the standard grade at petrol stations from 2021

[falkor]

Rover vehicles alert

Transport secretary Grant Shapps made the announcement this morning, revealing that the government was consulting on whether to make it the standard grade at British filling stations from 2021. Ethanol absorbs carbon dioxide, and by increasing the percentage in UK fuels, he estimated a reduction of CO2 emissions by about 750,000 tonnes per year – equivalent to taking 350,000 cars off the road.

Currently, UK fuels only contain up to five per cent ethanol (E5), whereas the E10 blend, which contains 90 per cent regular unleaded and 10 per cent ethanol, is offered at petrol stations across the EU.

But drivers of older cars have been left alarmed at the announcement, for the standardisation of such ‘biofuel’ could physically rule their car redundant. While new cars sold in the UK since 2011 have had to be E10 compatible, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has estimated almost 8 per cent of petrol-engined vehicles in the UK are not compatible with E10. In fact, owners of cars registered prior to 2002 are advised not to use E10 in their vehicle in order to avoid damage to seals, plastics and metals, caused by bioethanol's corrosive properties (due to its high water content).

phwoar sounds like bad news

[GOY189]

Alcohol blended petrol is nothing new. Cleveland Discol was available up to the 1970s. It was an alcohol based automobile fuel belonging to the Petroleum Storage and Finance Corporation based in the North East of England. It was a popular brand of British petrol between the 1930s and 1960s and was marketed as a 'superior petrol' due to its potent blend of distilled alcohol (ethanol) and refined petrol. As well as Cleveland Discol, the other related brand was Cleveland Benzole Mixture - a blend of a coal-tar product and petrol. Discol contained significantly more than 10% ethanol.

Early adverts promoted the fuel as a powerful petrol with an alcohol edge for outstanding performance.

Just before the outbreak of WW11, the Anglo-American Oil Company Ltd (Esso from 1951) took a major shareholding in Cleveland and by 1958 the takeover by Esso Petroleum Co Ltd was fully complete. The brand name Cleveland was kept by Esso and Cleveland continued to trade under its name through its network of garages until the early 1970s. At this point Esso dissolved the name completely and all former Cleveland garage forecourt decor was replaced by the Esso trademark/identity.

[TonyG]

Mike,
That is really interesting and, since ethanol in petrol is nothing new, it may be the case that our pre-war cars will run ok on it. Albeit there is still the concern regarding erosion of rubber etc.

Similarly, it is my understanding that lead was identified by GM in America as a fuel additive to create a cleaner burn and reduce knocking. A side benefit was the upper cylinder lubrication it provided. This was late 1920s and leaded fuel wasn’t widely available in UK until after the war, following extensive use in aero engines.

Pre-war the biggest issue facing motorists was obtaining petrol of a consistent octane level. This is, no doubt, why cars of the time featured on-board ignition timing adjustment. In my experience, this facility is now largely redundant once the timing is set for the grade of fuel regularly used.

The issue we have now is with cars designed to run on high octane fuel as it is necessary to retard the ignition to get it to run better. The result of this is that it burns hotter, risking damage to the valves.

All this makes me think that, for pre-war cars at least, unleaded Petrol with ethanol is nothing new. However, using super unleaded or an octane booster additive (or both) should be sufficient for healthy running. It is debatable whether a lead replacement additive is required. I’ve been using one for the past year and have suffered a greater degree of jet blockage, which I’ve wondered was due to a separation or reaction of the additive causing a reddish brown residue in the carburettors.

Tony.

[Dkenner]

A fact of life over in North America. Look for neoprene or synthetic seals. And, when looking at the entire lifecycle of this for CO2 affects, you have to make the CO2. Generally here it comes from corn (maize). Add in the CO2 of growing the corn to make the ethanol to go into the petrol, along with loss of efficiencies in combustion seems to raise CO2 emissions rather than reduce them. And it is political, which is why Archer Daniels Midlands has received subsidies from the US gov't. YMMV