E10 fuel what is the fuss about?

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clive
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E10 fuel what is the fuss about?

Post by clive »

E10 fuel contains more ethanol so what should i be worried about come September. I remember lead in fuel being removed and a huge fuss about having special valve seats fitted and a magic item appeared you put in the tank (although they were unable to explain the science). I ignored it all and with both iron head and ally head singles suffered no apparent valve recession over many thousands of miles. Just possible the valve seat rotating on both heads of my G11CS was related. But i think it more likely its because the engine runs rather hot, anyway a repair on both by an engineering friend has held despite continued use of unleaded.
So what is the anxiety E10 may do to my engines? I could splash out on higher octane E5 but on a very worn 350 single engine will it really be necessary? I might upgrade grudgingly on the CS.
Anyone in the fuel business actually know?
( the gov.uk E10 fuel checker simply says don't use it in historic vehicles)
clive
if it ain't broke don't fix
Greybeard
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Re: E10 fuel what is the fuss about?

Post by Greybeard »

clive wrote: Tue Aug 10, 2021 11:23 am ( the gov.uk E10 fuel checker simply says don't use it in historic vehicles)
Being a cynic when it comes to anything at all being put out by the Gov, could it be simply a way of getting a bit more duty out of the historic stuff in the absence of free road tax ? :roll:

My wife read the other day that lawn mowers wont run on E10. Fortunately my 30 odd year old Hayter doesnt read gardening mags. Ive never had any problems using E5 so I doubt if E10 will make much difference. If it does, Ill fix it and move on.

Steve

(Shall we have a bet on how many inconclusive pages this thread will run to? :D )
SPRIDDLER
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Re: E10 fuel what is the fuss about?

Post by SPRIDDLER »

All I did some months after E5 was introduced was to change to 'ethanol proof' petrol pipes as I was about to change the decades old ones anyway.
I have felt that the carb seems to gum up a bit (especially the pilot jet) more than with leaded if unused for several weeks and the petrol evaporates but it may just be my imagination. Stale ethanol petrol smells pretty awful though. In the shed in winter I occasionally took off the petrol tank cap for a sniff of fine weather riding days.
Maybe it's that modern engines aren't affected because they're used regularly and have high pressure fuel injection systems instead of an atmospheric
carb and jets.
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g80csp11
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Re: E10 fuel what is the fuss about?

Post by g80csp11 »

Higher ethanol fuel may give more valve recession , but that really depends on the rating of the engine and the material the valve seat and valve are made of. Personally ive always used standard pump grade fuel with ethanol upto 5% (E5) without any modification to the engine or timing without any problems
Ive run prototype engines with 27% ethanol (E27) and yes did have problems with recession but the performance was much higher than a 350 Matchless gives

For now i will continue with fuel at upto 10% (E10) and monitor the valve recession (tappet clearance) if that does not change then its not a problem
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Re: E10 fuel what is the fuss about?

Post by Mick D »

clive wrote: Tue Aug 10, 2021 11:23 am E10 fuel contains more ethanol so what should i be worried about come September.
Hi

I wouldn't worry at all about the engine unless it starts to pink, in which case look to the timing or carburation.

I would worry about the effect of E10 on the longevity of any fuel tank sealant, pipelines / seals and paintwork.

Regards Mick
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Harry44
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Re: E10 fuel what is the fuss about?

Post by Harry44 »

Ethanol attracts water. It actually forms a solution a bit like dissolving salt. This solution is more dense than petrol so will settle in the bottom of the fuel tank. Sounds like recipe for corrosion to me. It also goes stale far more quickly than good old petrol, if I don't ride mine for a long while I drain off the old fuel and stick it in the car, cos that'll run on any rubbish. Then fill the bike from a Jerry can.

Cheers Harry
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spookefoote1956
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Re: E10 fuel what is the fuss about?

Post by spookefoote1956 »

I use a product made by Lucas. Seems to work ok
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dave16mct
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Re: E10 fuel what is the fuss about?

Post by dave16mct »

Is it a light bulb?
Dave
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Re: E10 fuel what is the fuss about?

Post by Group Leader »

I believe that the higher ethanol content will also be more reactive with brass/copper/lead/tin components so watch out for those soldered up carb floats too.

As (in my part of the world) Esso Supreme Super unleaded or whatever it is called has 0% Ethanol and bearing in mind the pathetically small amount of petrol that goes in my old bikes I'm just using that and I'll just take the increased cost of my extravagance "on the chin".

Alan
1953 AJS 16MS, 1939 BSA 250 and a 1/3 scale Sopwith Triplane but that's another story ..... :lol:
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Re: E10 fuel what is the fuss about?

Post by mjf65 »

As a novice to AJS ownership but old enough to have used 4 star (five star had been phased out when I started riding) what star (octane) rating were our bikes originally designed to run? Would I be right in saying super unleaded being higher octane will burn quicker and could this be a problem? I've been using Shell standard unleaded for the last 2000 mikes(two years) and fingers crossed all seems well.
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