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E15 ethanol fuel can damage engines
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| Contributor | Imperator |
| Last Edited | Imperator May 18, 2012 07:32am |
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| Category | Study |
| Author | Hydrocarbon Processing |
| News Date | Friday, May 18, 2012 01:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Auto repair costs for consumers could rise due to adverse effects of fuel containing 15% ethanol blends (E15), according to new results from a two-year study on engine durability.
The study was conducted by FEV, a longtime consultant to the US Environmental Protection Agency, on behalf of the Coordinating Research Council (CRC).
The CRC study released Wednesday showed adverse results from E15 use in certain popular, high-volume models of cars, its authors said.
Problems included damaged valves and valve seats, which can lead to loss of compression and power, diminished vehicle performance, misfires, engine damage, as well as poor fuel economy and increased emissions.
“Clearly many vehicles on the road today are at risk of harm from E15. The unknowns concern us greatly, since only a fraction of vehicles have been tested to determine their tolerance to E15,” said Mitch Bainwol, CEO of the Auto Alliance trade group.
“Automakers did not build these vehicles to handle the more corrosive E15 fuel. That’s why we urged EPA to wait for the results of further testing.”
The potential costs to consumers are significant, the study says. The most likely repair would be cylinder head replacement, which costs from $2000-4000 for single cylinder head engines and twice as much for V-type engines.
“Our goal is to ensure that new alternative fuels are not placed into retail until it has been proven they are safe and do not cause harm to vehicles, consumers, or the environment,” said Mike Stanton, CEO of the Global Automakers trade group. “The EPA should have waited until all the studies on the potential impacts of E15 on the current fleet were completed.” |
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