can your viechele use e10?

Willow · Veteran Member

RE: can your viechele use e10?

milo · Guru

I dont want any arguements on which is best or what ever

but it seems like they are trying to phase out ordinary 95 unleaded,

my little mazda 2 (2004) can take the premium unleaded but not the e10 stuff, the next year up can tho..

I gather people with older campervans etc can just use the premium stuff if they dont have deisel??

Keith19837 · Senior Member

milo wrote:
I dont want any arguements on which is best or what ever
but it seems like they are trying to phase out ordinary 95 unleaded,
my little mazda 2 (2004) can take the premium unleaded but not the e10 stuff, the next year up can tho..
I gather people with older campervans etc can just use the premium stuff if they dont have deisel??

I would be surprised if they phase out 95 octane. This is the medium octane level in Australian fuels. As I understand it there are three main 'types' of petrol.

1. 91 octane rated - generally for earlier unleaded models but can be used by many unleaded modern cars. This is the base octane under fuels standards.

2. 95 octane rated - can be used by older and most modern unleaded cars.

3. 98 octane rated - this is for certain more recent cars that require higher octane fuels. Preludes for example state in their owner's manual that minimum 95 is to be used but preferably 98. Apparently the new car warranty on some cars can be voided if high octane is not used. It can also be used in older unleaded cars.

There used to be fuels with 101+ octane. I haven't seen this for a while and not sure if it's still available. There are several ethanol added fuels from 10% (E10) up to 80% (E80). Ethanol, (a sugar derivative) can cause serious damage to fuel lines and other components when used at higher than 10% concentrations. Some car manufacturers disallow it's use entirely under warranty. Higher ethanol fuels require engine modification.

On a personal note, I found that the higher octanes, although more expensive at the pump, worked out cheaper in extra kilometres. However this was with higher performance cars and newer fuel injected models. My 3.2 ltr V6 Rodeo (Isuzu not Daewoo) returns 50 kms better around town and higher on country roads. E10 gives me 50+ less kms per tank and is not economical in my view. Higher octanes can be used in earlier cars but it may or may not be any different in the kms returned. I find that a good brand injector cleaner helps keep the engine running and not to let the tank get much below about one quarter. Injectors are about the thickness of a human hair and once they get 'dirt' it them from the bottom of the tank there could be problems. Diesels are cetane rated and with either petrol or diesel engines the manufacturers recommended fuel rating is usually printed in the manual. Small tip: don't fuel up when a tanker is on the servo apron. The servo tanks will be low and all the water and other 'gunk' at the bottom can get sucked through and into your tank. This can cause rough running or breakdown. For what it's worth.

Happywanderer · The Master

I can't use E10 in Myrtle Milo, I use the unleaded and add a valve additive. If they did away with the lower grade unleaded I would have to go up to the higher grade.

Beth54 · Guru

I always used E10 in my '09 Hyundai i30, until about 6 months ago, when someone on here, and a few others, suggested I use 95. I've found it far more economical in the long run, even though I pay more for it at the pump.

I can't say I've heard anything about it being phased out.

03_troopy · Guru

There was talk a while back about getting rid of the 91octane from memory, but after the hew and outcry they canned the idea.

Keith19837 · Senior Member

Hang on Milo. Did you say a Mazda 2? You won't ever have to worry because rubber bands will always be for sale somewhere. LOL

barrie · Guru

My 80 series cruiser would not run on it as it was slow to pick up

milo · Guru

Keith19837 wrote:
Hang on Milo. Did you say a Mazda 2? You won't ever have to worry because rubber bands will always be for sale somewhere. LOL

Wizardofoz · Guru

The worrying thing is, most motor writing guru's shun E10 fuels and advise against their use. For that reason alone I don't touch the stuff.

I know that a very well respected boat engineer says straight out, "Do not use E10 in your outboards as it will damage your engine"...I wonder if we have been told the real facts about ethanol in our fuels, it is difficult to know what is fact and what is fiction.

Beth54 · Guru

Wizardofoz wrote:
The worrying thing is, most motor writing guru's shun E10 fuels and advise against their use. For that reason alone I don't touch the stuff.
I know that a very well respected boat engineer says straight out, "Do not use E10 in your outboards as it will damage your engine"...I wonder if we have been told the real facts about ethanol in our fuels, it is difficult to know what is fact and what is fiction.

Totally agree, The blokes in my family, who are all mechanically 'with it', say not to use E10.

neilnruth · Guru

And our s-i-l mechanic also reccommends against it but we do occasionally top up with it figuring it will be mixed with the previous higher grade. We also found higher octane fuel gave us better economy while away. But last night on TV there was a feature on the push for using E10 - with a service station in Burwood NSW giving away free E10 for an hour!

Gerty Dancer · Guru

My Mazda 2 is a bit newer than Milo's and theres a little notice on the inside of the petrol cap which says e10 is ok. So I use it. I am very pleased with the economy and performance of the little car... yes complete with rubber bands to make it go Keith. I only drive round town and we use the Prado for any longer trips, no worries.