In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Is Ethanol-free gas better?” and provide information on the pros and cons of using Ethanol-free gas, what is Octane rating, which fuels can be used in cars as well as the benefits of using gases with Ethanol.
Is Ethanol-free gas better?
Yes, Ethanol-free gas is better. This is because Ethanol-free gas can provide better mileage to your vehicles. Ethanol has lesser fuel efficiency compared to gasoline.
What are some other benefits of using Ethanol-free gas?
- Ethanol-free gas does not cause any harm to engines. Ethanol gas, on the other hand, can affect vehicles, particularly the ones that have engines of an older model.
Also, as Ethanol is soluble in water, it can attract water. This can further cause rust formation. Ethanol-free gas would not cause this rust formation.
- Ethanol production in the United States is dependent on corn. However, using Ethanol-free gas can reduce dependence on corn.
What are some drawbacks of using Ethanol-free gas?
- Ethanol-free gas is more harmful to the environment. As a result, many people mix ethanol with gases to reduce harmful emissions.
- Ethanol free-gas is not suitable for newer engine models. This is because many newer models are designed to run on Ethanol or mixed fuels. Using Ethanol-free gas can cause more stress on the engine which can end up spoiling the vehicle.
- Ethanol-free gas is more expensive than Ethanol. The cost can vary from 30 cents to a dollar but the fuels with Ethanol blends cost lesser.
- Ethanol-free gas is not widely available compared to Ethanol or its blends.
What is an octane rating?
The octane rating of fuel can give an idea about the stability of fuels. If the octane rating values of fuel are higher, they are likely to be more stable.
There are two methods used to check octane rating. One includes the Research Octane Number (RON) and the other includes Motor Octane Number (MON). Usually, fuel stations sell fuel with higher octane ratings.
Which fuel can you pump into your car?
Check the owner’s manual to know the kind of fuel that has to be filled into your engine. Cars that have a higher compression ratio would require fuels with higher octane ratings.
Some car manuals particularly recommend using premium fuels (Premium fuels have a very high octane rating).
If you are using fuels of a lower octane level than recommended in the car manual, the performance of the car can reduce. If you keep using such lower octane fuel over a long period of time, the engine of the car can get damaged.
If your car is particularly old, using premium gas might help boost the performance of the car. Using fuels with octane levels higher than recommended is usually of no use.
Older vehicles can run better on Ethanol-free gas. When excess Ethanol is blended with gasoline and added to vehicles with older engines, it can destroy the piston and the engine.
What is E15 gas?
Gasoline mixed with 15 percent Ethanol is termed E15 gas. This fuel can be widely available. E15 is usually not available to purchase during the summer season as E15 contains good levels of Ethanol, which can cause the formation of smog. However, its use was approved in 2022, owing to the rising prices of fuel.
Do gases that contain Ethanol have a higher octane rating?
Yes, gases that contain Ethanol have a higher octane rating. Ethanol itself has a rating of 113. When Ethanol is mixed with gasoline, the resultant fuel can have a higher octane rating compared to pure non-blended gasoline.
For instance, the octane rating of E15 gas is 88 octane as it contains only 15 percent of Ethanol. However, the octane rating of E85 is 108 octane as it contains 85 percent Ethanol.
What are some benefits of using gases containing Ethanol?
- Ethanol-containing fuel is cheaper and it is widely available in gas stations.
- Ethanol-containing fuel does not harm the environment. There are lesser greenhouse emissions.
Can you mix Ethanol and Ethanol-free gas?
Yes, you can mix Ethanol and Ethanol-free gas. It can be used especially if you have purchased a new car. Older cars might not be able to take in Ethanol.
Cars can handle Ethanol up to 15 percent. Cars that can handle Flexi-fuels are able to take in Ethanol concentrations up to 85 percent. However, it is better to check into your car manual and figure out the preferred fuel for the car.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we have answered the question, “Is Ethanol-free gas better?” and provided information on the pros and cons of using Ethanol-free gas, what is Octane rating, which fuels can be used in cars as well as the benefits of using gases with Ethanol.
