10% Ethanol Gas

[bordin34]

After I drove my Charger about 100 miles a couple weeks ago I had to get some gas, so I put 6.1 gallons of 10% ethanol gas in the tank. I thought it wouldn't make a difference but wow. The car is near impossible to start after letting it sit a couple days, wont restart warm, even after a twenty minute drive it has to cool down about a half hour, floods much easier, and in general sucks. My car never had these problems before I could drive in 95 degree heat and it would restart no matter what. Is there a solution to this besides buying normal gas. I looked it up and there are no stations that sell real gas in this area.

[RECHRGD]

That's the only stuff available around here also.  I haven't had any of the problems your having though.  Maybe a little power loss, but no real seat of the pants difference.  Bob

[resq302]

Dan,

Where have you been getting gas in NJ for the past 5 years?  Everything around me wise has had the 10% ethanol and like you said, it evaporates faster, runs hotter, and takes longer to start.  Its all crap as far as Im concerned.

[nh_mopar_fan]

That cr@p wreaks havok with boats as well.

[bordin34]

I always filled up at an Exxon in Wyckoff,NJ or one in Allendale,NJ. NJ does not require any labeling about ethanol in gas but I went to a Sunoco to fill it once that had it labeled and the car ran like crap for that tank. So I dont know for sure if the stations I go to have ethanol but my car runs better with their gas.

[Drop Top]

If that's all the gas you can buy its time to do some rejeting and tuning. May have to retard timing and change the plugs to a different heat range. Before doing that you might try a fuel additive.

[TylerCharger69]

I wish they would just make some good ol fashioned red, regular leaded gas just like yesteryear......sigh

[nvrbdn]

remember ethyl??? and not mrs. mertz.lol

[resq302]

Dan, it could be that you found a place that had 15% ethanol instead of the 10%.   I seem to remember something about legislation being passed that would allow them to run 15% ethanol in the pumps.  I was pretty sure NJ had to post that there was a min of a certain amount of ethanol in the gas on the pumps.  I know they had do it for the winter prior to them running that crap in it year round.

[bordin34]

I could have read some old article saying NJ doesnt have to say if the gas has it. The station I went to said contains 10% ethanol and it was in PA.

[ACUDANUT]

 I can't tell a difference either.

[71ChallengeHer]

Dan, There are 3 places around here that I can get gas without Ethanol in it. You might have gotten some bad gas. Or that Sheetz 92 octane runs like crap in my Chally. Try adding some dry gas and some Lucas Oil gas treatment. It should straighten it out.

[elacruze]

This is one reason I'm going to Electronic Engine Management. I'll be touring most of the country, and don't need the aggravation of suffering through bad jetting while going up Pike's Peak or Wolf Creek Pass @ 50*F or being forced to use Corn Gas in Nebraska.
With a wide-band O2 sensor I shouldn't have to change anything manually, but if i do I can do it from inside the car with the laptop.

[bordin34]

Isn't dry gas just alcohol which I dont want? I might just buy a couple gallons of Cam2 racing gas and see if that helps.

[resq302]

Dan, whatever you do, don't get the gas at the Cam 2 gas station in Butler on route 23.  They are ripping people off and have been reported to nj dept of weights and measures.  I got my 5 gal gas can filled there a couple years ago and fought with them over how I could fit 6 1/2 gals of gas into a 5 gal can.  Police were called and everything.  It wasn't pretty.

[Wicked72]

You can find some really nice leaded gas at a small airport. I live in md and I just fill my cans up at the baybridge airport, its about 100 to 103 octane from what Ive been told, and my cars and hovercraft love it! And it smells amazing!

[71ChallengeHer]

Isn't dry gas just alcohol which I dont want? I might just buy a couple gallons of Cam2 racing gas and see if that helps.

Dan, If the gas has any water in it , you need some dry gas. And the Lucas Oil gas treatment works great. That's what straightened my Challenger out after the 92 octane crap I had to put in. My car did the same thing, hard to start ran like crap. This is what I did and it worked.  I add the Lucas Oil gas treatment everytime I fill the Challenger up. 

[b5blue]

I think there is a built in issue, compression ratio and octane. It's covered in the B RB engine book from Mopar. Ethanol lowers octane and that requires lower compression on older non computer controlled injected engines or reducing timing. (That in turn reduces power) I limited my 440 build to 9.5 to 1 to deal with it as I saw Ethanol popping up in all gas pumps around me in Florida. With iron heads (346's) I can run 89 octane mid grade (I'm not certain of % mix of Ethanol) with no problems at all, I did have a light ping at 3/4 throttle going to WFO but getting my ignition tweaked by adding an FBO A688 kit with a dist. set up for my cam and compression by them cleared that up nicely. Setting initial @ 14* it was hard starting (XR5 NGK plugs gaped @.040) until I remembered to hook up the vacuum advance to full manifold vacuum. (Not the ported one on the center carb.) It then came alive idle raised and starts instantly and I could actually feel idle and cruise get stronger. My mileage per gallon is way up, how far I'm not sure, I did my normal weeks worth of driving and pulled in to get my normal weeks ration of gas then realized I didn't need it! I'm a bit stunned the difference that vacuum advance made, it made all my other work on the six pack and ignition (like adding Ron's Firecore wires and his recommended XR5's) really come together. I think adjusting dist. advance amounts and rate, along with that darn vacuum advance and getting your ignition in top condition would help you guys a lot. My build was considered a "low power" build by my machine shop/engine builder with a Mopar 268/284 cam and stock heads but for a daily driver I have plenty of power and good road manners in traffic.  

[TylerCharger69]

I try to run VP fuel  (green)  every chance I get with an additive.....Car runs awesome on that stuff

[nh_mopar_fan]

Ethanol absorbs water. That's why it's wreaking havok in boats as I mentioned.

Startron.

[bordin34]

Thanks, I wont be getting gas on 23 its pretty far from here, I'm near Scranton. Up here there is a station that sells Cam2 and a small airport about equal distance from me.

[UFO]

I have used that stuff(can't remember if it's 10 or 15% eth) in my new(2010) vehicle then for a test I ran the next grade up with no ethanol.
What a difference- run's quieter, starts faster ,better mileage.
According to the owners manual I can run the 15% stuff,but I think I will just use that for the lawn mower.

[resq302]

Thanks, I wont be getting gas on 23 its pretty far from here, I'm near Scranton. Up here there is a station that sells Cam2 and a small airport about equal distance from me.

I was just giving you a heads up if you brought the charger up on Sat for the bbq.  Didn't want to see any members here get screwed by that place.

[golden_commando]

Be happy, here in Brazil is 25% of ethanol in gas and yes it is a shit compared with the REAL gas

[oldcarnut]

I have used that stuff(can't remember if it's 10 or 15% eth) in my new(2010) vehicle then for a test I ran the next grade up with no ethanol.
What a difference- run's quieter, starts faster ,better mileage.
According to the owners manual I can run the 15% stuff,but I think I will just use that for the lawn mower.

I don't like the stuff in the lawn mowers or weed eaters either.  Gets pretty crappy in the carb if they sit for a while.  They do better with non ethy too.