Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
They have a nifty iPhone app as well.
I don't need an iphone to see that the nearest "pure-gas" is still over an hrs drive from me.
so I went to all the gas stations near me today and everyone had 10% content, which really bugs me... I can't help but think the bike would run better if I could get 100% gas somewhere... is it worth the trouble? or is 10% ok?
You can use your high school chemistry and calculate the heat energy content of the blend vs the non-blend.
Good point.
I looked up the energy densities of gasoline (34 MJ/l) and E10 (33.18 MJ/l). These would mean that E10 has 97.5% of the energy density of gasoline. If the relationship between energy density and horsepower is linear, then my K12's horsepower is reduced by 4 HP, from 160 to 156 when using E10. My personal butt dyno is not calibrated to that level of sensitivity.
But on the other hand, if you had to fill up with E85 you would take a noticeable hit in energy density - E85 has 75% of the energy density value of pure gasoline. (E85 being 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline).
Folks,
As a technically-degreed executive of a nearly 100-year old engineering consulting firm, I am a firm believer in science-based risk analysis and absolutely deplore political rhetoric and grand-standing. Too many organizations have taken positions based on the misguided beliefs of their financiers and not scientific fact or empirical data.
I want to share a reasonably well written summary on the findings of a proposed plan to move from E10 to E15 gasoline mix. I can tell you that a large population of automobiles was rigorously tested and effect measured on their performance (in the broadest sense) to determine E15's impact. We presented the results of our tests to Margo Oge of the EPA who was extremely pleased with the rigor of the analysis (as I would have expected) as there is so much "hot air" on this subject we needed to be absolutely robust in our approach.
I am going to follow up with my team to ascertain if any similar analysis was conducted on "small personal transportation vehicles" like ATVs, motorcycles, and so on -- and I'll pass that on. In the meantime, here is the article:
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2010/09/15/496452.html
I hope this helps and for anyone that needs a complete copy of the report I will see if I can find a way to post it for you.
Kent
But the fact that the ethanol is made from a food staple really pisses me off.
I know a few farmers that really like the price stability it adds to their business. Accordingly, the states of KS, NB, IA, SD, MN, WI, IL, etc...... probably like idea, too. They all have two senators and at least one congressman.
Even here in PA, no US senator or congressman is ever going to vote for lower corn prices, that wouldn't support our farms. The subsidies might disappear, but the price support via ethanol blends will remain.
...snipped...
That said, I don't have a problem with ethanol or other biofuels as a strategy to replace fossil fuels, but it sure seems like it would make sense to use a plant base that has a more efficient energy conversion rate from sunlight to biomass than corn (~1.5% conversion rate). Maybe sugarcane (~ 8% conversion rate) or perennial switchgrasses if we are going to use biofuels sustainably into the future.
We live in interesting times...
That is the price support sound bite take. In Fly-Over-Land it is much more divisive than the sound bite would suggest. The price support out here cuts two ways. Yes it stabilizes corn prices. The that comes at a price. The trade is corn stability traded for support of dairy price supports. In turn on the Right and Left cost this balances out in higher dairy prices to offset the additional cost of feed. A potential win - win for dairy and corn farmers on either side. Here in F-O-L it pits WI and F-O-L dairy farmers against corn farmers in many ways.
Federal officials mandate consumers must buy at least four gallons of gasoline from certain ethanol-blend pumps:
Wow, IMO you misunderstand what the four gallons means. I read it as a suggestion to prevent engine damage. And it's only for gas stations that have blender pumps selling both E10 AND E15 ethanol gas. While I 'm not a fan of ethanol in gas, spreading misinformation like this is just plain wrong.
The letter is here.
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com...s_Federal/EPAResponse_E15Misfueling.sflb.ashx