westslope Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Thanks to the pro-farm lobby Steven Harper Conservative government, 5% of gasoline sold in Canada must be ethanol as of late 2010. I went looking for ethanol-free gasoline in White Rock and South Surrey, British Columbia. I found a web-site that claimed that 89 Octane Chevron gasoline in BC was ethanol-free but when I pulled up at a Chevron service station, the man behind the counter said that all their gasoline contained ethanol. So back to the web where I learned that 89 (Silver) Octane gasoline at Shell Canada stations had no ethanol. I went to a Shell Station in South Surrey. There i read on the pump that the regular grade (87 Octane) had 10% ethanol; the Silver Grade (89 Octane) had 5% ethanol and the VP grade (Premium) had 0% alcohol. I filled up with the VP grade. The regular costs $1.27/litre; the VP grade costs $1.413/litre. I had to pay almost 12% more in order to avoid ethanol. Questions: 1) Where can I buy ethanol-free regular gasoline in British Columbia? 2) Our pathfinder is a 1993 model (manufactured late 1992). PetroCanada's web-site claims that vehicles sold in Canada after 1988 are ethanol ready. Should I worry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heloflyboy Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Good luck on that. Down here in California all the gasoline has ethanol. You can still find some places without it , but it is usually at race track and $5-6 a gallon. I have not had any problems running ethanol in any vehicles though . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Check Pure-Gas for possible locations that sell ethanol-free gasoline in the US and Canada. Using higher than 87 octane in engines designed to run on 87 octane can theoretically cause problems if the engine cannot advance timing enough to take advantage of the higher octane, since higher octane fuel is more resistant to ignition, which is why higher compression engines prefer higher octane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 The problem I've heard about is that ethanol attacks the natural rubber seals on some older vehicles. I've never heard of a Pathfinder having a problem with it, though. Perhaps there's a way to distill ethanol from gasoline... open a little spout on the gas tank, fire up the still, a few hours later you've got a tank of pure gas and a container of questionable moonshine liquor. That's how to end this ethanol thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesRich Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Perhaps there's a way to distill ethanol from gasoline... open a little spout on the gas tank, fire up the still, a few hours later you've got a tank of pure gas and a container of questionable moonshine liquor. That's how to end this ethanol thing... Let us know how that works out! Lol! James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Let us know how that works out! Lol! James You'll see me on the news after my house explodes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I have no clue about the damage it could cause, but I do know it sure as hell makes my gas mileage a lot worse. In ontario it is pretty much impossible to find ethanol free gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westslope Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 The problem I've heard about is that ethanol attacks the natural rubber seals on some older vehicles. I've never heard of a Pathfinder having a problem with it, though. Perhaps there's a way to distill ethanol from gasoline... open a little spout on the gas tank, fire up the still, a few hours later you've got a tank of pure gas and a container of questionable moonshine liquor. That's how to end this ethanol thing... LOL! It would be a lot cheaper and more efficient to tie down the typing hands of all the politically active farmers in the land. US taxpayers might save in excess of US$25 Billion a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 You can actually separate ethanol from gasoline by adding....wait for it......distilled WATER!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) Can't get Ethanol-Free gas in dense population areas since ethanol "reduces" dirty exhuast (and gas mileage). Quoted that from another forum. Hey Town, nice link. Apparently, Southern US is flooded with them, the rust belt has a bunch, and OR and WA have plenty. Canada is screwed though. No Ethanol-free gas station within 70 miles of me. I guess my Nissan is doomed to crappy gas. Edited February 4, 2012 by 1994SEV6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I have an ethanol free station 1/2 mile away from my house. I enjoy the added power and fuel economy... but not the price of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Apparently, some gases are secretly ethanol-free by being labeled as race gas, or for lawnmowers or 2stroke engines. It definitely costs a lot more. Kingman, what kind of prices are you looking at? Run of the mill gas, and ethanol free so we can see a difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) $3.91/gallon for 87 last time I was there, bet it's gone up a bit. Regular places are $3.34-$3.61 for 87. Edited February 4, 2012 by Kingman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I have a special POI database loaded into my GPS of all the ethanol free gas stations in the country. They are always in bumblefskc though. Then around here, they will pump gas directly into your tank only so I can't put it into a container and then separate it at home. Water will separate the mixture of ethanol and gasoline, which is why the whole mixture becomes a problem when there is condensation in the gas tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Install a tap on the tank, drain at home, separate there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 which is why the whole mixture becomes a problem when there is condensation in the gas tank. oh jeez. Another terrible thing about ethanol gas. Are there ANY advantages of this E10? Except lining politicians and oil CEOs pockets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frecklecolouredbrain Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 No advatages.. And a 93 will run with ethNol just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 No advatages.. And a 93 will run with ethNol just fine. It will run fine, but your MPGs will suffer about 10-25%, along with your power/performance. Also, long term effects include deterioration of rubber seals and things like that. Besides that, ethanol free gasoline has a shelf life in excess of 3 years, but E10 has a shelf life of about 4 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 (edited) Install a tap on the tank, drain at home, separate there? I don't want to hack the gas tank like that. I will find a way to drain it somehow. Just a matter of time before ethanol pisses me off completely so that I can make my home brew ethanol and gasoline separation system. Edited February 5, 2012 by Tungsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I'm actually half-seriously considering it. So what do you do? Put gasoline in a container (clear container would be best) and just pour distilled water in? Then the ethanol will rise to the top or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I have a special POI database loaded into my GPS of all the ethanol free gas stations in the country. They are always in bumblefskc though. Then around here, they will pump gas directly into your tank only so I can't put it into a container and then separate it at home. Water will separate the mixture of ethanol and gasoline, which is why the whole mixture becomes a problem when there is condensation in the gas tank. How do you buy gas for a lawnmower or snowblower then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 (edited) That's a problem! We have to use ethanol gas in those too. They will fill up a few 1 gallon containers for you and nothing over that. You have to show up with gas cans or they won't pump it. Note: We don't pump our own gas in New Jersey. I'm actually half-seriously considering it. So what do you do? Put gasoline in a container (clear container would be best) and just pour distilled water in? Then the ethanol will rise to the top or something? Yes but research the actual process more to avoid any nuances. Here is a link to get you started: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081108165845AAEi8bH I wouldn't heat it though. Edited February 5, 2012 by Tungsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I don't want to hack the gas tank like that. I will find a way to drain it somehow. Just a matter of time before ethanol pisses me off completely so that I can make my home brew ethanol and gasoline separation system. Point... maybe tee off the gas line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I don't want it ever hitting the pump even. I'm thinking of an efficient way to siphon it out and I know there is an anti siphon setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I honestly didn't think New Jersey was still that strict about the "not pumping your own gas" thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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