We got our RL in December of 2006 and only a year or so later, the brilliant State of Oregon banned the sale of non-ethanol blended gasolines except for antique vehicles, airplanes, and boats. As a result, only E10 was available at gas stations starting on January 1, 2008. The RL never really took to the 10% but then again, most cars don't. The engine began making funny pinging and knocking noises, even when running 92 octane and it just never sounded as healthy as it did running on the good stuff. It didn't take long for state legislators to start noticing the hit their cars were taking on this new fuel that was supposed to send OPEC to the poor house. Not only that, but their constituents noticed as well and the State House was inundated with hate mail over the 10% ethanol blend mandate. Cut to exactly two years later on January 1st of this year, the sale of gasoline without ethanol was once again permitted for all motor vehicles. The only trick was finding it.

After ten months of finding no stations within 40 miles of here, I had just about given up until I discovered a station that sells pure 92 octane gasoline. It's about 15 miles from my house but only 4 miles from a place where I find myself at least once a week so I timed my fuel-up to coincide with a trip down that way. Tonight I treated the RL to some bonafide 92 octane gasoline with NO ethanol in it at all. It's about 20¢ more per gallon than the ethanol blend but let me say, the difference is night and day! There was still about 1/4 tank of the hooch left but it's been seriously diluted now. The next tank will be just gas.

It may all be in my head but I swear the car runs smoother, has more get up and go and not only that but it sounds healthier, too. The knocking and pinging are gone and the roughness that the engine seemed to have picked up on has mysteriously vanished as well. It now emits a refined growl that just wasn't there before. As I said, this may all be in my head but I swear to you as soon as I pulled out of the station, the car just felt different; one could describe it as happy. It's a bit like a lion being forced to eat tofu for several years and then being presented with a juicy steak.

I'll be keeping an eye on mileage to see if it increases (it should) and will report as the experiment progresses.

 

The EPA is considering a new rule to boost ethanol content to 15% and it appears that it may actually pass thanks to our friends in Iowa. Check the price of corn lately?

 

The media reports have been misleading on that. It raises the maximum permissible amount to 15% but it does not mandate it. Congress has said repeatedly they will not require any more than 10% because of the damage E15 would cause to normal engines; only Flex Fuel vehicles can run greater than a 10% blend. Not to mention in order for stations to sell E15, they'd need to invest in a new tank, different pumps and the target audience would be very small.

I wouldn't hold your breath looking for E15 any time soon.

 

I accidently filled up w/ this while on vacation in NY last year and noticed the same symptoms you describe.

 

Not only the price of corn, but cereal and anything using corn has been cheapened.

Try eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes and tell me if it tastes the same as a few years ago. It's like eating cardboard.

Back on topic: I'll be keeping track of my '02 RL's fuel economy, I discovered an ethanol-free station near me a few months ago so I'll do a compare and contrast verses last year. My drives are quite consistent, so we'll see how much of a fuel economy improvement there is.

So far my best guess is a 10% increase or 2.5 miles per gallon based upon a few fill-ups.

 

fuel can have a huge impact on performance... I am sure your observations were legit and not "in your head".

I used to own a Volvo S60R which was a turbo S60 running more boost... i upped the performance even more with exhaust and a tuning chip... that car, even in stock form, was VERY prone to lose performance on anything less than exccellent fuel. even on 91 octane, which was hte best we coudl get in CA, it was detuned by the onboard computer. I ran 100 octane race gas in it at time and OMFG..it added SOOOO much power unbelievable.. now that was a turbo car..and turbos are even more sensitive to temps than an NA car like the RL... but the point it.. gas can make a huge difference..

did you ever see the movie "supersize me"... it's not just cars... put crap inn your body and the same thing happens..

 

our cars get about 10% greater mileage on the pure stuff. The ethanol is used because it has less carbon molecules. Your car should not ping however using it because it has a knock sensor. If the engine knocks using it, take it to a dealer to test the knock sensor.

 

Do methanol injection on your car. It will raise the Octane to 101+. Stupid 10-15% ethanol crap

 

NASCAR moving to E15 next year.

http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/busi...011/index.html

 

Apples to Oranges though. Performance comes first followed by fuel economy when it comes to racing

 

 

Thank goodness this crap is not in Ohio yet. I avoid all ethanol in my travels as well. What a load of crap.

 

The only good thing about etOH is to clean stuff, which it is pretty awesome at, and your alcoholic beverages. But it seems around socal, gas stations all seem to have the 10% etOH signs..

 

This site looks cool, I'm going to check some of the Va spots.

Unfortunately none of them are really local to me.

http://pure-gas.org/

 

figures, NJ not on the list.

 

Very rarely do the major chains carry E0....it's usually the little independent stations.