E10 fuel
- Thread starter ivan
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sdibbers
Well-Known Member
I can tell you from about 9 years of experience with a four cylinder engine in NJ in the US.
It has a few things you want to watch out for:
(1) It absorbs water when left. This can rust tanks. Best practice is to use an additive that stabilizes the fuel. Leave the tank full to minimize water absorption if you plan on leaving it for a while. More fuel means less surface area for water to get in.
(2) It Will attack normal rubber seals etc. the o ring in the reserve tap should be replaced with a viton rubber item to ensure it doesn’t fail. Any old rubber fuel lines should be replaced with a suitable modern ethanol resistant rated item. If you have a mechanical fuel pump keep an eye on the diaphragm as it can fail with exposure (had this happen on my car.
(3) Ethanol lowers the boiling point of fuel. I found my HIF6 carbs with the float chambers in their base would boil on days with temps above 88°f (31°c). It took me weeks to work out the problem. V8’s don’t have the carbs directly above the exhaust manifolds, but be aware of the issue as it can cause an overflow of fuel onto a hot engine.
(4) Ethanol has a lower energy than regular petrol. You may find you want to step up to a slightly richer needle for the same performance.
That about covers it. Once these items are addressed you should be fine.
It has a few things you want to watch out for:
(1) It absorbs water when left. This can rust tanks. Best practice is to use an additive that stabilizes the fuel. Leave the tank full to minimize water absorption if you plan on leaving it for a while. More fuel means less surface area for water to get in.
(2) It Will attack normal rubber seals etc. the o ring in the reserve tap should be replaced with a viton rubber item to ensure it doesn’t fail. Any old rubber fuel lines should be replaced with a suitable modern ethanol resistant rated item. If you have a mechanical fuel pump keep an eye on the diaphragm as it can fail with exposure (had this happen on my car.
(3) Ethanol lowers the boiling point of fuel. I found my HIF6 carbs with the float chambers in their base would boil on days with temps above 88°f (31°c). It took me weeks to work out the problem. V8’s don’t have the carbs directly above the exhaust manifolds, but be aware of the issue as it can cause an overflow of fuel onto a hot engine.
(4) Ethanol has a lower energy than regular petrol. You may find you want to step up to a slightly richer needle for the same performance.
That about covers it. Once these items are addressed you should be fine.
Last edited:
johnsimister
Active Member
Millers VSPe has worked well for me when I've been unable to get super unleaded. Buying six or more bottles at a time on eBay from eg Demon Tweeks seems fairly cost-effective, although it ends up more expensive than using super unleaded without an additive.
Gargo
Active Member
Ivan note that 'J' (I assume) is using E5 when he can, and using additive when it is not readily available.
It is recommended by the HCVA, that we use the Super Unleaded. Personally I can't see the point of trying to use E10 with additives. Essentially, E5 is there to overcome the issues our cars have using a modern ethanol enhanced fuel.
The Federation therefore recommends that all vehicles produced before 2000 and some vehicles from the early 2000s that are considered non-compatible with E10 - should use the Super E5 Protection grade where the Ethanol content is limited to a maximum of 5%. To check compatibility of vehicles produced since 2000, we recommend using the new online E10 compatibility checker: Check if your vehicle can run on E10 petrol .
It should be noted that some Super E5 Protection grade products do not contain Ethanol as the E5 designation is for fuels containing up to 5% Ethanol. Similarly E10 petrol can contain between 5.5% and 10% ethanol by volume. Product availability varies by manufacturer and geographical location and enthusiasts should check the situation in their location.
It should be noted that some Super E5 Protection grade products do not contain Ethanol as the E5 designation is for fuels containing up to 5% Ethanol. Similarly E10 petrol can contain between 5.5% and 10% ethanol by volume. Product availability varies by manufacturer and geographical location and enthusiasts should check the situation in their location.
classicalgreen
Active Member
reply . best avoid E10 altogether. even E5 can have effects such as degradation of fuel lines .some gaskets. even carb parts etc though It has been pointed out that ethanol was used in standard fuels many years ago without issues! Try and check out what garages sell super (E5) premium fuels as these tend to have either zero or up 5% max levels of ethanol. my own v8 runs Ok an E5 though where possible i always use super premium. some garages only have one or 2 pumps for this so before pulling up at pumps it might be worth checking out what pumps are serving what fuels! good luck but dont forget about that fuel reserve valve needing a VITON seal. Cn Abe a real again to change ( see my knuckles and new swear words I never knew I had to use)
sdibbers
Well-Known Member
Its more for use if you plan on laying up the car for a few months. Stab-bil reduces the chances of the ethanol creating gunk and absorbing moisture.
Amazon.co.uk
hershman.uk
New Member
I use Esso E5, as it doesn’t contain any ethanol.
