E10 (Ethanol 10) Petrol is coming

All the information below has been lifted directly from HM Government website Check if your vehicle can run on E10 petrol - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

During summer 2021, the standard (or ‘Premium’) petrol grade in the UK will become E10.

E10 petrol contains up to 10% renewable ethanol, which is added to reduce CO₂ emissions and help tackle climate change.
E10 petrol is compatible with almost all (95%) petrol-powered vehicles on the road today, including all cars built since 2011.

Check your vehicle is compatible with E10 petrol
You can check if your car, motorbike or moped can use E10 petrol by using our E10 compatibility checker.
If your vehicle or equipment is not compatible with E10 fuel, you will still be able to use E5 by purchasing the ‘Super’ grade petrol from most filling stations.
Filling stations will clearly label petrol as either E10 or E5.

The change in fuel only applies to petrol; diesel fuel will not be changing.

E10 petrol is already widely used around the world, including across Europe, the US and Australia. It has also been the reference fuel against which new cars are tested for emissions and performance since 2016.

Fuel economy
Using E10 petrol can slightly reduce fuel economy (the number of miles you are able to drive on a gallon of fuel). You may see around a 1% reduction, which is unlikely to be noticeable in everyday driving.
Other factors – such as your driving style, or driving with under-inflated tyres or a roof rack fitted – have a much more significant impact on fuel economy.

Compatibility

Vehicles
Almost all petrol-powered vehicles on the road are compatible with E10 petrol. At present, around 95% are approved for use with E10 and this is increasing all the time.
All new cars manufactured since 2011 are compatible with E10 fuel, and most cars and motorbikes manufactured since the late 1990s are also approved by manufacturers to use E10.

The following vehicles, however, may not be compatible with E10 fuel:

• classic, cherished and older vehicles
• some specific models, particularly those from the early 2000s
• some mopeds, particularly those with an engine size of 50cc or under

If your vehicle or equipment is not compatible with E10 fuel, you will still be able to use E5 by purchasing the ‘Super’ grade petrol from most filling stations.
Filling stations will clearly label petrol as either E10 or E5.

Hi Griff, good spot on Gov website. Clearly the Busso is out of scope for the ago of the engine's covered by the Gov 'search for compatibility' with E10 grade although reading the disclaimer I'm not sure I'd want to rely on their information anyway.
Does anyone know what factors need to be taken in to consideration when understanding if an engine is compatible as given that the majority of Stratos owners modify their engines any use of standard manufacturers data won't be relevant anyway? Would I be correct to assume fuel injection, compression ratio, lambda sensors, advance and retard controls are the key factors? I'm nowhere near to completing my build but would be interested to understand if I have to start thinking about aftermarket ECU's (I'm currently adapting the OE 166 and loom) to gain more controllability.
Cheers Steve

Can't find owt on the Alfa Busso but found this on Lancia.........

Lancia:E10 petrol is cleared for use in all Lancia vehicles with petrol engines of Euro 3 emission level starting from model year 2000, excluding the following vehicles: Lybra: 1.6 16V, 1.8 16V, 2.0 20V.
Thesis: 2.0 Turbo 20V, 2.4 20V, 3.0 V6 24V, 3.2 V6 24V.

Seems E10 can also damage to the cores of Catalytic converters.

I was hoping with my modern fuel pump, injectors and all Teflon fuel lines it will be OK but having done a bit of reading it seems that corrosion of aluminium is a known issue. That could be a real issue with aluminium fuel tank, rails and filer housing etc. Maybe anodising is a solution?

I intend using premium fuel from now on to limit exposure to Ethanol. I’m pretty sure most of the components in the two kits are OK with E10 except the aluminium tank and fuel rail in the Westfield.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NoCorseChris

I intend using premium fuel from now on to limit exposure to Ethanol. I’m pretty sure most of the components in the two kits are OK with E10 except the aluminium tank and fuel rail in the Westfield.

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What about using something like Millers additives Chris? (other additives are available)

It’s about 20p/l for the treatment. Premium isn’t that much more is it? Less hassle too. I suppose one could alternate between additive and premium. It would probably be worth putting some additive in with the last top-up of the year too, so the anti-E10 component could protect the fuel system over the winter.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NoCorseChris

It’s about 20p/l for the treatment. Premium isn’t that much more is it? Less hassle too. I suppose one could alternate between additive and premium. It would probably be worth putting some additive in with the last top-up of the year too, so the anti-E10 component could protect the fuel system over the winter.

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Yes, steer clear of E10 at the pumps, but take some additive with you just in case.

Esso has a fuel grade with no ethanol content although at present it's only available at selected stations.

Shamelessely stolen from the LMC website - how to remove ethanol from E10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9mLbuUSt-0

But not always possible if you're miles from home....

Guy

That's a useful wheeze! Sounded like Murray walker.

Or use Millers VSPe which is a tad more convenient, I have used it for several years to keep my Guy Croft twin cam happy.

If I was regularly driving my car (or going on a long distance) I doubt i would be worried about ethanol. It is only long term mon use that is the problem. Keeping an empty tank creates other problems of condensation corrosion. VSP seems the solution when only 10% super is available.

Sadly I only did A level chemistry so the list of ingredients in the VSP means little to me, but I can’t help being curious about how a product at a 100:1 ratio can render the ethanol content inactive. (50ml of VSP to 50l fuel, assuming a 10% ethanol content). Interesting to see they say the product “combats the adverse effects of ethanol”, not “prevents”. No indication of efficacy at all.

For a more modern engine like an Alfa V6, the Millers EPS would be adequate to protect any at-risk fuel system components I imagine. No need for the lead substitute or octane booster etc.


Everything you never wanted to know about ethanol in petrol, as applied to lawnmowers.....

https://youtu.be/UvS_D4_lF5U

There is an impressively detailed view of E10 and its implications here.

Get yourself a cup of tea for the read......

Mark

My Busso engined cars have logged hundreds of thousands of miles on E10 fuel. At one time there were four Busso engined Euro 2 and Euro 3 cars in the family fleet doing daily driver work. No issues with E10. I dislike any type of mandate, esp the ethanol mandate. In the USA, non ethanol fuel has not been available in the cities. E10 burns leaner due to the different air/fuel ratio. Fuel economy falls off with E10, ethanol has less BTU than petrol.