[Rhodes22-list] E85

[Brad Haslett]

Slim,

The MN legislature mandated the blending of ethanol.  I'm really surprised
that Iowa hasn't since Iowa is a net importer of corn (if you can believe
that).  One of the guys on the Bonanza board built his own rig to separate
the ethanol out from the gasoline.  I'll contact him off list and get the
details.  You may have to "brew" your own which shouldn't be that much of a
hassle given the small quantities you need for the scooter.  Ethanol is bad
energy policy, bad farm policy, and bad environmental policy.  But if feels
good!

Brad

On Thu, Apr 17, 2008 at 2:09 AM, Steven Alm <stevenalm at gmail.com> wrote:

> I've got some good news and some bad news.  The good news is that we
> finally
> got some spring-like weather up here in Minneapolis and I got the scooter
> out for a nice long ride.  The bad news is that I was talking to another
> biker dude who told me he goes down to Iowa and loads up on gas for his
> bike
> because Iowa doesn't use any ethanol.  He told me virtually all gas
> stations
> in Minnesota have it.  I thought they had to put a sticker on the pumps
> saying it's E85.  WTF?
>
> I know we've discussed this before but IIRC engines have to be reworked to
> run on ethanol because it's hard on hoses, gives lower gas-mileage and so
> on, and so-called "flex fuel vehicles" have undergone this modification.
> But I'm sure the vast majority of Minnesotans have not made these
> modifications to their cars so I'm wondering if we're all ruining our cars
> or was this biker dude just blowing smoke.  I've googled around a bit and
> can't find evidence one way or the other if all or how many Minnesota gas
> stations have it now.  Or if it's required that pumps display a sticker.
>
> I'm not at all on the corn-produced ethanol bandwagon and don't see it as
> a
> viable option--unless of course you're a corn farmer of which there are a
> lot in this neck of the woods.  But there's probably no place that grows
> more corn than Iowa.  So what do the Iowegians know that we Minnesotans
> don't know about ethanol?  More importantly, am I wrecking my scooter's
> engine?  My out board?  My V-8 without even knowing that I'm running E85?
> Aside--they're all running well but I haven't checked gas mileage lately.
>
> Slim
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>