Why are we still putting ethanol in our cars?

You've seen them at the gas pump, E85, E10, and E15 blends which are the percentages of alcohol in your unleaded gasoline. Billions of taxpayer dollars have gone to support an industry that should not exist. The Congress has finally gotten the message and has began stripping support away in agriculture bills but the White House sneaks it back in again by other means.

Environmentalists have acknowledged that ethanol pollutes the atmosphere more than regular gasoline so it is a net negative for the environment. Engineers tells us that ethanol actually reduces engine life and performance for another net negative resulting in engines wearing out faster. The UN has implored the US to stop putting corn (a food staple) into our gas tanks to combat world hunger and rising food prices in this country. Another net negative effect.

Even Al Gore, the champion of the ethanol movement, has acknowledged he made a mistake. What mistake? He actually said that he supported ethanol for purely political motives as he was running for president.

Without the subsidy it would cost more to produce unleaded gasoline with ethanol and so it would stop then we can all go back to plain ole fashioned gas which would be cheaper without the additional blending.

So let me ask the question again of our self described environmentalists, why are we still putting ethanol in our cars?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...vious-support/
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/sl...here_last.html
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/econom...anol-subsidies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_...l_mixtures.gif

JD, you bring up a good question.
Has anyone done an analysis similar to this in Brazil, where they apparently have better results with sugar cane, owing to their exploitative labor policies which keep their costs down.

It is cheaper to import ethanol from Brazil than we can produce it. It was a pyramid scam there were a lot of investors, and farmers got rich off it. don't use any in lawnmowers, string trimmers, chain saws, outboard motors.

It is cheaper to import ethanol from Brazil than we can produce it. It was a pyramid scam there were a lot of investors, and farmers got rich off it. don't use any in lawnmowers, string trimmers, chain saws, outboard motors. Originally Posted by i'va biggen

As sticky as sugar is, seems like it would collect crap and clog up the system.

Ethanol attracts water and it breaks down hoses, gaskets & seals on lawn equipment. Those little primer bulbs and plastic hoses that crack, that's from the ethanol in the fuel.
There are some 2 stroke blend gasolines on the shelf now that have no ethanol and high end synthetic lubricants and stabilizers. They will bring a bad running string trimmer back to life. They run $6 -$8 per quart but worth every penny in my opinion.

I own a supercharged vehicle I only use premium gasoline, plus I add an Octane Booster every couple of months. I also clean the Throttle Body once a year. Ethanol in gasoline retards lubrication that's why gaskets seals and plastic parts crack and become brittle over time. The only plus to Ethanol is it may aid in gas mileage but that's about it. You can also add a few ounces of a true petroleum distillate to you gas occasionally something like Marvel Mystery Oil. Happy motoring my friends be safe and always wear your seat belt.

Jim

Jim

Wow! Consensus! So why are we still paying to use it?

Wow! Consensus! So why are we still paying to use it? Originally Posted by JD Barleycorn

Because Iowa is the first primary and anyone who goes against the farm lobby is usually toast by the time the NH primary votes.

Because Iowa is the first primary and anyone who goes against the farm lobby is usually toast by the time the NH primary votes. Originally Posted by WTF

Exactly!

Ethanol will be in our gas long after we die. Why doesn't OK ethanol in all of its gas?

Exactly! Originally Posted by boardman

Yet neither party wants to change the primary system....especially those in Iowa.

JD, you bring up a good question.
Has anyone done an analysis similar to this in Brazil, where they apparently have better results with sugar cane, owing to their exploitative labor policies which keep their costs down. Originally Posted by Jewish Lawyer

Actually their ethanol is much cheaper because it is extracted from switch cane (I think that is the correct term) instead of corn like we do. I started going to Brazil in 2004 and had a long flight there and back to research this shit.

Bottom line it is a crazy law that is harming our farmlands and Gulf because of the change in growing crops and pesticides we have used...

So let me ask the question again of our self described environmentalists, why are we still putting ethanol in our cars? Originally Posted by JD Barleycorn

I'm not. My cars run off unicorn horns, rainbows and bald eagle bone marrow.

..The only plus to Ethanol is it may aid in gas mileage but that's about it... Originally Posted by Mr MojoRisin

No. Ethanol actually cuts down your gas mileage. There is less energy in a gallon of pure Ethanol than a gallon of gas. Even at the beginning of the Ethanol boom many scientists said that Ethanol was basically a net energy loss. The energy used to farm, refine and transport a gallon of it was not worth the energy you would get out of a gallon of it.

Actually their ethanol is much cheaper because it is extracted from switch cane (I think that is the correct term) instead of corn like we do. I started going to Brazil in 2004 and had a long flight there and back to research this shit.

Bottom line it is a crazy law that is harming our farmlands and Gulf because of the change in growing crops and pesticides we have used... Originally Posted by WTF

God you are the moronic buffoon. I couldn't fathom the stupidity of anyone giving you money to research anything.

Brazil uses sugar cane. Their success with it is greatly overstated. I've heard for decades they don't even use gasoline in Brazil. Simply not true. Sure sugar cane produces more energy than corn, but it uses the land up faster and the US doesn't have that much cane land.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel_in_Brazil

They only good part about ethanol? You can go into Spec's and buy 1.75 liters of vodka for less than $10. Why? Archer Daniel Midlands is now the leading producer of vodka in the world.

Sugar cane is a annual crop, corn isn't. They said long before they started this project you cannot get enough energy from it to plant the crop, and harvest it. You can't make energy from food. However you can make a lot of folks rich.

Valero states on their gas pumps that the gas may contain up to 15% ethanol ... whether you want it or not. Doesn't matter which grade you use either. I've noticed problems with my vacuum lines not working properly. Really wish they would go back to 100% gas.

It says "may contain up to 15% ethanol." You don't know how much it actually contains. The GS clerk probably won't know.