Using Gasohol In Older Engines

[DMC1]

Any advice out there regarding the use of 91/95 Gasohol in older model cars?

My mate has a +10 year old Honda Civic but he always insists on using 91 Benzine. Would it be OK for him to switch to Gasohol?

[MikeyIdea]

Gasohol 95 Yes, but don't expect the engine to run as well. Also expect the car to take more petrol. Don't use all the time and avoid to fill up Gasohol at PTT stations (clean toilets but bad quality gasohol)

I fill Gasohol 95 10% of the time, that is when I can't find 91

[wandrinstar]

Gasohol 95 Yes, but don't expect the engine to run as well. Also expect the car to take more petrol. Don't use all the time and avoid to fill up Gasohol at PTT stations (clean toilets but bad quality gasohol)

I fill Gasohol 95 10% of the time, that is when I can't find 91

[wandrinstar]

Used 95 for ages no probs for any Honda ive found,nor does it use more fuel

[DMC1]

Gasohol 95 Yes, but don't expect the engine to run as well. Also expect the car to take more petrol. Don't use all the time and avoid to fill up Gasohol at PTT stations (clean toilets but bad quality gasohol)

I fill Gasohol 95 10% of the time, that is when I can't find 91

Thanks Mikey - Interesting point about the quality of PTT !! I always use the PTT garage near home to fill up my Jazz with 95 Gasohol.....

[MikeyIdea]

Gasohol 95 Yes, but don't expect the engine to run as well. Also expect the car to take more petrol. Don't use all the time and avoid to fill up Gasohol at PTT stations (clean toilets but bad quality gasohol)

I fill Gasohol 95 10% of the time, that is when I can't find 91

Thanks Mikey - Interesting point about the quality of PTT !! I always use the PTT garage near home to fill up my Jazz with 95 Gasohol.....

There was a thread a month or two back where the quality of PTT Gasohol was discussed. Some posters claimed a clear difference, I agree but can't confirm a clear difference though, small difference rather.

[stingray]

Gasohol 95 Yes, but don't expect the engine to run as well. Also expect the car to take more petrol. Don't use all the time and avoid to fill up Gasohol at PTT stations (clean toilets but bad quality gasohol)

I fill Gasohol 95 10% of the time, that is when I can't find 91

Thanks Mikey - Interesting point about the quality of PTT !! I always use the PTT garage near home to fill up my Jazz with 95 Gasohol.....

There was a thread a month or two back where the quality of PTT Gasohol was discussed. Some posters claimed a clear difference, I agree but can't confirm a clear difference though, small difference rather.

My daily car with a 3 liter 2JZ engine uses defenitifely more 95 gasohol, than 95 benzene. Didn't regonized any difference in power.

[JohnLeech]

My daily car with a 3 liter 2JZ engine uses defenitifely more 95 gasohol, than 95 benzene. Didn't regonized any difference in power.

Some international "green" groups, as well as some motoring organisations, are now questioning whether gasohol is actually "eco-friendly" at all because of this - although the exhaust emissions are less in static tests, if you are burning more fuel they have now realised that the overall emissions for a given distance can often be higher; surprisingly basic stuff, really.

The "big picture" is also not quite so green. The gasohol additive was originally more eco-friendly as it was made (in relatively small amounts) mainly from the by-products of sugar cane, cassava and palm oil which would otherwise have been wasted, but now that it is in mass production those crops have to be grown specifically for gasohol production. This has resulted in both increased de-forestation and land and labour that had been used for food production (including animal feed) being given over to more profitable (and heavily government subsidised) cultivation specifically for gasohol, with a direct effect on food prices.

As demand for gasohol, despite the reduced cost compared to regular fuel, was not as much as expected so production is well below full capacity and investors are restless - it may be more about greenbacks than about being green.

[MikeyIdea]

My daily car with a 3 liter 2JZ engine uses defenitifely more 95 gasohol, than 95 benzene. Didn't regonized any difference in power.

Some international "green" groups, as well as some motoring organisations, are now questioning whether gasohol is actually "eco-friendly" at all because of this - although the exhaust emissions are less in static tests, if you are burning more fuel they have now realised that the overall emissions for a given distance can often be higher; surprisingly basic stuff, really.

The "big picture" is also not quite so green. The gasohol additive was originally more eco-friendly as it was made (in relatively small amounts) mainly from the by-products of sugar cane, cassava and palm oil which would otherwise have been wasted, but now that it is in mass production those crops have to be grown specifically for gasohol production. This has resulted in both increased de-forestation and land and labour that had been used for food production (including animal feed) being given over to more profitable (and heavily government subsidised) cultivation specifically for gasohol, with a direct effect on food prices.

As demand for gasohol, despite the reduced cost compared to regular fuel, was not as much as expected so production is well below full capacity and investors are restless - it may be more about greenbacks than about being green.

When I listen to older cars running LPG, I'd concur with that. Trying to start them, how badly some of them run, how much more throttle they must give... That is bound to be bad for the environment. Worse than the same car running on pure petrol for sure.

I am not saying that good LPG installations can't provide good results though, best quality stuff and expensive installer is most likely also a good recipe for a good experience.

No less than 100,000 to get your money back I think

[MikeyIdea]

Got kicked out and couldn't log in again

100,000 km I mean, not bath. For people who choose good quality and expect to drive the car more than 100,000 km before selling it, LPG is probably a good option

[WarpSpeed]

My daily car with a 3 liter 2JZ engine uses defenitifely more 95 gasohol, than 95 benzene. Didn't regonized any difference in power.

Some international "green" groups, as well as some motoring organisations, are now questioning whether gasohol is actually "eco-friendly" at all because of this - although the exhaust emissions are less in static tests, if you are burning more fuel they have now realised that the overall emissions for a given distance can often be higher; surprisingly basic stuff, really.

The "big picture" is also not quite so green. The gasohol additive was originally more eco-friendly as it was made (in relatively small amounts) mainly from the by-products of sugar cane, cassava and palm oil which would otherwise have been wasted, but now that it is in mass production those crops have to be grown specifically for gasohol production. This has resulted in both increased de-forestation and land and labour that had been used for food production (including animal feed) being given over to more profitable (and heavily government subsidised) cultivation specifically for gasohol, with a direct effect on food prices.

As demand for gasohol, despite the reduced cost compared to regular fuel, was not as much as expected so production is well below full capacity and investors are restless - it may be more about greenbacks than about being green.

When I listen to older cars running LPG, I'd concur with that. Trying to start them, how badly some of them run, how much more throttle they must give... That is bound to be bad for the environment. Worse than the same car running on pure petrol for sure.

I am not saying that good LPG installations can't provide good results though, best quality stuff and expensive installer is most likely also a good recipe for a good experience.

No less than 100,000 to get your money back I think

So what about poorly tuned petrol engine cars? Are there none of those around? Given the high numbers of those and the fact that a poorly tuned petrol engine car produces far higher levels of contaminants then any equally poorly tuned LPG car this argument is specious at best..

I agree with your assessment that they should be well tuned though and that applies to all vehicles regardless and changes the picture dramatically as my car shows little difference in any performance levels between fuels, only where mileage and cost is concerned those being much less in terms of cost while as good or better in terms of mileage..

[MikeyIdea]

My daily car with a 3 liter 2JZ engine uses defenitifely more 95 gasohol, than 95 benzene. Didn't regonized any difference in power.

Some international "green" groups, as well as some motoring organisations, are now questioning whether gasohol is actually "eco-friendly" at all because of this - although the exhaust emissions are less in static tests, if you are burning more fuel they have now realised that the overall emissions for a given distance can often be higher; surprisingly basic stuff, really.

The "big picture" is also not quite so green. The gasohol additive was originally more eco-friendly as it was made (in relatively small amounts) mainly from the by-products of sugar cane, cassava and palm oil which would otherwise have been wasted, but now that it is in mass production those crops have to be grown specifically for gasohol production. This has resulted in both increased de-forestation and land and labour that had been used for food production (including animal feed) being given over to more profitable (and heavily government subsidised) cultivation specifically for gasohol, with a direct effect on food prices.

As demand for gasohol, despite the reduced cost compared to regular fuel, was not as much as expected so production is well below full capacity and investors are restless - it may be more about greenbacks than about being green.

When I listen to older cars running LPG, I'd concur with that. Trying to start them, how badly some of them run, how much more throttle they must give... That is bound to be bad for the environment. Worse than the same car running on pure petrol for sure.

I am not saying that good LPG installations can't provide good results though, best quality stuff and expensive installer is most likely also a good recipe for a good experience.

No less than 100,000 to get your money back I think

So what about poorly tuned petrol engine cars? Are there none of those around? Given the high numbers of those and the fact that a poorly tuned petrol engine car produces far higher levels of contaminants then any equally poorly tuned LPG car this argument is specious at best..

I agree with your assessment that they should be well tuned though and that applies to all vehicles regardless and changes the picture dramatically as my car shows little difference in any performance levels between fuels, only where mileage and cost is concerned those being much less in terms of cost while as good or better in terms of mileage..

Applies to both, true, it's more difficult to tune an old LPG converted car to get it to run well though

[WarpSpeed]

The same is true for any older car not exclusive to an LPG conversion. Having tuned my car myself and it's 16 years old, I found it to be quite easy once I freed up and cleaned the frozen distributor that is the same one that they had managed to mangle instead with God only knows what? ..

I'll also add that the new timing belt I installed made an incredible difference I had not anticipated not realizing just how bad it was and how much my timing was moving around when accelerating due to it and it's previous adjustment, it was very sloppy around the crank gear..

[MikeyIdea]

Thanks for that advice warpspeed

[WarpSpeed]

I want to add though that it is certain if I did not have the LPG injector in my intake which significantly reduces the airflow while operating on regular fuel I would most definately feel a difference in performance. There still is a slightly noticable difference as it is now where acceleration is concerned but all things are not equal and I do not have the direct injection PRINS system as it's more commonly referred to.

But the injector brings down the performance overall and it is more then manageable..Also a good set of spark plugs is optimum, something like Bosch Platinum..