Well ethanol is in no way increased fuel versatility any more than High Fructose corn Syrup is in anyway good for it. The switch to E10 is 100% for Political and Financial reasons.
First problem is less energy so lower economy IE you don't save any foreign oil since you now need to buy more oil even if just a little bit.
Second PRODUCING ethanol massively and I mean REALLY massively taxes another scarce resource even more valuable than gasoline. Fresh Water. It really does take INSANE quantities of fresh water to make ethanol.
I would have to reconfirm this but I read about a plant wanting to set up production outside of Orlando Florida and for large scale operation they have to submit a proposal for how much WATER they are going to need.
they submitted a request for more water for this one plant than the ENTIRE CITY OF ORLANDO currently uses.
While not the story I am talking about its about the same issue
Ethanol Production May Consume Too Much Water - from Florida Trend, Florida's Source For Business News
NOW as to it being mechanical. PLEASE enlighten me. I KEEP hoping its mechanical I REALLY do
you see if its mechanical that means my problems GO AWAY with the simple replacement of a component.
But I have replaced EVERYTHING I can think of. I soent some $400 on the voyager replacing every damned elctro/mechnical thing I could THINK OF that would have any impact on fuel economy. New sensors new filters new exhaust you name it.
This also ignores the ACTUAL experiences I had with the vehicles as the switch to ethanol was happening here in NJ. my MPG always 100% of the time returned to normal when I avoided ethanol. Can you explain that mechanically?
My MPG levels returned to normal when I used old pre ethanol gas. Can you explain that mechanically.
all 8 Vehicles I have access to have lost similar fuel economy levels. Can you explain that mechanically.
Could my good readings at non ethanol stations during the switch and with old gas be flukes? why sure they could. but what do you think the probability of that is? I would think it would be pretty damned low.
What about all 8 vehicles having the same problem? what could cause that? what one components or one set of components across 8 vehicles ranging from 1988 vehicles to 1998 vehicles would all cause the same problems?
I AM ABSOLUTELY WILLING TO ENTERTAIN MECHNICALS BEING THE PROBLEM.
Just tell me what mechanicals to check? Since I did the most work and the most miles on the 92 Club and the 88 cherokee I will limit this to those vehicles (I am not rich so there has to be limits) if something HELPS one of those I will try it on the others.
88 Jeep Brand new cat and brand new exhaust from cat back.
92 Club Brand new cat and exhaust from the cat back
Both vehicles have brand new O2 sensors and the jeep has a brand new MAF sensor (I think thats what it was)
PCV and EGR equivs all tested good.
new plugs wires cap rotor in both vehicles. (the 92 wa a ***** to do!)
No temp problems no running problems. no noises knocks pings. both are low miles now. the van is 180k or so the jeep is 121k on the new engine (485k on the old engine)
The new engine was FLAWLESS in the old jeep it came from drove it for 2 years. when I swaped it over I replaced literally EVERYTHING except the head gasket. all new everything. timing chain and sprocket all new gaskets I scrubbed and cleaned valve cover and oil pan. No blow by. purrs like a kitten as most well cared for I6's doo.
92 van runs good and strong no issues.
both have no alts and new water pumps (the van needed a timing chain cover so I replaced everything in there while I had it apart) when I swapped the jeep engine I took no chances replaced everything that was cheap (most parts for the I6 are very cheap)
both vehicles also required there fuel pumps to be changes since ethanol introduction (this could be a coincidence but 7 of our 8 vehicles have needed new fuel pumps since ethanol. NEVER ONCE before ethanol. while not conclusive it sure does make one go hmmm and 6 of the 8 have needed O2 sensors a 7th might need one) so far all the REPLACEMENT fuel pumps and o2 sensors are holding up. I am wondering if the replacements are more tolerant ??
Compression good on all vehicles. all well within spec (upper 90% for the jeep 85%+ for the club) all cylinders within 5% of each other.
neither eats oil no burn or odd discolorations. Spark plugs are colored well no fouling or fuel air issue apparent from that angle.
both got NORMAL MPG's after all this work (before ethanol)
The first "change" in mpg of more than 2mpg was the introduction of ethanol. during the previous YEAR of driving my mpg values did not waiver by more than 2mpg "except" when I went to the mountains. while the 31" tires give me an mpg boost at home they MURDER me in the mountains :-)
What kind of vehicles are you driving? I HAVE noticed that newer cars do not seem to be bothered so much by ethanol at least not enough for the owners to notice. Most people don't even monitor this stuff so even if you cut 20% off there economy they would never know it or be able to calculate anything about it.
also not many people drive a very consistent 500-600 miles a week. I can go through an entire tank of gas in 3-4 days sometimes.
SO what else do you want to know? What else do you want me to check?
You tell me what you want to know or what you want me to check and if its within my means I WILL DO IT.
If its not ethanol GREAT then help me figure out what IS causing my issues.
either way I just want to KNOW so I can put it asside and worry about other things.
To give you some insight as to why this is so important to me lets assuming 2.10 per gallon just for a side by side comparison.
The Jeep should require roughly $3500 in gasoline a year (I average close to 40,000 miles a year or MORE although it is split among at least 2 vehicles but for math's sake lets pretend I just drive the jeep since it has the best mpg)
At its CURRENT fuel economy it will require $4666 worth of gasoline.
That means Ethanol or Mechnical I am now spending $1166 MORE DOLLARS per year in gasoline.
I do not give 2 ****s where the problem is coming from that is NOT acceptable. I could almost buy another nice Cherokee every year for that price.
I hope you understand now why this is such a big issue to me. Why I have poured so much damned money into repairing these vehicles TRYING to nail down where my losses are coming from.
If it was ONLY my cars and the rest of my cars and my families cars did not also see these drops I might consider simply REPLACING a car with another. but I could only afford another car from the SAME ERA and all data I have right now says I will have the same damned problem. I am not willing to spend thousands of dollars to "find out" and hope for the best.
Suggestions?