Z Energy is "seriously considering" a move to potentially cheaper ethanol-blende

[Richard Kuysten]

#4165

I understand Gull and one of the other privateers use blended fuel.  I remember reading an article discussing the cost of the blended v normal fuel which said while the blended fuel is cheaper at the pump it is not as efficient so the apparent cost saving is acutally very little.  Of course this was refuted by the blended suppliers.  Soooooooo who has some technical knowledge of this and will you share it with us please. Perhaps some members are using blended regularly and have no problems with it, please let us know.

[Anonymous]

#17247

The butane? I think that is the ingredient in an ethanol blend that is taxed at a lower rate, therefore, yes, an ethanol blend can be cheaper.Gull and possibly Mobil use a blend, Gull is most proactive. Per litre, if memory serves me correctly, you get less energy, so consumption will actually increase to get same power.In short (and rafts of threads have been created and ethanol debated), if your bike isn't designed to handle an ethanol blend it's going to get expensive in a bad way. I've seen the fuel lines of an RC8 (almost brand new) turned to mush from the ethanol blend fuel. I've spoken to Mr Glasswell re our BMWs, and he assures me BMW's are fine with ethanol, as with their cars. Regardless, I have seen reports out of the USA, in areas where non-ethanol fuel is almost impossible to get hold of, of big issues.I'm staying the hell away from ethanol fuel for as long as possible for any of my vehicles. I fill almost exclusively with Z, so if you can point me in a direction of feedback or news about this, would appreciate. I like my Flybuys points for gas I'd already be buying... but I like my vehicles more.

[Anonymous]

#17248

I've been reading some US and UK R12RT forums and blogs: most riders seem to favour/recommend Caltex 95 due to the Techron additive. And concur with the cheaper ethanol blends! 

[Anonymous]

#17249

I just did a holiday around Central and Northern Australia, I had a Hyundai i20 and was there for 6 weeks and did 13,000km's. The first time I filled up with an Ethanol blend from B.P. I thought there was something wrong with the fuel gauge as it just droped so quickly, I didn't realise that it was the Ethanol blend at first but after filliing up at different service stations I soon worked out that the Ethanol blend was only good for about 500k's to the tank compared to the 700km's as the conventional petrol.As I was doing so many Km's and at a constant open road speed and over flat terrain this was very obvious.Some streches of road around Birdsville etc (don't tell the hire car company 😉 ) there were distances of 500km's between petrol stations.....

[Anonymous]

#17250

Ethanol is what they add,  generally produced in Taranaki  from from gas for our market. NZ & Aus  add about 10% Brazil adds up to 85% because they produce it cheaply from sugar cane. Ethanol is an achohol (liquid - Butane is a gas)  and is blended into fuels primarily to reduce costs. It is also promoted as being greener , whilst it produces fewer pollutants , it produces ozone which may or may not be good. Ethanol has much less energy, about 30% less per litre or kg  than 95 Petrol so you need to use more of it to produce the same power Thats why Methanol fueled ( also an alcohol) race bikes run jets about twice the size of petrol ones.Thats also why you end up using more 

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so is it really cheaper or better - probably not

[peter.trub]

#17251

Dont know much about the technicalitys of blended fuels, I do know however that if I fill the GS at Gull or Mobil it always runs like a bag of rubbish after.However it must be good as the greenies promote it and they only ever promote stuff thats good for the planet. Good things like growing fuel for cars instead of food for people and legalizing marijuana, but I digress  ;D

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