<VV> RE: Ethanol?

[FrankCB at aol.com]

Dennis,
       Modern cars have a feedback mechanism in the O2 sensor that can 
enrichen the A/F ratio to compensate for alcohol's lower energy content compared to 
gasoline.  But our stock Corvairs don't have that so using Gasohol (E-10) will 
make the Corvair engine run leaner than it does on straight gasoline.
       Frank Burkhard

In a message dated 6/19/05 9:37:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
dixiehwy25 at yahoo.com writes:

> When I first got my 1994 Z28 (10:1 C.R.) in late 1997, I used to use Super 
> America/Marathon 92 (later upped to 93) with the ethanol booster in it 
> frequently. I quit using it when I filled up with it once and lost about 4 MPG in 
> my usual driving. After a lot of thought, I deduced that ethanol gas has a 
> higher evaporation rate to it (or maybe it can "leak" out of a closed fuel 
> system?). Couldn't hold a candle to Chevron 93 for economy or power anyway. The 
> Chevron has been tops with me ever since. My '66 Corsa got a steady diet of it- 
> if I bought other brands it was BP, Shell, or any other fuel I knew was 
> "pure" gasolene here in KY.
> 
> Now I have a fleet car for a daily driver and am not so picky, but it still 
> gets the "pure" gas much more than the ethanol stuff. The difference between 
> ethanol  and "pure" is not all that much and on a long trip I'll use ethanol 
> as I'll be using it up rapidly. I'm driving the fleet car 200+ miles daily 
> during the week and 400-500 on weekend work days, so that's why it gets more 
> ethanol. I don't have to consider the perceived evaporation...
> 
> But in a Corvair, I'd go with pure, because in my experience it is, quite 
> frankly, the best.
> 
> "Every time a man gets in his car it should be a vacation"- Harley Earl
> 
> Dennis Nichols   CORSA, CKC
>