What's worse: MTBE or Ethanol

[AUGIDAWG]

My Johnson manual says to avoid alcohols in the fuel, especially over 10%, to avoid acculmulating water in the fuel, and for other reasons.<br />Here in California, we have state mandated oxygenated fuel, either with MTBE or ethanol.<br />MTBE is not good on carburator parts. (plastics, rubber, gaskets etc.)<br /><br />Which is worse?

 

[envy83]

Re: What's worse: MTBE or Ethanol

Since '72 MTBE has been used as an additive in gasoline in all states and is not especially hard on engines in the concentrations used. And even with CA statutes your not going to see gasoliine with ethyl alchohol over %10 because it is to hard for engines to burn correctly. What you have to watch out for is methyl alcohol (what your manual warns you about) and no state that I'm aware of sells gasoline with that as an additive.

 

[sorrydog]

Re: What's worse: MTBE or Ethanol

MTBE is a replacement octane booster that happens to be good for air quality. Also happens to be bad for water quality. EPA can't never get nothin right.<br />Alcohol is also a good octane fuel but the problem with it- besides liking to eat or swell rubber parts- is water likes to mix with it so you gotta be careful in humid climates.<br />But if I had to pick one over the other I'd prefer my fish to be drunk than sick.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: What's worse: MTBE or Ethanol

One of them kills us. The other one kills your engine.

 

[section8]

Re: What's worse: MTBE or Ethanol

why does iether of them need to be in my fuel?which are they using at dockside gas stations for boats?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: What's worse: MTBE or Ethanol

We in the midwest have been using ethanol blended fuel (E10) since 1997 and it has absolutely no bearing on engine longevity. Yes -- if you have a neglected fuel system, E10 will clean it up and deposit the gunk in the fuel filters and carbs. But chances are the engine would benefit from a carb rebuild and filter changes anyway so it's a non-issue in my view. Where it is an issue is in older fiberglass (not plastic) fuel tanks. Ethanol reacts with the resins in these tanks and turns them to gunk. In very old engines some of the fuel system components can be degraded by ethanol. Again, the newer replacement parts would very likely be ethanol tolerant.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: What's worse: MTBE or Ethanol

MTBE was quietly removed from fuel several years ago.

 

[bigtwin]

Re: What's worse: MTBE or Ethanol

MTBE was quietly removed from fuel several years ago.

Dhadley is right, it was pulled due to health risk concerns, I don't know the actual health issue, however I always knew when it was in my tank, because my eyes and nose would burn if let my car idle especially in the winter.

 

[JB]

Re: What's worse: MTBE or Ethanol

Ethanol mixes well with orange juice. MTBE doesn't.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: What's worse: MTBE or Ethanol

Smells nice too!

 

[pgdignan]

Re: What's worse: MTBE or Ethanol

MTBE was pulled because it was found in groundwater from leaking storage tanks and causes cancer (what doesn't). Ethanol has been added to decrease emissions but does have certain drawbacks as noted above. They only place you're likely to find fuel w/o any ethanol in it would be the local airport (aircraft engines don't like the ethanol additive.)