How's Ethanol effecting your SC?
 

I haven't been able to tune my CIS but I had to re adjust idle and I get very lousy cold start performance after 4 years of running great.

I filled up at a pump without ethanol and the car was back to it's old self.

Filled back up today (E fuel) and it's back to cranking longer to start, lousy cold start performance and weaker acceleration.

How do you tune to varying gas formulas? I'll bet it's impossible until a standard is set.

Regards,

I don't tune, per-se. I only ask the station I go to (Chevron) when the summer gas has arrived, and check the weather report to see if it'll be a really hot day. If so, I'll make a trip to a station serving up 100-octane; put in about 5 gallons.

dd74-That's a good strategy. I'll try it.

Anyone fiddle with mixture and distributor timing to compensate for the ethanol?

I'm due for a major service so I was going to take car of it then.

ethanol has just been made mandatory here (E10) and after two tankfulls I haven't noticed much difference at all.

See my thread on Rennlist
 

I had a similar problem and the group suggested that I might have gotten some water in the fuel. I used HEET and everything cleaned up quite well. A cheap solution if it works. I'd have the tank topped off before I put it in (leave a little room for the HEET). We have a fairly high ethanol content here for emissions reasons.

Adding HEET to gasoline/ethanol blend is redundant. HEET is
alcohol, as is ethanol. They do the same thing...attract water.
That is why it is unwise to store ethanol laced gasoline more than a month. Ever notice "brown gas". That's contaminated ethanol blend. Best not to store your car for Winter with it in the tank.
I will not use any gasoline containing ethanol in any of my Porsches, Stihl's (chainsaws) or outboard motors.

And your plan is to run what? when the corn-crap-gas arives in your area to stay?
I'm not a big fan of the reduced power-more required to go fuel but it is coming to a pump near you. I do like the fact that corn is re-newable and that the money stays here but the rest is bull.
I remember when this exact conversation was on everybodys lips anout 30 years ago, it was called I'm not running any of that non-leaded crap in MY car!
We will all have to adapt. I for one don't like change but what's a person to do?

I've run Sunoco Gold 94 in my SC engined car for the last 16 years. I'm pretty sure it's had up to 10% ethanol content all that time. As far as I know I've had no mechanical problems caused by the ethanol.

Not directly related to tuning, but you might find this thread interesting:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/273974-how-will-ethanol-affect-our-911s-apr-1-a.html

Here, they sell 91 and 93 octane gasoline labeled "for off-road use and collector vehicles only".
It is premium unleaded gasoline. No alcohol.

COOL!

Mike B,
Then how are you pumping that fuel into your 911 if its for offroad or collection vehicles only?
Just wondering...;)

There are certain vehicles or types of vehicles that are of "Collectable Status". If a model is rare or of a certain age, you can get specific plates that allow it to be considered a collector car or even historical (age).

B

"Then how are you pumping that fuel into your 911 if its for off-road or collection vehicles only?'

Sounds like fuel without the road taxes applied. In some instances this fuel is required to contain a dye that stains the inside surfaces of the fuel systems. If you're caught using it in an inappropriate vehicle (like on-road) then there's a big fine like $10,000.

Jim, and all....
This is pump gasoline sold conventionally at stations and intended for use in street rods, collector cars and tractors, and all small engines. It is taxed and suitable for road use.
There is a picture, on another thread, of the pump label. I just can't find it now.
Also, MN being in "corn country", we've been using the ethanol form of farmer welfare for many years. 10% was mandated almost 10 years ago, I think.

I was reading in my owner's manual that one should not run any gasoline with more that 10% Ethanol. What are we to do when they put in 15%?

Gasahol mentioned for my'82
 

The owner's manual for my car mentions 10% Ethyl Alcohol as approved but does point out that the continued use, if there are drivablilty and mileage problems, is not recommended. Nothing about fuel lines, gaskets or seals being at risk however.

I don't know if this related at all, but I am about on my 3rd or 4th tank of ethanol gas for my 79 SC. This weekend, for the first time in the 4 months I have owned the vehicle, it started a little rough, kind of a cough cough than vroom. (Yeah, those are techinical terms! http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/happy.gif)

Currently I am just keeping my eye on it and maybe it is just something being worked out through the system.

I have had a several tank fulls. One tank had bad gas. Car would die at idle. Filled back up and runs as normal. A nice bennefit I have noticed is significantly lower engine temps. When run hard on the street I use to get well above 210F. I have yet to see temps top 180 since the e-gas.

Chris
73 911 E