Ethanol free gas

I did a search for anything on this topic but didn't find anything specifically for the 996. So, does anyone have any experience on running our cars with ethanol free fuel? If so, notice any difference? Worth the price? Is 90 grade ok?

Quotes source post: 9721224

All other things being equal running ethanol free gasoline is preferred. The engine is more efficient burning gasoline with no ethanol. In many areas ethanol free gasoline is not available or is very inconvenient. But of course you may live next door to the only station in 100 miles that sells ethanol free gasoline, in which case you lucky so and so. I have little experience while owning my Porsches running ethanol free gasoline, but I have run thousands of gallons of gasoline with ethanol in it and the cars, fuel systems, engines have suffered no apparent harm. (My 02 Boxster with over 257K miles is on its original fuel injectors.) 90 octane gasoline is very low at the very bottom of what is acceptable (if my memory of the owners manual cautions on running lower octane gasolines is any good). 90 octane gasoline can be ok though if for instance you live and drive at higher elevations, provided you remember to fill the tank up with higher octane gasoline at the first chance you get. If you live at lower elevations, buy a higher octane grade of gasoline. 91 is as low as I would go -- we in CA have no choice -- but 92 better and 93 is better still. On a road trip a while back on I-80 I had a chance to run 93 octane -- I can't remember if it was ethanol free or not -- in my 03 996 Turbo and the 93 octane gasoline made a noticeable difference in how the engine felt and the gasoline mileage it delivered. In short the engine felt better and gas consumption improved. 93 octane gas rules. 91 octane gas sucks. Sincerely, Macster.

I think ethanol was mandated around 2003-2005 in most states, guess CA was earlier. I buy the highest octane availiable, what is the delta about 10c per gallon 1.60 per tank? I am sure someone online knows the chemisty and can comment on that. I am not aware of any option for ethanol free gas in TX.

I can occasionally find ethanol free gas in rural parts of South and West Texas. I always buy it when I find it. I keep three empty 5 gallon cans in my truck for just that purpose. The difference is noticeable.

Quotes source post: 9721397

Your post jogged my memory. It was before my time with my Porsches started (pre-2002) but I remembered when I used to drive outside of CA in my '96 Mustang GT (with its 4.6l S0HC V8 engine) and I looked forward to once leaving CA being able to buy ethanol free gasoline. The Mustang GT required just 87 octane (and pinged horribly running 87 octane gasoline but IIRC running higher octane gasoline made no difference) but even so even running lowly 87 octane gasoline, with the ethanol gone the change the improvement in the engine's feel was noticeable. Then as ethanol gasoline became mandated in other areas...gas sucked everywhere like it sucks here in CA. Sincerely, Macster.

Quotes source post: 9721275

For those that are interested......ethanol-free gas stations in the US. http://pure-gas.org/extensions/map.html

Every vehicle I own runs SOOO much better with ethanol free gas, but it is rare I can get it, too. When I know I will be going by one, I also have 3 5 gal gas cans for the same thing. Huge difference. I only run 93 in the 996 and Mini S, better performance and mileage.

Quotes source post: 9721224

Two questions for you.... 1. Does your owners manual cover a recommended grade of gasoline for your car? 2. Are you asking about 90 octane as a potential opportunity to save money?

I can no longer find ethanol free 93 octane fuel. It all went away in March/April 2012. I was always able to find it the past couple years in central Illinois and many places in Wisconsin. The best you can do now is 91 octane ethanol free. http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=MO Or try to find 98 octane Sunoco Race Gas 260 GTX (260 GT is 100 octane and about 10% ethanol) for about $7.00 gallon retail or +$9.00/gallon at the track: http://www.racegas.com/fuel/unleaded For me, octane rules, so I am back to 93 octane with ethanol. When I ran without ethanol, the main difference I saw was improved fuel economy. At least a 10% improvement, as expected since fuel with ethanol has less stored energy. As for performance, Used Oil Anaylsis, runnning temperatures, starting, and etc......I did not notice any difference. You do see less soot on your exhaust with no ethanol fuels. I purchased an ethanol fuel testing kit early this spring. What I found was most of the "winter gas" was right about 5% ethanol. And "summer gas" is running right about 9% ethanol. Did you realize the shelf life of "race gas" is 2 years? I may keep this in mind when I start to prep the cars in October/November for winter hibernation.

Quotes source post: 9721928

Thanks - turns out that there are a couple of places fairly close to me. Tempted to check it out. I have always run 93 octane, I see one rated at 87 ethanol free but am tempted to try the one offering 94 octane racing ethanol free. And now I know why I can detect the smell of racing fuel from some of the "tuners" that love to toy with me on the interstate.

Quotes source post: 9722382

Call ahead, and confirm.

Nothing but 90 near me, and mostly at the marinas so even then it would mean filling cans and transferring. Thing is, the pumps say " up to 10% ethanol". I've found that fuel consumption is measurably less with the fuel I purchase at 7-Eleven vs Chevron, so my presumption is the former contains less ethanol. (Also from what I was told a few years ago, 7-Eleven refuses to contract with wholesalers who buy oil from the middle-east or Venezuela, so their petrol is 100% domestic. Don't know if that's true, but I like to hope so).

Quotes source post: 9721928

Thank you so much for posting this. There is a station about three miles away!

Quotes source post: 9722367

Consumer reports test drive team report 15%-20% lower fuel mileage with E85. I believe Ethanol is higher octane than premium non-alcohol gasoline. So I wonder if CA premium is 87 octane gas with enough Ethanol blended to yield 91 octane?

Quotes source post: 9723425

Well, isn't E85......85% alcohol? I do think they add in alcohol to bring up the final octane, but, I don't kow if your numbers are right or wrong.

Quotes source post: 9723516

I thought E85 is 15% alcohol but I have not paid much attention since I believe the best fuel available is the most economical to use.

Quotes source post: 9723721

It's 85% denatured alcohol.

here in texas its hard to find eth. free fuel but the good thing is we have 93oct. at evey pump. whats even better is im here is san antonio and this is where VP fuel is so I can always try some 96 or 101 octaine...LOL my buddy has a Z-06with fully built motor supercharged and runs only E-85 and dynos 706 at the rear wheels. So i guess ethanol cant be that bad.. haha

Quotes source post: 9722086

1.....Yes, as they all do. 2....No, just as a question on whether the engine has been found to run better seeing as the energy contained in Ethanol is lower than straight gas.

Quotes source post: 9722382

Just make sure the racing fuel is lead free, otherwise big problems with the cat converter.

I have found that the ethanol-free pumps in my area are mostly older stations. The risk of contaminants in old gas tanks is perhaps as much a threat to your engine as ethanol. So buyer beware and ask questions before you pump gas from old tanks.

Quotes source post: 9725304

While there is more energy in a gallon of gasoline vs. a gallon of gas/ethanol blend, a blend up gas/ethanol up to say 10% ethanol (my info is while the pump notices state the gas can contain up to 10% ethanol refiners have been keeping the ethanol in the 7% to 8% range) the biggest gain is to be had by running the proper octane of gasoline. With the proper octane grade the DME can advance the ignition timing to its optimum point and start the air/fuel mixture burning at a much earlier time. Now you might think this occurs at WOT but this is not the way it works. Max. timing advance occurs at part throttle/high load conditions under which passenger vehicles find themselves in very very often. Thus anything that allows for advanced ignition timing to occur -- sans any detonation -- under part throttle is good. The result of advanced ignition timing is the air/fuel mixture is burning very well at the most opportune time when the piston/rod/et al is positioned to create mechanical energy from chemical energy. An added benefit of running the right octane grade of gasoline is the exhaust gas temps are kept lower. With lower octane gasoline the engine's ignition timing is retarded -- to lower max pressure in the chamber and prevent detonation (it is the signs of detonation that the knock sensors detect and which when this is signaled to the DME results in the timing being retarded to save the engine from the ravages of detonation) -- and thus the air/fuel mixture burns later in the power stroke. This heat/pressure is wasted heat/pressure that simply heats up the later stages of combustion with the result exhaust gas temps are higher than they would be otherwise. Sincerely, Macster.

Quotes source post: 9727707

All very true, but, with Ethanol, the burn is slower and so part of the advantage of being able to advance timing is lost due to the slower total burn and also less pressure being developed. It's a compromise I know but running pure gas, and so more inherent energy being available, should in theory provide better performance.......both in actual power and torque. I see some listers have mentioned improved economy with pue gas. Not surprising if more energy is produced and so lighter throttle being required.

Quotes source post: 9730191

If the choice is between say 93 octane ethanol free gasoline vs. 93 octane gasoline without ethanol I'd go with the ethanol free gasoline. However, I do not recall coming across areas where two gasolines identical in octane ratings but differing in their ethanol content were available, readily available. By readily available I mean that when I pull in to fuel up the car, the pump island pump can dispense identical octane gasoline, one gasoline without ethanol and the other with ethanol. Since I do not live in an area that sells > 91 octane gasoline and does not sell gasoline sans ethanol when I encounter > 91 octane gasoline it is during a road trip and I am almost always (always in fact, so far) in unfamiliar territory and usually in a hurry so when I stop to gas up the car, the steps are stop, gas and then go. No time to search out those stations that sell -- if any do -- ethanol free gasoline. Now, if the choice is between say 90 octane ethanol free gasoline vs. 91 or higher octane gasoline with 10% (in reality containing approx. 7 to 8 percent ethanol) I believe the best choice would be the higher octane gasoline, even though it has some ethanol in it. As I touched upon in an earlier post, there is considerable benefit from the DME being able to run the ignition timing advance near its optimum which has the timing advanced in some cases to just short of incipient detonation. That the engine runs with the designers intended ignition advance will almost result in the engine feeling "better", this just adding icing to the cake. Sincerely, Macster.