Topic: confronting ethanol ignorance... (Read 1666 times)

HuskerFlex · « **on:** March 08, 2010, 04:02:35 PM »

My wife and I have had our FFV 2008 Chrysler Town & Country minivan since just before the 1st of the year.... Absolutely freaking love it!

One of our neighbors, and a pretty close neighborly friend... has had a Town & Country for 1 1/2 years now... we didn't ever notice until now that it was a FFV

Just this weekend we noticed and asked if they were "using e85?"...

I was shocked when he answered (he's pretty intelligent, and pretty well informed IMHO), "I've been looking for it, but everywhere I look, they only have e10, not e15.....

Apparently, according to his logic and math... well, can't quite figure it out...

I walked him through it...
e10= 10% ethanol (hence e10) and 90% gasoline
e85= 85% ethanol (hence e85) and 15% gasoline

I pointed out the nearest several stations (he travels a lot around town for work) and pointed out the two that didn't price it well, and the 3 that were great prices.

We'll see if he does it. I'm sure he will... then again, I was sure he knew what e85 was also.

rusty70f100 · « **Reply #29 on:** June 21, 2010, 09:40:24 AM »

Add to that, a good windshield washer fluid will dissolve bug guts.

1outlaw · « **Reply #28 on:** June 20, 2010, 01:44:28 PM »

Maybe we need a sticky- 144 uses for ethanol

SacramentoE-85 · « **Reply #27 on:** June 20, 2010, 10:57:09 AM »

You know, when we got our car (slightly used) several years ago I had the same smell problem, took it to the dealership, and they said they used some disinfectant spray to kill off "bacteria that build up in there."

I bet it was Lysol, and thanks to ethanol our cabin air doesn't stink. I'll keep that in mind next time--a $5 bottle of Lysol to save $75 at the dealership.

Steve-O · « **Reply #26 on:** June 20, 2010, 08:56:31 AM »

I had a problem with some sort of odor causing, mold-mildew buildup in one of my cars' A/C condenser last summer. Really smelled awful when you turned the A/C on and also when you switched it off to vent. Read to run the A/C full blast and spray Lysol into the intake vent, then run the vent with the fan full blast and do the same thing. Instead, I just sprayed a 50/50 mix of isopropyl alcohol and water. It absolutely did the trick, this year the air coming in smells great.

Now as a precaution I never run it on short trips and run full blast vent only for 60 seconds after a long trip with the A/C and it hasnt come back.

But yeah, besides being the best fuel it is great stuff

James48843 · « **Reply #25 on:** June 20, 2010, 07:23:58 AM »

Wow. I never knew Lysol Spray was mostly ethanol.

Ya learn something new every day!

Thanks!

SacramentoE-85 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 20, 2010, 12:30:49 AM »

Got out the Lysol spray disinfectant today--it contains 58% ethanol.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5215124_dangers-lysol-spray.html

"Ethanol is the primary ingredient in Lysol spray and is highly flammable, especially under pressure."

The original version actually has 79% ethanol.

http://www.herc.org/library/msds/lysolspray.htm

LEHN & FINK PRODUCTS -- LYSOL (R) BRAND DISINFECTANT SPRAY - - ORIGINAL, FRESH, LIGHT, COUNTRY
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
NSN: 793000B120071
Manufacturer's CAGE: 73820
Part No. Indicator: A
Part Number/Trade Name: LYSOL (R) BRAND DISINFECTANT SPRAY -

Proprietary: NO
Ingredient: ETHYL ALCOHOL (ETHANOL)
Ingredient Sequence Number: 02
Percent: 79%
NIOSH (RTECS) Number: KQ6300000
CAS Number: 64-17-5
OSHA PEL: 1000 PPM
ACGIH TLV: 1000 PPM; 9192
Other Recommended Limit: NONE SPECIFIED

SacramentoE-85 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 26, 2010, 10:06:38 AM »

Of course we know we drink ethanol in smaller % with alcoholic beverages. I think if one were to drink 100% ethanol, it would burn one's throat before one could get much down. Also the high levels of alcohol may kill off the helpful bacteria in one's intestines. Anyone here had an experience drinking straight ethanol?

Or if you mean the hand sanitizer, I don't think it would harm you if it doesn't have other ingredients. It would be like taking a shot of whiskey I imagine, as they seem to be 50% to 80% alcohol.

fleebut · « **Reply #22 on:** March 26, 2010, 06:00:30 AM »

Would drinking the stuff sanitize ourselves? You know medicinal.

SacramentoE-85 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 25, 2010, 11:04:47 PM »

Ethanol sanitizer is much better for preventing colds than soap and water:

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2010/03/24/can-ethanol-prevent-colds/

"Ethanol boosters haven’t gone so far as to claim their fuel can prevent or cure common colds, but some research released this week says that ethanol-based hand sanitizers are more effective at keeping the dreaded rhinvirus off human hands than regular hand-washing with soap."

"“Results showed that the ethanol hand sanitizer removed approximately 80% of detectable rhinovirus from hands and was much more effective than no treatment, water alone, or soap and water,” the study reported. Soap and water removed rhinovirus from 31% of hands."

“The ethanol-containing hand disinfectants were significantly more effective than hand washing with water or with soap and water for removal of detectable rhinovirus for the hands in this study,” say the researchers. “Furthermore, a formula containing organic acids and ethanol resulted in residual activity that significantly reduced virus recovery from the hands and rhinovirus infection for up to 4 hours after application.”

HuskerFlex · « **Reply #20 on:** March 12, 2010, 08:14:45 AM »

Sweden (even smaller market) also has a great deal of e85 stations, nearly every station in the country... so it would be a good "northern market" test area for a truly ethanol optimized flex.

furball64801 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 11, 2010, 10:03:18 PM »

You cant cure stupid folks.

Thumpin455 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 10, 2010, 12:05:53 AM »

I gave up trying to convince people who are negative, instead I provide information to those who actually want it. Also I intend to prove it, with the increase in my income I can actually do something in a timely manner. The pieces are falling into place, and the engine is just waiting for the snow to be gone, and the 65 GTO to be out of the shop. Nothing shuts them up like seeing it for themselves first hand. This summer we will have a bright yellow educational experience with a sweet sound at idle as well as WOT for the naysayers.

SacramentoE-85 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 09, 2010, 10:29:51 PM »

Mouthwash (think about doing THAT with gasoline).

Beer. Wine. Whiskey.

Hand sanitizer.

Flavoring.

Food preservative.

Coloring.

Medicines. Cough syrup. Anesthetic.

Perfume.

Deodorant.

Lysol.

Domestic.

Clean burning.

Powerful fuel.

Not military fought for.

Keeping fuel prices lower.

Gasoline? Heck no. Ethanol!

1outlaw · « **Reply #16 on:** March 09, 2010, 10:10:42 PM »

Quote from: Corey872 on March 09, 2010, 03:44:35 PM

The funny thing is - if the tables were reversed...we have ethanol and trying to switch to gasoline...you'd be laughed out of the room for suggesting the switch. I can hear it now...

Why would I put something in my car I can't drink for myself?

Who would ever use 87 octane when ethanol gives me 105?

I don't want that 'low power' 87 octane junk in my tank!

Why would I want a bunch of gunky old dinosaur parts clogging up my injectors when I can flush them with pure alcohol??

Why would I pay some middle easterner for a bunch of oil sludge when we can grow clean ethanol right here?

Why pull a pound of carbon out of the ground and put it in the air when I can just recycle the carbon already in the air with ethanol?

I'm sure there are plenty more, but it's funny if ethanol does ever 'clog a fuel system' - it's simply because it's breaking down what years of junky gasoline have left behind!

Excellent- and how true !

1outlaw · « **Reply #15 on:** March 09, 2010, 09:59:44 PM »

Quote from: cessna on March 09, 2010, 02:02:03 PM

I'm about ready to call it a day and admit defeat. Was just up at the elevator checking markets and there is a new flex fuel Chevy Impala that the hog building manager is driving. I ask if he's using E85 and he says the dealer said to just put E10 in. This guy lives at Hartley where a blender pump with E20,30,40 and 85 is installed---there's no hope.

Well- since he is raising hogs he just might have been blowing smoke and perhaps he bought into the food fight game- now on the other hand, If this is the dealer then this crap stops with "we the people"--go see that dealer Cessna and see what they tell you. Educate them if you get the same statement. I have only ran into 2 dealers that persisted after I set them straight- I have been known to send a state fuel inspector into them when they play "shop games" with customers. I am still in the midst of doing dealer trainings here- most of their poor comments about E85 is due to lack of knowledge but when it is perpetual ignorance I make sure everone knows where not to go and if any bad info come from that shop then I sic the dogs on them.

STEVE- dont be afraid to ask folks why they put in what they do (word it as I see you are using gas-just curious'''''''''')- you will find some Renew customers just do not know (we cant be there all the time) and others just have not done the economics calcs or know how. We cannot say the same things you can re: the blends. Most find this conversation more friendly and comforting than staring at a pump racking up numbers in silence.