Thoughts on E10 fuel

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Are we being forced now to take E10 at the pumps ?  What options do you usually see for non ethanol petrol?  

My friend has a 2007 Ford Focus and asked if E10 would damage her car. What do you think? Never mind the Government advice, what do you really think? 

Grumpy_chap

Is this thread any help?
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6290755/e10-petrol/p1

E10 in a 2007 Focus is fine.
https://check-vehicle-compatibility-e10-petrol.service.gov.uk/manufacturer/Ford

tacpot12

There are no options for non-ethanol petrol on the forecourts. 

According to the official government advice, E10 fuel won't damage her 2007 Ford Focus. I have a 2006 Ford Mondeo and am happy to use E10 fuel. 

facade

It is very likely that a car made in Europe, for the European market, will run fine on e10, as that is what most of Europe have used for years. I'd worry about a Japanese built car though, certainly a JDM import, Japan doesn't use much ethanol as they have to import it, I think they are only at about 2% now.

If you don't believe the propaganda, then super unleaded is still e5, simply run on this for a few months, and let everyone else be a beta tester.

Car_54

facade said:

It is very likely that a car made in Europe, for the European market, will run fine on e10, as that is what most of Europe have used for years. I'd worry about a Japanese built car though, certainly a JDM import, Japan doesn't use much ethanol as they have to import it, I think they are only at about 2% now.

Why do they have to import ethanol? Why can't they make it from indigenous raw materials as everyone else does? They manage to make sake and whishy after all.

facade

No idea, maybe they don't have a large sugar industry. 

https://grains.org/buying-selling/ethanol-2/ethanol-market-profiles/japan/

dogshome

Partner has a Toyota with a 1998 build date, so best to use E5 and when checking at Morrisons this week, they have 3 pumps with E5 on the forecourt.

However our very local garage who we like to patronise, only have 2 storage tanks and only sell E10

Norman_Castle

dogshome said:

Partner has a Toyota with a 1998 build date, so best to use E5 and when checking at Morrisons this week, they have 3 pumps with E5 on the forecourt.

However our very local garage who we like to patronise, only have 2 storage tanks and only sell E10

https://mag.toyota.co.uk/e10-petrol-what-is-it-and-can-i-use-it/

Which Toyota models can use E10 petrol?

If your Toyota has a petrol engine or hybrid powertrain and was officially produced for European markets since January 1998, it will be compatible with E10 petrol.

The only exceptions to this rule are the following vehicles:

• Toyota Avensis with 2.0-litre 1AZ-FSE engine made between July 2000 and October 2008.

• Toyota Avensis with 2.4-litre 2AZ-FSE engine made between June 2003 and October 2008.

If your vehicle was produced before January 1998, it cannot use E10 fuel.

nick74

I remember my stepfather telling me that during the oil crisis in the mid 70s he ran his cars partly on ethanol for a while. He was an industrial chemist and through his work had access to large drums of ethanol at a very reasonable price so decided to give it a try in the cars. From memory it was an aircooled VW and a Cortina 1.6, and both apparently ran ok on it but were down on power. I think at one point he was running the VW on nearly 50% ethanol! Neither car appeared to suffer any long term damage and ran normally after being filled with normal petrol.

AdrianC

nick74 said:

I remember my stepfather telling me that during the oil crisis in the mid 70s he ran his cars partly on ethanol for a while. He was an industrial chemist and through his work had access to large drums of ethanol at a very reasonable price so decided to give it a try in the cars. From memory it was an aircooled VW and a Cortina 1.6, and both apparently ran ok on it but were down on power. I think at one point he was running the VW on nearly 50% ethanol! Neither car appeared to suffer any long term damage and ran normally after being filled with normal petrol.

And from the 1920s to the late 1960s, Cleveland Discol was 25% ethanol, sold as being a "high power" petrol. No worries about compatibility back then.

The UK is massively late to the E10 game. We've been using E5 since unleaded came in in the 1980s, and nobody even knew, let alone worry. Several other European countries have E10 as between 50 and 100% of their petrol market. The US has had E10 as the primary petrol for decades.