I never thought very much about ethanol in gasoline until I started messing with old dirt bikes again.
Two of my bikes run poorly on E10 (10 percent ethanol), and I blame the alcohol for making the rubber seals in the tank petcocks so hard they’ll barely turn. My lawn mower, my generator, my truck and a small 100cc bike I also own all seem to run okay on E10, but I’m still not nuts about burning it. I can’t help but think that my two bikes are like the proverbial canaries in the coal mine, foretelling the problems that ethanol can cause in old vehicles.
The EPA last week cleared E15 for use in 2007 and newer vehicles only, but if it becomes available in my neck of the woods, I won’t be using it in the 2010 model-year car I recently purchased.
The government and Big Corn say that 2007-newer vehicles will run fine on E15, but my car’s owner’s manual says E10 is the limit. E15 is supposed to be dispensed at separate, clearly marked pumps the way E85 is sold, so I should be able to avoid it.
Anyway, if you find yourself similarly concerned about using ethanol blended gasoline in small engines, recreational and or older vehicles, head over to Pure-gas.org and search for a service station in your area that sells non-blended fuels.
I found three places to buy high-octane non-blended fuel within easy driving distance. Depending on where you live, it might be illegal to pump non-blended gas directly into a road-going vehicle or a boat, so bring approved fuel cans just to be sure.