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Home Front: Culture Wars
Republicans seek to end federal ethanol mandate - Daily Caller
2013-06-18
Congressional Republicans are advocating the full repeal of the federal governmentÂ’s ethanol mandate, which has been criticized for raising food and fuel prices, as well as forcing consumers to purchase a product.
Small engine carburetors sure run poorly on it, until they don't run at all.
“I think we need to get rid of [the Renewable Fuel Standard) and we need to think of a better way to handle this,” Oklahoma Republican Rep. James Lankford told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “It is not that the fuel is economical, it’s not that the fuel is what the consumer wants, it’s that the federal government is requiring this much to be sold.”
Good luck with getting rid of it. It's another sacred, Iowa, Illinois, etc. [buy the vote] farm subsidy, which has pushed the price of corn to record levels.
Posted by:Besoeker

#11  Small engine shop owning friend has about 50 4 cycle mowers sitting waiting for carbs/parts because of this crap. Our racing mowers don't like it neither. I have already R & R'd one carb and haven't even hit the track yet this year....
local 76 station used to sell non-ethanol gas ( big sign proudly told you so) but the WA eco-weenies gave him a choice, stop or shut down. no non-ethanol gas available now.
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2013-06-18 21:55  

#10  corn which is better suited to making CHEAP STEAKS.

And BOURBON.
Posted by: Glenmore   2013-06-18 20:36  

#9  I had to change a few parts in our old analog truck's Carter carb (manual choke, too) when we started using E-10 as ethanol-free wasn't always available.

Redneck Jim is correct, alcohol damages many plastics and certain types of rubber gaskets (like what older 4-barrel carbs used to use).
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2013-06-18 19:00  

#8  Use shale oil for fuel - and quit using corn which is better suited to making CHEAP STEAKS.
Posted by: 3dc   2013-06-18 14:54  

#7  alcohol burns fine.

The issue is not combustion (except in two-strokes). The issue is the effect alcohol has on engine parts, and it's affinity for water.

Go read Mullah Richard's link in #5 for a good discussion of the problems.
Posted by: SteveS   2013-06-18 12:36  

#6  Some engines use plastic in their carburetors, that's why, no plastic, alcohol burns fine.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2013-06-18 12:06  

#5  If E-15 became the only fuel practically available every outboard engine in the U.S. would become instantly obsolete.

Not too good for older vehicles, either. Some of us didn't buy in to 'cash-for-clunkers' and still drive those.
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2013-06-18 12:00  

#4  Today's small engines become gummed up on the stuff. My local Stihl and Deere dealers recommend 'alcohol free gas' for small engines. Our neighborhood BP station handles it. Costs a bit more, but it's all I use for mowers and trimmers. Seems to work fine.
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-06-18 10:07  

#3  Small engine carburetors sure run poorly on it, until they don't run at all.

That's a lie, the first engines burned alcohol.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2013-06-18 10:00  

#2  Ethanol is for drinkink!!!
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2013-06-18 09:23  

#1  The worst thing ever to happen to outboard engines was E-10. Now they want to make things worse, to keep a few large farmers and ag combines happy.

Two years ago the Feds approved E-15 in an attempt to provide even more demand and price supports. Thankfully, this was met with protest, derision, and outrage. The Feds replied that it would not be mandated as the ONLY fuel sold all pumps at a station, it would have to be available but E-10 would still be available. Trouble is, only a few stations have sufficient numbers of pumps and tanks to do the various E fuels in various octane ratings (not to mention diesel and kerosene), so if the Feds required that you offer E-15 a lot of stations would offer nothing else.

If E-15 became the only fuel practically available every outboard engine in the U.S. would become instantly obsolete.

Getting rid of ethanol subsidies would return things to normal, make the price of corn more reasonable, and provide less incentive for government agencies to require adding it to fuels and incurring more costs to end users for maintenance.

The fact that a farm state legislator is even talking about this is encouraging, Fred.
Posted by: no mo uro   2013-06-18 09:22  

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