Guaranteed unbreakable?
Because our cars were sold in an era when E85 was not available, at least not outside Brazil, then for sure any manufacturer who is asked about compatibility issues will simply say using high ethanol fuels will invalidate any warranty and is not advised.
They will say this because it's what they do best, keep well clear of liability. Some of you guys probably remember Nader, was it? Rupturing fuel tanks? Yeh?
Certified insane?
Just the same, there is validity in what Beav says. If the stuff eats metals, best to determine what metals are liable for corrosion, and ensure there is little or none oof those metals in the system before using any % of E85.
From what I have looked up, zinc is a no-no. I don't believe there is a zinc coating in our fuel tanks, but it would be nice to get this confirmed. Likewise the fuel pump will have been designed with the possibility of ethanol in the designer's brief, so I expect the pump won't fail. In any case it would be wise to replace with a 255 Walbro anyway, to be sure to be sure, as we say in Ireland.
Our fuel lines and filter look to me to be stainless steel, therefore, safe. You could change all the rubbers, to be sure to be sure, but I'm betting they are impervious to ethanol abuse.
This brings us to the engine, and, to be honest, I just don't believe the stuff can have a significant erosion effect on aluminium. I say this because this fuel or percentage variants of it are in use in Brazil for the past 20 to 30 years. Nobody is going to convince me that the world's car manufacturers have been putting all-steel engines into the cars in Brazil because of ethanol intolerance. It does not add up.
Back to Beav's point again about wear parts, pins etc, I would have to concede that formic acid formation would pose an accelerated wear situation in this case. However, I do suspect that this has been compensated for in Brazil by using the specialized oils to combat it. No reason we could not use these additives also.
The bottom line is you will have to assume these risks [and compensate for them!!] if you are going to use more ethanol and change your ECU to handle it.
As I see it the environmental benefits and the extra power benefits outweigh these possibilities of wear and damage to the engine.
Joe
