[Healeys] gas/alcohol

[Bob Spidell]

"Ethanol boosts the octane number of fuel, which helps prevent 
pre-ignition knock. Incidentally, the octane rating system for fuels was 
originally developed by Penn State chemist Russell Marker in the 1920s. 
The octane rating (Anti-Knock Index, AKI) of normal unleaded gasoline in 
the United States is 87. The octane rating of pure ethanol is 100. 
What's interesting is that when ethanol is blended with gasoline, it 
performs as if its octane rating is 112, making ethanol a very effective 
octane booster when used in gasoline. High octane is one reason why 
NASCAR uses ethanol for their high-compression racing engines. Engines 
that are designed and optimized for ethanol fuel have the potential to 
run at higher efficiencies than engines designed for and using gasoline."

https://extension.psu.edu/fuel-ethanol-hero-or-villain

On 9/2/2024 10:19 AM, Hank Leach wrote:
> Ethanol will not raise the octane level of fuel-only the "tanes" shown 
> on the chart affect boost and the higher the tane the more expensive 
> the fuel.
> If you procure fuel from an airport spout for road use there is a 
> hefty fine (about $50K I think) and maybe jail time,  so they won't 
> sell you any.  If clear gas (no eth) is not available you are stuck 
> with ethanol. Hank
>
> --------------------
>
> From: "Bob Spidell via Healeys" <healeys at autox.team.net>
> Reply-To: "Bob Spidell" <bspidell at comcast.net>
> To: <healeys at autox.team.net>
> Sent: September 2, 2024 at 10:02 AM PDT
> Subject: Re: [Healeys] gas/alcohol
> Living in California, I have been running 'gasahol' in all my cars 
> longer than some. Best we can usually get is 91-octane; I was able to 
> buy higher-octane--93 and 100--fuel at times but, guess what: the 
> octane was boosted with ethanol (added water to some and measured 
> before and after; don't recall the exact mix but IIRC I figured it was 
> 10% ethanol; standard from the pump seems to be about 8%).
>
> I have about 140K miles on my BJ8 running mostly 91-octane gasahol, 
> and there have been no negative effects save some 'vapor lock*' on 
> starting when hot. I replaced the hard line to carburettor flex line 
> that had been on the car for a couple decades and, except for it being 
> a little stiff there was no visible degradation. About 8 years ago I 
> put a new carb jet in pure/denatured ethanol and there is also no 
> visible degradation. Rubber components sold since the introduction of 
> gasahol are impervious to the stuff. Theoretically, due to its oxygen 
> content gasahol could cause an engine to run a little lean, and at 
> least one knowledgeable person recommends changing to rich carb 
> needles, but both my cars have long since been tuned to run on it with 
> std. needles. The BJ8 was rebuilt to standard 9.1:1 compression ratio, 
> the BN2 is a 100M and has the 'high compression' 8.7:1 pistons. I've 
> been told Healeys will run fine on 91 up to about 11:1 compression, 
> depending on the cam and timing.
>
> Good luck trying to 'steal' from an airport--when I owned airplanes I 
> would occasionally get some--but the fuel providers aren't likely to 
> be enthusiastic about selling it to you. Technically, you would owe 
> 'road tax,' and the stuff is full of TEL and highly toxic (don't 
> breathe any of it and don't let it get on your skin).
>
> * not technically 'vapor lock,' but the alcohol vaporizes and 
> cavitates the fuel next to the exhaust manifold, causing some 
> stumbling for a mile or so.
>
> Bob
>
> On 9/2/2024 7:45 AM, carl and gerry rubino via Healeys wrote:
>
>     A message from Canada. For the last 30 years I have been running
>     my 100/6 on 93 gas with no alcohol.
>     In its infinite wisdom our government is going to legislate
>     alcohol in all grades of gas.
>     Other than stealing gas from an airport any recommendations to
>     deal with this?
>
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