I have always heard that 100% gasoline is better for your engine. I have always payed a premium for 100% gasoline versus gasoline with Ethanol whenever possible. The other day I stumbled across and article that said this is basically an Oklahoma thing and that in OK gas stations that carry both sells are split 50/50. Am I wasting my money trying to avoid the Ethanol? Or is there value in using the Ethanol free gasoline?This is more of a general daily driver question excluding towing.

You gain nothing other than about 3% better fuel mileage.Some can make some very, very small arguments for E0 in small engines but even that doesn't wash really. I have been using E10 since the early 80's and never had a problem.BTW are you sure premium does not have E in it? That's how most states get their octane up. E is cheap so if they dump it in regular gas they can bring up the octane for cheap. That's how it's done in Calli for sure.

The only downside to 10% is the fact that if the gas sits around very long it turns to junk (without a good stabilizer like Marine Stabil. I buy non e gas for my lawnmowers.

Gasoline with alcohol in it can be a little hard on rubber lines on older vehicles, not so much with vehicles sourced to run with a little alcohol.

I'm not even convinced that you get better mileage from 0%. The computer in a modern vehicle controls every aspect of the ignition system and knows what fuel you are burning. It adjusts accordingly. Of course, YMMV as they say. In other words you really should just test it out. Run a couple of tanks of each and compare.

Campfire Time wrote:I'm not even convinced that you get better mileage from 0%. You don't have to believe it for it to be true.It IS true.The alcohol contains 10% less energy content.And the computers don't control "everything".There is no "octane" detector and no ethanol detector either.

100% Gasoline vs 10% Ethanol | Good Sam Community

85 Replies

Sam_Spade
Explorer
Apr 26, 2019
Campfire Time wrote:
I'm not even convinced that you get better mileage from 0%.

You don't have to believe it for it to be true.
It IS true.
The alcohol contains 10% less energy content.

And the computers don't control "everything".
There is no "octane" detector and no ethanol detector either.
Campfire_Time
Explorer
Apr 26, 2019
I'm not even convinced that you get better mileage from 0%. The computer in a modern vehicle controls every aspect of the ignition system and knows what fuel you are burning. It adjusts accordingly. Of course, YMMV as they say.

In other words you really should just test it out. Run a couple of tanks of each and compare.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Apr 26, 2019
Gasoline with alcohol in it can be a little hard on rubber lines on older vehicles, not so much with vehicles sourced to run with a little alcohol.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Apr 26, 2019
The only downside to 10% is the fact that if the gas sits around very long it turns to junk (without a good stabilizer like Marine Stabil. I buy non e gas for my lawnmowers.
Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Apr 26, 2019
You gain nothing other than about 3% better fuel mileage.

Some can make some very, very small arguments for E0 in small engines but even that doesn't wash really. I have been using E10 since the early 80's and never had a problem.

BTW are you sure premium does not have E in it? That's how most states get their octane up. E is cheap so if they dump it in regular gas they can bring up the octane for cheap. That's how it's done in Calli for sure.

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100% Gasoline vs 10% Ethanol

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