-09-2009, 07:24 AM

Greetings,
Thanks for bringing this up.
I went to my favorite station yesterday to fill up and it said "now contains 10% ethanol" so I moved on to another station.
Just what percentage ethanol can an air cooled HD stand?
Will the seals, seats, diaphram and other rubber parts inside the carb live in ethanol?

Thanks again for bringing this up!

Bald_Tire · 07-15-2009, 04:53 PM

The Moco says 10% is ok. I keep a couple of jars in the tour pak. It seems that the last Ag Dept. testing sweep got the stations to stop adding the extra ethanol.

I just tested some 89 octane when I filled up a can for my lawnmower. It tested at 11% ethanol. Valero station Quinton VA.

rbabos · 07-16-2009, 09:33 AM

Once you hit 15% and up, the narrow band sensors on a stock harley cannot adjust correctly. Even the map will need to be richened to eliminate a lean condition that follows an increase of ethenol. More ethenol requires more fuel to maintain the correct afrs. As ethenol amounts in crease and they will, some form of fuel managment will be needed to get around the stock harley setups or they will be unridable. Love to see how the dealers will solve this?

The people with fuel managment can just adjust as needed.
Ron