Ethanol test for pump petrol

[Luddite]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

I may be misunderstanding, but surely the supposed 'clean' benefits alone of super unleaded petrol should ensure that it's still available for as long as combustion engines exist? Assuming of course that anyone can afford to buy it.

It's all part of the government's efforts to reduce the UK's net carbon emissions to zero by 2050, Bob.

Ethanol is being blended with petrol as it is renewable and supposedly reduces a vehicle's CO² emissions by 2% over running on E5.

[Darren69]

It shouldn't be a major problem should it, providing that you can continue to buy premium grade with <=5.0% ethanol and just use that instead? OK it will be a bit more expensive but I always buy that if I can anyway.

But if for whatever reason you couldn't get premium and you needed fuel you wouldn't really want to buy E10.

[Graham04]

My local Esso garage has just had an upgrade and the supreme petrol pump now shows E5. It was inevitable that they would catch up eventually

[Luddite]

Don't worry, Graham. It's just a labelling thing - if it was ethanol-free before than it will still be ethanol-free.

See post #50 earlier in the thread: http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/s...7&postcount=50

If you're worried about the ethanol content then just test a sample as explained at the start of this thread.

Originally Posted by Graham04

My local Esso garage has just had an upgrade and the supreme petrol pump now shows E5. It was inevitable that they would catch up eventually

Yes, I noticed that and began to lose faith. However, reassured by the discussions, stocks of ethanol-free Esso petrol are now in the garage awaiting the riding season (the better grades of fuel have a longer shelf-life too).

I mean; I appreciate ethanol in the right place i.e. my G&T, but not in fuel!

Nick

[Luddite]

Update:

From: http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/s...d.php?p=580403

Originally Posted by jerry

No more 0% ethanol pure Benzine fuel in Uk since early this year even Esso and BP 97 /98/99 octane is now 5% ethanol

Not true. For confirmation, I've just tested 100cc of Esso Synergy Supreme+ bought from Chickenhall Service Station in Eastleigh last Wednesday and, as in all previous tests, it remains completely ethanol free.

There is currently no E10 fuel available in the UK as it is not due to be introduced until 2021. According to the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), there will be a nationwide publicity campaign six months before the launch of E10, so keep an eye out for that and pay attention to the pump labels once E10 becomes available.

Again, according to the PRA, 'protection grade' E5 will continue to be made available for at least five years after the introduction of E10. My hope is that, while E5 remains on the menu, Esso will continue to offer it as ethanol-free.

[Luddite]

From Fortnine, a timely, interesting and, as ever, entertaining look at fuel stabilisers.

Don't have nightmares!

[Darkness]

The Esso website still says:

‘The majority of unleaded 95 Octane petrol sold in the UK contains up to 5% ethanol as required under the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO).

There is currently no requirement for renewable fuel (such as ethanol) to be present in super unleaded (97 and 99 grade petrol).

Esso super unleaded petrol (Synergy Supreme+ Unleaded 97 and Synergy Supreme+ 99 ) is ethanol free (except in Devon, Cornwall, the Teesside area and Scotland). We would therefore advise anyone who has concerns about the presence of ethanol in petrol to use Synergy Supreme+ – providing they do not fill up in Devon or Cornwall, the Teesside area or Scotland. The European standard BS EN228 covers the requirements for 0-5% ethanol unleaded petrol, the labelling requirement for zero % ethanol is E5 (as is up to 5%), a E0 label doesn’t exist. We understand that this is confusing if you are looking for zero % ethanol fuel, but as advised we can confirm that our Supreme Unleaded fuel supplied in areas except those listed (Devon, Cornwall, Teeside & Scotland) is ethanol free.’

https://www.esso.co.uk/en-gb/fuels-faqs

As they say, there is no E0 classification, so ethanol free is labelled as having less than 5%.

[TimM900]

Who else has tried testing their petrol? Out of curiosity I got a measuring cylinder a couple of weeks ago and have tried a few, just for standard unleaded. Interestingly, none are as high as 5% yet, so far both Jet and BP have been 3-4% while Tesco measured 1-2%.

[Luddite]

Originally Posted by TimM900

Who else has tried testing their petrol? Out of curiosity I got a measuring cylinder a couple of weeks ago and have tried a few, just for standard unleaded. Interestingly, none are as high as 5% yet, so far both Jet and BP have been 3-4% while Tesco measured 1-2%.

For piece of mind, I regularly check a sample of Esso's Synergy Supreme+ and, so far, It's always been completely ethanol-free. As a control, to ensure my testing method worked, I've also checked Esso's regular unleaded, which contained about 4.5% ethanol. I know which one will be in my tank over winter!

[Luddite]

From http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/s...ad.php?t=59386

Originally Posted by Darkness

Has anyone enquired whether it actually contains 10% ethanol, or less than 10%?

I thought e10 was being rolled out in September, so they may be getting the pumps ready for it.

It's actually been legal to supply fuel with a maximum 10% ethanol content since 2011 but, until now, none of the oil companies has offered this as an option.

The latest draft legislation will place a statutory requirement on the oil companies to provide E10, (with a minimum ethanol content of 5.5%), from 1 September. E10 will then become the 'standard grade' with E5 being the alternative 'protection grade'.

I checked what the present position was with the major suppliers and this is how they replied via email...

Esso said:

"The transition to E10 unleaded petrol will gradually take place during August. Some Service Stations might adapt sooner, so please look for the E10 sticker on fuel pumps and for exact dates please ask your local Service Station.

BP:

"E10 is a grade of petrol that may contain up to 10% bioethanol. It is already sold in parts of Europe as well as the USA and Australia but not in the UK yet. Most vehicles produced since 2000 are able to run on E10 petrol. Vehicles that can run on E10 can also run on E5 petrol and, for new vehicles, will typically have both labels by the fuel filler cap.

E10 could be available in the UK in the future as a way of helping to reduce the carbon emissions from petrol vehicles and meet climate change targets."

Texaco:

"You are correct in saying that the E10 grade will be available in our service stations on the 1st September."

Shell didn't have a contact email so a quick call to their customer service revealed that they are not supplying any E10 at the moment and aren't announcing any specific roll-out date but are in consultation with the DoT.

My guess, from that, is that they're just waiting to see if the draft legislation goes through without amendment. Assuming it does, then they'll have to provide E10 from 1 September whether they like it or not.

Don't forget that Esso Synergy Supreme+ will continue to be ethanol-free as now in those areas that currently have it.

[TimM900]

I wonder where they are going to get all the bioethanol from? I haven't noticed a sudden change of farm crop production anywhere

[Luddite]

(Thought I'd update the thread with this information from Nasher's swollen tank saga.)

You'll be pleased to know that I checked 100ml of Esso Synergy Supreme+ purchased earlier tonight at the local service station and found absolutely zero ethanol in the sample.

So, at present, it seems that Esso are the only supplier you can consistently rely on to offer ethanol-free fuel, (apologies if you live in one of the Esso 'dead spots'!).

I would certainly recommend using Synergy Supreme+ to everyone, not just to those of us with plastic tanks. It may be more expensive per litre but, in addition to the 'health benefits', there has been some evidence in recent magazine articles suggesting that, because it contains more energy per cc than an ethanol blend, you actually need less fuel for any given distance, making it cheaper per mile than E10.

[jerry]

My experience in Thailand on the S4 is that when Pure benzine 95 not available and i have to use the 10% gasohol 95 i lose 10% power and 5% mileage its very noticable and that does not include all the other risks of gasohol , luckily the S4 has steel tank but when I dont use the bike for a few months I either empty tank or fill it with pure unadulterated lovely pure 95 benzine

[900Rebuilder]

Originally Posted by Luddite

(Thought I'd update the thread with this information from Nasher's swollen tank saga.)

You'll be pleased to know that I checked 100ml of Esso Synergy Supreme+ purchased earlier tonight at the local service station and found absolutely zero ethanol in the sample.

So, at present, it seems that Esso are the only supplier you can consistently rely on to offer ethanol-free fuel, (apologies if you live in one of the Esso 'dead spots'!).

I would certainly recommend using Synergy Supreme+ to everyone, not just to those of us with plastic tanks. It may be more expensive per litre but, in addition to the 'health benefits', there has been some evidence in recent magazine articles suggesting that, because it contains more energy per cc than an ethanol blend, you actually need less fuel for any given distance, making it cheaper per mile than E10.

I'm starting to think that it might be the ethanol content that's the cause of all the rust in the tank (steel) in my Jeep. The rust has all been located below the waterline of where the old petrol was left in the tank and I can only assume / guess that its the ethanol content thats made it far worse than it would otherwise have been.