E85 ethanol may damage engines

RACQ technical services manager Steve Spalding has warned that the biggest danger is that short-term minor performance differences in recently introduced E85 fuel with a 85 per cent ethanol content may lull motorists into a false sense of security.

"There is a real concern that if a driver doesn't experience immediate and severe reactions (from using E85) the lower pricing will appear attractive and they will take the risk and keep using it," he said.  His comments follow recent RACQ testing of two vehicles not recommended for ethanol-blended fuels. The test found only a minor loss of performance.

However, Spalding suggested that the performance differences such as rough idling and difficult starting could be worse in colder climates.  Caltex this year introduced E85 Bio E-Flex fuel at more than 30 sites nationwide, increasing to 100 next year, however the only vehicles in Australia with manufacturer approval for its use are a small number of SAABs and some Holden VE Series II Commodores.

Spalding said their tests, conducted recently at Lakeside Park historic racing circuit, showed motorists would do little or no damage to their vehicles if they used the fuel once and that they may not notice the performance difference.

"However, the long-term consequences are almost certainly fuel system degradation such as deterioration of the fuel hoses and clogging the filters.  Minor damage would be a couple of hundred dollars, but if it was an older vehicle the cost of repairs could exceed the market value by a long way," he said.

"I think it will be easy for a motorist to run up a repair bill of more than $1000 and the risk is they wouldn't know they would be exposing themselves to these sorts of costs."

The RACQ has criticised the Queensland Government's proposal to mandate ethanol content in fuel which would result in regular 91RON unleaded fuel becoming unavailable. The Queensland Government this year postponed moves to mandate the use of the plant-based fuel additive.

Spalding said the proliferation of types of fuel offered at the bowser could lead motorists to mistakenly se E85.  Fuel varieties include: ULP (91 RON), Premium ULP (95 RON), higher octane fuels such as 98 RON, E10 (either 91 or 95), diesel, B20 (bio diesel) and LPG.