Ethanol and older engines?
 

The county that I live in (Fayette County, Indiana) has applied for a grant toward the construction of an ethanol production plant that's being planned, with the proposed ground breaking to be in the spring of 2007. In my current stable of "toys," I have my '91 F-150 (my current daily driver, and the reason why I sought out this site), '80 Pinto wagon, '72 BMW 2002 and '66 Falcon Club Wagon van. With summer here finally, and I'm actually employed this year, I'll be setting about to getting 3 of my 4 "toys" back on the road. I'm planning to build a turbocharged 2.3L for the Pinto, get a few go faster parts for the BMW 2.0L when I get around to tearing it down for a rebuild, and perk up the performance from the 240-6 in the Club Wagon (was originally planning to replace it with an EFI 300-6, but I've decided to keep the 240 and use some 300 parts). Whenever the stock 2.3L comes out of my Pinto, I'll be rebuilding it toward powering a future lakes modified "Model T" roadster project, and I'll also be looking for a '57-'64 F-100 for which my F-150 (EFI 5.0L/AODE) will be the donor.

At this point, I may be quite a bit early in asking, but what modifications should I consider, for the engines that I mentioned above, to be able to fuel with ethanol? Of five engines (once I have another 2.3L to rebuild into a turbo 2.3L), three will have EFI, and two will be carbureted. With ethanol finally starting to emerge as an alternate fuel source (and more logical, IMO), I figure I might as well start applying the needed mods, for ethanol fuel, as I'm rebuilding my engines. I don't think it'd hurt the performance too much, with gasoline still being our main fuel source, and the possibility of occasionally having to use gasoline, should I be too far from an ethanol source when I need to refuel.

Matt

The engine isnt what is effected by ethanol. Its the seals that are in the fuel lines and tanks. Ethanol excludes water so it tends to rust the fuel tank and lines. It also tends to dry out rubber seals. These are the issues with using it rather than the actual combustion of it. Look at what they have done to use flex-fuel, nothing to the motor but a stainless steel gas tank and lines.

Thanks InstantGrits! What you said was what I was trying to get at, with my question, as to what parts I should use. I guess I was thinking about alcohol fuel, when I asked about using ethanol with the "flavors" of induction my engines will have. With that in mind, I'll be sure to equip my fuel systems properly, as I implement then in my various cars. That way when ethanol as a fuel source starts to catch on, and grow more around the state/country, I'll be ahead of the game when it comes to being ready to go ethanol. :)

Matt

You've most likely bee running 10% ethanol for years. It's been around in the corn belt for more than 20 years. I used to run it in a 81 Escort and a 72 Impala back 22-23 years ago. Purchased from a Kerr-McGee station near Peoria that was on my daily commute.

WTF is a county doing getting into the ethanol boondoggle anyway? This should be a commercial venture, not a governmental one. You'd be well advised to keep an eye on your wallet and your communitie's tax dollars.....

Your biggest immediate concern will be for corrosion and the degrading of non-alcohol compatible components. Later, if alcohol concentrations increase well beyond the 10% level, you'll have to compensate for the reduced energy content of ethanol relative to gasoline.


Steve

Its the carbed engines you are going to have to worry about first. Mechanical fuel pumps use a rubber diaprhagm, make sure the replacement is alcohol-proof, along with all the fuel hoses. Alcohol-proof fuel tank coating would also be a good idea. Jetting will have to be richened up to compensate for the lower heat content. EFI engines just need the fuel map reprogrammed if not already flex-fuel capable.

Jim

Read this information:
http://www.answers.com/topic/e85
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E85