Ok, I would like to know just what effects bad and good that ethanol has on BMW engines. Of course I'm more interested in the M52 engine that I have in my '97 328i, but I'm sure that I'm not the only one who would be interested to know. I of course lost a little gas mileage when I upgraded from factory 15" wheels to 17" BBS RK's, but it really took a hit when all gas stations in the state of Maryland started selling gas w/ 10% ethanol. I typically fill up at the half tank unless I'm on a long drive when I fill up at the quarter tank. Before ethanol I would get a little more than 200 miles before my gas tank was down to 1/2. Now, however, I'm doing good if I get 150 miles before I get to 1/2 tank. If my gas mileage has suffered this much just what is this awful stuff doing to my engine. I keep up on my maintenance. Get my oil changed religiously, the biannual coolant flush, and a carbon cleaning from time to time. So, if someone has access to a good report on just what this stuff does to your engine, I'd be very interested in reading it.
There have been many reports of ethanol prematurely ruining fuel pumps. BMW's don't like ethanol in the least, and there is a power and mpg hit. I'm not at all surprised that you are getting 100 miles less a tank, but I didn't think it the hit would be so large. I used to know someone who said they got 400 miles out of a tank on their E30. I have only ONCE come even close to that, and this was a couple of years ago. I don't know when they started putting ethanol in ALL the pumps in the state, but I think I hit a fuel pump that didn't have ethanol in it that day. Now I'm lucky to see 330 a tank, all highway miles. One thing's for sure; unless there's a huge public intervention of sorts, ethanol will not be disapearing from our pumps. I think they're actually going to raise the ethanol content in the future... Here's the article I got my information from: http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/may2009/bw20090514_058678_page_3.htm And it makes sense. I've seen other articles that have some of the same facts.
AZ, thanks for that link. Maybe I should check my fuel filter. The last time that I drove home to Tennessee they still had not added ethanol to the gas down there. So, when I got down South of Richmond there wasn't any in the gas. I had to fill up at least two more times before I got home, and by that time the ethanol was basically gone. The difference in how the car performed was noticeable w/out the ethanol. I can't really put it into words, but Connie was very happy until I had to pull off I-66 in NOVA and fill up again for the last time before I got home. Edit: I do miss my black 1986 (prod. Dec. 85) E30 325e. Annie was my first car. I bought her for $5124.50 including tax, tags and title with my enlistment bonus. I might actually right my US Senators and Reps about this. Maybe BMWCCA should lobby Congress to repeal the ethanol mandate. If we present detailed reports positively proving the damage that it can cause they might listen to us.
Whaaaat??? They Might Listen to a group of BMW Gear Heads??????? NO-WAAAY~!~ Washington has no interest in a grouup that might compromise their direct support of the UAW. Ha-Ha!!!
Unfortunately true That's true just ask Chrysler and GM. I'm very disturbed by the direction that things are going with these bailouts. Thankfully, you don't hear any indication that BMW AG is having any problems. Just out of curiosity, is BMW NA a separate business entity from BMW AG?
