E10 petrol question

[Dave12455]

Hello all,

Apologies if this query is answered already. I would appreciate some guidance. I'm looking at purchasing a 2004 Aventis with the 2.0 litre vvti engine. Ive noticed on the government website that E10 petrol is not recommended for this car. Is this strictly true? The car will be used on a daily basis, so no worries about the petrol sitting. Are there any additives on the market anyone would recommend to add to E10 petrol to prevent any damage? Many thanks.

[john p williams]

Ask Toyota for an answer in writing David.

[Rosgoe]

See the following info:

Toyota Europe information on which cars cannot use E10 is as follows:

Toyota; Avensis 2,0 L (1AZ-FSE) made between July 2000 and October 2008;  Avensis 2,4 L (2AZ-FSE) made between June 2003 and October 2008.

Best to use super unleaded which will remain at E5 and be compatible with your car.

I expect it won’t be long before an additive becomes available . Just found this at Halfords don’t know if it’s any good though

This item: Miller's EPS Ethanol Protection E10 Fuel Treatment – 250ml One Shot

[Cyker]

It's hard to say - The two problems with E5 and to a greater extent E10 are a) They are solvents and will eat certain materials, like certain types of rubber and plastic, and b) They draw in water

a) Is the killer, as even E5 will damage a vulnerable car long term. I am always suspicious where a car is rated for E5 but not E10, as if the rubber hoses and seals can resist E5 they will resist E10 as well, which suggests the hoses do NOT resist E5, they just get damaged slowly enough that it can be blamed on wear and tear.

Some cars, esp. classics, often have kits available to replace all vulnerable parts of the engine with new seals, hoses etc..

 

b) This just means you can't let the car sit - If you are using it regularly it won't be a big problem, as the fuel will get cycled through before any significant amount of water can be drawn in, but I've heard people say even leaving the car idle for a few weeks was enough to trigger rusting in carbs, fuel tanks, fuel lines etc. but it really depends on the car and the environment.

 

As far as I know, there is NO additive which will stop the corrosive effects of ethanol - Be wary of anything saying otherwise. At best they can reduce it slightly. The only way around it is to physically remove the alcohol from the fuel and replace it with octane booster or lead replacement additives, or replace vulnerable parts with resistant parts

For b), just using the car frequently so the fuel gets cycled through should mitigate this problem significantly. There are a bunch of videos on YouTube doing tests with various stabilizers and E5/E10 - From memory the only one that did anything to reduce water absorption was the daft-named STA-Bil.

 

[naikon]

If you read this thread 

 there is a user who have been using E10 for some time without any problems.

I have a 2.0 2008 Avensis and will use 98 octane E5 where its available. If its not available I have been forced to use 95 octane E10. It runs fine without any problems. But who knows in the long run...

[TonyHSD]

My car is compatible with E10 but I don’t like it at all. The difference in performance, drivability, and engine noise is enough for me to switch entirely to use premium 99 E5, I buy exclusively from local Tesco at the price of 95 E10 from Shell or bp. The car drives much nicer and perhaps an idea more economical. Longevity of the engine is my first priority as I do drive a lot and I have no plans to change the car anytime soon. Everyone has different priorities and I respect that 👍

[Tomv]

17 hours ago, Cyker said:

For b), just using the car frequently so the fuel gets cycled through should mitigate this problem significantly. There are a bunch of videos on YouTube doing tests with various stabilizers and E5/E10 - From memory the only one that did anything to reduce water absorption was the daft-named STA-Bil.

 

Don't know if it is available in UK, but I use premium fuel marked as E10 that use ETBE instead of ethanol. Main advantage of ETBE is that it do not absorb water

[Cyker]

Interesting! Have heard of it, but wasn't aware of any country using it in their fuel, as although it has similar properties to ethanol in that it provides extra oxygen and reduces CO2 output a bit, it doesn't have the same carbon-cycle sustainability as ethanol as it has to be made chemically. I think it's also more expensive... not that that means anything. E10 should be noticeably cheaper than E0 and E5, but our petrol prices have never been higher!