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Study: EPA-Approved Ethanol Gasoline Blend Found to Gunk Up Engines

Jan. 31, 2013 7:56pm Liz Klimas

Coordinating Research Council Report Finds E15 Ethanol Blend Could Break Fuel Pumps and Lead to Engine Failure

(Photo: Shutterstock.com)

The ethanol-gasoline blend E15 was approved by the EPA for vehicles manufactured after 2001, but a new report finds the 15 percent allowance of ethanol into the fuel might be gumming up engines.

The report by the oil and auto industry supported organization Coordinating Research Council ultimately found that some fuel pumps and level senders in car models made between 2001 and 2007 — representing 29 million cars — failed or showed negative effects due to the use of E15.

American Petroleum Institute Group Director of Downstream and Industry Operations Bob Greco said in a press release the effects of the fuel could lead to engine breakdown.

Greco said E15 could lead to fuel gauge and check engine light problems, in addition to more seriously breaking parts that could prevent the flow of fuel into the engine.

The fuel issues did not seem to be present during the CRC tests that used E10 or E0.

“Failure of these components could result in breakdowns that leave consumers stranded on busy roads and highways,” Greco said in a statement. “It is difficult to precisely calculate how many vehicles E15 could harm. That depends on how widely it is used and other factors. But, given the kinds of vehicles tested, it is safe to say that millions could be impacted.”

Greco continued saying he believes the EPA was wrong to give the “green light” to E15 while tests were still going on.

“EPA’s action was irresponsible,” he said. “Why did EPA move forward prematurely? Part of the answer may be the need to raise the permissible concentration level of ethanol so that greater volumes could be used, as required by the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. Most gasoline sold today is an E10 blend, but rising volume requirements under the law can’t be met much longer without going to higher blends. When Congress passed the law, it could not know it was creating this problem.”

Greco said API would advocate, with the problem presented in the study regarding the use of E15, that the Renewable Fuel Standard be repealed.

The pro-ethanol group Growth Energy said in a statement the findings of CRC’s study come as no surprise to them.

“Oil companies are desperate to prevent the use of higher blends of renewable fuels,” Growth Energy Chief Executive Tom Buis said. “To see what’s driving them, ‘follow the money,’ as every gallon of renewable fuel that enters the market reduces Big Oil’s market share. Obviously they have deep pockets in which to fund studies that can at best be described as incomplete and cherry picking.”

Bruis continued pointing out that the Department of Energy criticized CRC’s earlier study testing E15 last year, and he said that the DOE had conducted more than 6 million miles of tests using E15.

Featured image via Shutterstock.com.

(H/T: Washington Examiner)

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Comments (87)

Tom70
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 10:18am
Duh! this is one more way to get us out of our cars and onto horse back so that Obama can actually make some gobs. Picking up horse sh..t not BS.

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shogun459
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 7:11am
The envirowackos in the EPA KNEW this would be the result,
The plan is to so damage the auto industry from the customers side,

New car breaks down can’t afford another so you take the bus problem solved,
private car ownership declines, EPA success.

Environmental PROTECTION Agency, saving the planet one distroyed car at a time.

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calmandcents
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 1:00am
I was just thankin when is the majestic Gore-Oslama team gunna come out with that miracle algae slime green energy gunk to cure all our errors.

One way or another, these cronnies are gonna come to understand that it is all about what WE Americans want and not what some half-breed foreign closet capitalists think we want.

Time to defund the cronnies.

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HuskerDave
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 4:11pm
Wouldn’t it be great if we had a fuel that was made from decomposition of organic material, was in abundant quantity (you know, enough to last a few hundred years – at least), could be obtained relatively inexpensively (like at one-tenth the price of wind energy), and burned relatively cleanly?

Oh yeah, we already have that, it’s called gasoline.

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Eric Cart Man
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 12:21pm
The shop down the street from me loves ethanol…
1 power washer
1 chain saw
1 lawn mower
1 weed eater

Getting goats this year.

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BlasberryStrat
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:51am
Hey. If you believe that ethanol is so wonderful, then do “us” a favor. Go out and ‘confront’ a true NASCAR driver (or simply read true NASCAR stats) about how they feel that the Gov. & NASCAR made a deal of using ONLY ethanol in their race cars. You MAKE a driver run only ethanol through a performance engine during a race (say) in Georgia during the summer – and you had better be able to run faster than that driver or all of his pit crew.

If you don’t believe your OWN studies and vehicle performance, then look in to an entire Race Industry that is PI$$ED OFF. Also do your own homework on the economy crash linked to ethanol. The truth is out for you to see. If it weren’t for Bush (and Oby) building an ethanol plant every 50 miles apart, and Gov. subsidizing the business, WE would NOT be paying over $4 gal.. In fact OPEC has made statements that we would still be at aroung $2.00 gal. if they didn’t have to increase prices to “make up” the profit loss from the U.S. blending ethanol. Why do you think Bachman got shut down so fast when she made the statement that she can get fuel prices back to $2.00 gal. “over night”? Think about it – then ‘thank’ your local farmer for his hard work (while you have to choose between “paying for gas to get to work – or affording Insurance”).

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Skrewedretiree
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:32am
“When Congress pased the law, it could not know it was creating this problem.”

Say WHAT? That’s a perfect summary for just about EVERYTHING Congress does!
Obamacare comes to mind……

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BlasberryStrat
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:52am
The ONLY reason for E15 is due to a ralley by the farmers “union” so the “pooor” farmer can lock in more years of unspeakable income. The highest profit companies in the United States are corn producing farms in southwestern Nebraska. And they want MORE. When farm land in NE went from $1300.00 per acre to over $8000.00 per acre “over night”, you know the “poor” farmers are full of crap when they cry about needing more subsidies because they “loose so much money”. Go take a drive in the country and SEE the “poor” farmers brand new four story homes, new trucks – boats – Harley’s. And the kicker? I talk to a lot of farm based people every day. When I see their trucks are stamped “ethanol blend” I ask how they like it (I ONLY run REAL gas in my vehicles). Easily 90% of the time the “FARMER” says, “I won’t run that $h-t in any of MY vehicles!”. There ya go. Yet “they” demand that WE put it in all our vehicles! Ethanol has been proven over and over that it causes engine problems as well as an average 7 miles per gallon drop in mileage. And if you have vehicle problems on hot humid days – it’s the ethanol in your tank that’s causing an in-line vapor lock. THAT’S how “wonderful” the stuff is. Even our own NE Gov. at the time E85 came out said on State news that a vehicle will only get approx. half the ‘normal’ mileage with E85, but it’s about $0.30 cheaper than gas. Thirty cents but half the mileage – hmmmm…

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- BlasberryStrat
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:13am
  Please don’t try to ‘reply’ and blow smoke. I own a business that deals directly with the auto industry, and have made it a passion to study and collect all of the TRUE information about ethanol. There are tons of false studies and propaganda telling how wonderful ethanol is, but guess WHO is publishing those studies.
  
  I also have a study done by a multi Country insurance company who lease fleets of identical vehicles. The company had half the fleet run only E10 and the other Reg. Unleaded. The E10 fleet of BRAND NEW vehicles had an average 7 mpg loss in mileage, plus in humid States the vehicles would simply “stop running” while traveling down the road, and the driver had to pull over – pop the gas lid – sit and wait for the engine to cool down. Then it would start right up again.
  
  Nuff said. E10, E15, & E85, is NOT the answer. The only thing it’s good for is A) incredible profits for the farmers B) drives up the cost of ALL our gas. Bush was warned by OPEC to cut back the ethanol industry or they will simply drive up the price of fuel to “make up” the profit loss. Well, Bush kept going and our gas prices are out of control. Look that up – do your homework – then understand why we are paying $4+ per gal. fuel prices. EVERYTHING leads back to “Ethanol”.
  
  Report this comment
KingCanon
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:19am
Consumers have known this for years!

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dave88
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:05am
Screw up cars to increase the sales of Government Motors was the plan from the beginning.

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Paulhgreenbay
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:57am
My OCD compels me to track household expenses and this crap got me less mpg and made the car run a little off. Wife would put in that crap because “it’s cheaper than premium” <— ( wife voice) when we first got new vehicle.

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oldincarolina
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:27am
The tree huggers always get what they want.

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NoSleeper
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 5:15am
Ethanol in gasoline is a scam. Reduced mileage and increased engine maintenance are apparent to most people who pay attention. Add in the fossil fuels required to create it (fertilizers, farm equipment fuels, distillery operations), higher food costs (reduced supply available for consumption) and you have to wonder why this was ever put in place…oh, that’s right…because politicians caved into farm and environmental lobbies and, I suspect, invested heavily in it before the law was passed.

Ethanol was capped at 10% specifically because of the damage higher concentrations would cause; environmental groups have backed away from ethanol because, in the big picture, it is worse than 100% gasoline, and even Europe is reducing ethanol levels. Given all that, why would we be increasing ethanol? I would check the politicians’ pocket books…

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- BlasberryStrat
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:35am
  Very true!! Well said!
  
  It also drives up the price of food. Farmers in Nebraska (I can’t “prove” other States – but I CAN in NE) will get HUGE Government subsidies to NOT plant CORN. If the farmer signs on to plant Beans …”Cha-ching”…Governement windfall. Again – do your homework. You may find this in your State too. Wish I got paid “not to do something”…wait…that can’t be called…..uhhh…yep, it is.
  
  And the farmer that says, “I loose sooo much income because of the cost of fuel, and I DON’T get any Gov. fuel “subsidies”. Well….he’s feeding you the crap he’s putting in your car. While true he’s not getting any fuel “subsidies” – he is IN FACT getting Gov. “Fuel CHIP’s”. “CHIP” is a lovely word play on free “Subsidies”. Again, if you don’t believe the “fat cat” of this deal is the “farmer”, then take a Sunday drive to the country and see for yourself what they live in, and the vehicles & vacation trailers “displayed” on their property. Ask a farmer why the price of land went from $1300.00 to over $8000.00 per acre within three years. I don’t “hate” farmers, and have many friends and family who are. And we ‘joke’ about “how big of Castle are you building this year?”. Yes, a farmer and his family works very hard for their money – BUT SO DO I – yet I get ZERO “subsidies” and “CHIP’s” (free money – re-named “welfare”) from the Gov.
  
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Advection
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:21am
Is to true that it takes more energy to produce ethanol, unit for unit, than you get from ethanol?

Since congress approved the program, it must be true.

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- Advection
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:33am
  The stupidity of politically correct “science”. They think it’s wise to expend 6 units of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 unit of ethanol energy!
  
  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050329132436.htm
  
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