The latest stuff I read on ethanol is simply to allow E15 to be used year round. That string of articles was politicized in favor of the Prez. But then there was an article that refiners have had some regulations eased on the use of ethanol and the Iowa farmers are ticked off because the market for their corn reduced and that would reduce support for the Prez. The reporting on this issue has been bereft of enough facts to clearly understand the issues, but heavy on opinion disguised as fact.
Brazil has been using 22% ethanol blends since 1993 proving it can be done. The US has had flex-fuel vehicles for E85 on the market since 1993. Heck, our Audi is a FFV. If the fuel costs 30% less, Iād consider using it but only then. It makes no sense economically if the price isnāt that low.
Iāve investigated running E85 for the Mustang to keep it cool at the track. Yes, that works very well from what Iāve read. I am pretty sure I could run E20, available at my local Racetrack gas station without modifications. Not sure it will be enough to help, but I doubt it will hurt.
The rest of the small engine makers in the US donāt seem to have figured out E10. Boats, generators, weed whackers, chainsaws and, of course, older cars, donāt like E10 at all, but we have E0 available.
Often hard to find and expensive where I am. I have to buy premium for my snowblower and mower because E0 regular doesnāt exist here. And not just premium, but special premium thatās often 50 cents a gallon more than normal premium which is E10. And for that I have to drive about 15 miles away from the house.
Itās annoying enough that weāre seriously considering ditching the gas mower and getting an electric. Theyāve really come a long way in the last 5 years or so. Thereās even a few electric riders that can mow as much as 3 acres a charge.
But E0 is very expensive and even when paying the premium thereās no guarantee that you get pure gasoline @Mustangman. And I donāt recall the year models but GM TBIs donāt handle ethanol. The pressure regulator quickly deteriorates into shreds using E15.
Oh HECK yeah! When they first became mainstream, I couldnāt mow the lawn I had then, completely, in one day. I needed 2 days because the batteries werenāt good enough. Now they are.
Iāve been looking more seriously at the battery weed-eaters, etc., and I might try one of the Harbor Freight Chi-Com models. If it seems to do the job I can upgrade to a name brand later if they make one that will accept and operate my attachments.
I just bought E0 for my generator for the upcoming hurricane. It was the same price as premium E10, a bit over 3 bucks a gallon. Iād suspect that is not the case everywhere, from your comment. I canāt say it has NO ethanol at all, just going by the label. I can read ethanol content from the fuel in my Audiās tank. Maybe after the storm I can get rid of the 25 gallons of E0 I just bought into that car and get a read on ethanol content.
It is readily available where I live because the boat and landscaping guys use lots of it.
I think GM trucks especially were slow to reconfigure to be good with E10. They jumped straight to flex fuel because their CAFE got a helpful boost since it only counted the 15% of gas that was actually used in mileage calculations! CAFE games!
Iām using a Makita 36V weed-eater for some serious work and Iām impressed. Even after 30 min. of hard work, it donāt slow down - even with the blade on it.
I have no shares in Makita and Iām sure that other quality brands can do just as well.
Btw
The weight - Half of what they otherwise weigh. Youāll be laughing through the job.
Rod, I have a Cub Cadet 40 Volt trimmer and blower with 2 batteries and I think it will take other attachments . I had a cheap one at first with Auto Feed for the trimmer line and did not like it .
Might be a good idea to do a little web research and just get a good one to start with .
No money in this recommendation but I also have the EGO 56 Volt mower and have been really pleased with it.
Other than continue complaining all the way to the grave about the misery that the home brew causes me I guess that Iāll study up on the battery models and call that the only solution available to me @VOLVO_V70.
Yeah, if youāre getting ready for a hurricane (best wishes, btw) then you arenāt in the breadbasket. Here in MN, they punish us for avoiding corn juice.
Thanks for the best wishes. Our side, the gulf coast, is looking to be less affected as it gets closer. The Atlantic side, however, is not looking so good.
For the other forum member, keep your heads down and feet dry! Be safe!
I have one of those EGO 56 volt mowers also. Just charge the battery and mow. Iām still trying to break my old gas mower habit of holding the safety handle in all the time so I donāt have to restart the engine. Just push the safety button and pull in the handle and it turns back on. One battery charge is more than enough for my lawn. Iāll never go back to gas mowers again.
As they say hang loose and good luck. I think @Whitey is on the Atlantic side so best tarp that cycle and hang on. I just had the weather channel on and didnāt realize it was now a cat 4 and heading inland. Fight or flight I guess.
Yes I know (or otherwise we could get cheaper rum !). My point is Brazil was able to go to E22 and higher much quicker (donāt the have E100 down there??) as they have a better crop source to make Ethanol than we do with corn. I laugh every time I see people pull into my local Sheetz and fill up on E15, love the āsavingsā (I think itās only 5 cents less for e15 88 octane vs e10 87 octane) yet wonder why theyāre refilling more oftenā¦My neighbor being one of these folks.
My grandfather used to grow sugar cane and make molasses. Harvesting it is incredibly labor intensive and thatās likely why sugar cane is grown mostly in third world countries where labor is cheap today.
About 30 years ago an old local farmer won 4+million in the state lottery which was 3+million cash payout. He was interviewed on the local TV news and asked what he planned to do with all that money? He replied: āIām going to pay off my debts and buy a new pickup truck. Then I guess Iāll just keep farming until the rest of itās goneā.
!). My point is Brazil was able to go to E22 and higher much quicker (donāt the have E100 down there??) as they have a better crop source to make Ethanol than we do with corn. I laugh every time I see people pull into my local Sheetz and fill up on E15, love the āsavingsā (I think itās only 5 cents less for e15 88 octane vs e10 87 octane) yet wonder why theyāre refilling more oftenā¦My neighbor being one of these folks.