Good day to all.

This week in my country the service stations are changing from 100% gasolina to gasohol (90% gasoline, 10% alcohol).

In some parts of USA this type of mix was used since 2000.

Please, ¿do you know some info about the performance and changes to be made to our Amazons to cope with this change?

Thanks in advance for your kindly help.

--
Joaquin / Rojo 121 / Lima

Needs to be adjusted slightly richer to make up for the slight loss in BTU's.

Is the Gasohol going to be the same Octane or higher than the old fuel?
--
Three 164's, Two 144's, One 142 & a partridge in a pear tree.

Thanks Paul, the same octane (97 RON).
I will enrich one "flat" or two on the carb.
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Joaquin / Rojo 121 / Lima

Otra problema que encontré yo en las montañas era que pronto después de llenar con gasohol
la primera vez el motor murió por falta de combustible. Era un 164 con D-jet, y la bomba
estaba corriendo bien. Desconecté la línea en frente y no salía nada. Entonces desconecté la
línea entre la bomba y el filtro y soplé fuertemente en la linea en frente.
Del filtro salió como una copa de lo que parecía una mezcla de óxido rojo y lodo.
Seguí soplando hasta que todo salió, reconecté las líneas y el motor arrancó y corría bien.
No tenía problemas de aquella clase después.
Por eso le sugiero que tenga un filtro grande en caso de contaminación en el tanque
que puede aflojar y entrar los tubos.
For monolinguals - Gasohol may loosen accumulated crud in the tank. Should have a big enough filter to catch it.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Oklahoma

[spanish:]Gracias George, gusto de leer tu mensaje.
Voy a agregar un par de filtros de gasolina nuevos a la caja de herramientas del auto (son fáciles de cambiar).

[english:]Thanks George, like to read your message.
I'll add a couple of new fuel filters in the toolbox of the car (easy to change).
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Joaquin / Rojo 121 / Lima

I haven't noticed any tuning problems with E10 fuel. The only problem I've encountered, and I've seen it several times, is that old rubber fuel line hates the stuff -- it degrades rapidly and leaks. I would replace any rubber hoses that are more than a year or two old, just in case.

Other than that, no problems with carburetors, fuel pumps, etc.

Phil and everybody,

Yes!! I think some of you have heard my story of the close call I had with my 164e. I changed every rubber anything that I could find in the fuel system when I started burning E10 - except one little piece on the fuel line that ran under the driver's side seat. About a month after starting E10, I was driving to school (about 60 miles) when suddenly I started losing fuel - the gas gauge was plummeting!! I stopped, got out of the car, and discovered fuel jetting out of the melted fuel line at 30 psi, within less than an inch of the hot exhaust pipe.!!!

Don't forget all of the seals that the E10 might get at, also! E10 has worked nicely for me for several years in all of my cars. My most recent project is a B20 with a B20E head for higher compression to help with better burning of ethanol (I hope).

Good luck!!

Kent

Thanks Phil, I'll change the rubber fuel lines on my car as a preventive measure.
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Joaquin / Rojo 121 / Lima

As other have said, the mixture will degrade old rubber and will strip any build up out of the tank and fuel lines. This will plug up any fuel filter you have.

Last year I purchased a '68 Amazon in the UK and had it shipped over to the states. It ran fine for the first couple of tanks of gasohol (90%-10%). The mixture then destroyed the old fuel pump on the car. I changed that out (after trailering the car home) and then it started to plug stuff up. I was packing stuff into the fuel pump and filling up the filter (trailered home a few more times). It was a real headache for a few hundred miles. I finally pulled the tank and had it caustically boiled clean. I also ran duel fuel filters since then (coarse upstream of the pump, fine down stream of the pump). Car runs fine now and I will go back to a single fuel filter shortly.

Good luck.

Chris

Thanks Chris, in 2003 the gas tank of my car was cleaned (caustic cleaning), I will check the gas pump and filter (and buy a new diaphragm for the pump as a preventive measure).
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Joaquin / Rojo 121 / Lima

Agree 100% with Phil.

I'd add that you can expect a decrease in fuel mileage of about 15%.
Oh, and you can expect to pay more for that privilege as well.

Some reports also claim that the ethanol blend tends to absorb moisture more than gasoline. It sounds like that makes sense, but I've no experience with that.

I am under the impression that ethanol is only mixed into the lower grades of fuel, is that wrong?

"I am under the impression that ethanol is only mixed into the lower grades of fuel, is that wrong?"

Probably depends on how you define "lower grade". At least around here, it's not unusual to see 87 octane gasoline next to 89 octane gasohol next to 91 octane gasoline. And it's also not unusual for the 89 octane gasohol to be cheaper than the 87 octane "pure" stuff... due obviously to things like the extreme fluctuations in the price of a barrel of oil (while subsidized ethanol prices remain more stable).
--

Gary L - 142E ITB race car, 73 1800ES
BlueBrick Racing Website
YouTube Racing Videos

Thanks Tom. Less power and more price is usual on my country's gasoline. We´re latinos...
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Joaquin / Rojo 121 / Lima

You don't have to be Latino to have those "features." It's no different here in the U.S.

Ah, ok, you are right.

In NY all of the gas is 10% ethanol, has been for years. My car seems to do fine with it, then again I have newer "rubber" lines and not much else to compare it with. In CT. I believe it is also 10%. In Jersey, the gas is much cheaper, (less state tax), no ethanol and the car runs poorly with it in the winter, (my guess is that water gets in).

Chris: Thanks for the info.
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Joaquin "Yogui" / Rojo 121 / Lima

Hi Joaquin,

I've heard a number of local car collectors badmouth gasahol. I have been paying about $.03 more a gallon for gas without ethanol, mostly on the principle that the car made it all these years without it. I read an article that said ethanol gas burns hotter and is less efficient. I do notice my car seems a little bit pepper without the ethanol gas. (purely subjective for a car with 85 horsepower brand new)

I have had issues with my fuel system, but nothing that I can blame on anything more than just age. If you had your gas tank cleaned, you might want to consider a sealing kit (if it has any rust or you suspect fuel deposits in the tank). I had my tank professionally cleaned and then brought it home and used the POR-15 tank sealing kit. I was so impressed with how clean the tank got, and am very happy with the sealer.

Me gusta mucho leer su mesaje. Volvos viejos se unen el mundo. Lo siento si mi espanol es malo. Estude espanol en una clase este verano.

Sarah

[spanish]:Gracias Sara. Tu español es muy bueno (mejor que mi ingles!).
Para que puedas practicar un poco mas tu español, te recomiendo leas: http://www.automas.com.pe/tomas/autobio_129.php

[english]:Thanks Sarah. Your Spanish is very good (better than my English!).
So you can practice your Spanish a little more, I recommend you read: http://www.automas.com.pe/tomas/autobio_129.php (*)

(*) Sorry pals, you need understand the lenguaje angelical (español) for read it, no pun intended...(or you can use the Google web page translator...)
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Joaquin "Yogui" / Rojo 121 / Lima

Hi Joaquin, I saw this 120 from a combi window when I was in Lima last year. Didn't have time to check it out, for a moment I thought maybe you had painted yours....I see you are still red so I guess there is more than one 120 in Lima...I hardly ever see 120s in Montreal these days...last one other than mine was a couple of years ago. I still drive mine hard all spring summer fall, it likes to work.
http://www.brickboard.com/IMAGELIB/volvopic.htm?id=9981
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Patrick, '68 220 (used to drive 240s)

Hi Patrick, this years some people here is buying and rebuilding old volvos (a handfull); see the web site about of (Peruvian) Classic Volvo Club: http://www.clubvolvodelperu.webs.com/ (in spanish*)

Also, about the white amazon on your photo, please check http://www.rematazo.com/remate/36743-VOLVO-AMAZON-121-COUPE.html (in spanish*).

By now, I'm rebuilding (again) my Rojo 121, see http://www.novara.pe/joaquin-novara/Volvo (in spanish*).

Cordialmente,

Joaquin

(*): Web pages in spanish can be see on english using the google translator...
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Joaquin "Yogui" / Rojo 121 / Lima

I've heard complaints that the alcohol is responsible for degrading terminals on parts like the sending units for the fuel gauges. It's equally likely that they become unreliable with old age. My gas gauge needle usually quivers rather than indicates.
In high elevation areas here in Colorado the gas will usually be 85 octane.