The owners of regular vehicles who use lower ethanol fuels need to ensure that the Fuel Pump installed in the vehicle is compatible with ethanol-blended fuels. When one does fail due to exposure to ethanol, replacement costs range from $400 to $800 depending on the vehicle's make and model. Ethanol-compatible fuel pumps are generally 10% to 15% more costly than their standard version counterparts, but added durability and capability with high-ethanol concentrations make them well worth the investment in vehicles running on E85.
The use of ethanol-blended fuels has implications for fuel economy because ethanol possesses about 33% less energy per gallon as compared to gasoline. Since the energy content is low, that means the Fuel Pump that will deal with ethanol is bound to work more in order to keep the performance of the engine; this makes it even more important that a pump be used which can take the stresses.
As Henry Ford once quoted, "Don't find fault, find a remedy." For the vehicles running on ethanol-based fuels, ethanol-compatible Fuel Pumps are the best solution to their survival with better performance without the risk of premature failure due to an issue of fuel quality.
To know more about ethanol-compatible Fuel Pumps, log in to Fuel Pump.
Can a Fuel Pump Handle Ethanol Fuel?
Fuel Pumps can be compatible with ethanol-based fuel; however, the type and concentration contained in the fuel have a direct consequence on their longevity and performance. Ethanol-blended fuels, typically E10 (10 percent ethanol), can be very commonly used in most modern vehicles without causing significant problems. Most fuel pumps are designed for supporting up to 10 percent ethanol concentrations, which assure them the best performance. With more presence of ethanol, like in E85, however, the Fuel Pump design has to consider the corrosive effects ethanol may cause, among other issues.
Due to ethanol's hygroscopic properties, it picks up water from its surroundings at a considerably higher rate compared to gasoline. This can form in the fuel tank itself and can lead to internal corrosion of the internal components of a conventional Fuel Pump, such as bearings and seals. This drastically reduces the service life of the Fuel Pump by increasing friction. As a result, it is estimated from industrial stakeholders that up to 20% is cut off from the service life of fuel pumps not designed for ethanol-blended fuels. Furthermore, ethanol can enhance electrical conductivity, which can lead to quicker-than-expected deterioration of the electric components in the fuel system.
FFVs are equipped with specially designed, ethanol-compatible fuel pumps for running on both gasoline and high-ethanol fuels such as E85. The corrosion-resistant materials in these models resist ethanol's corrosive properties, hence assure long-term reliability. These parts have been so designed by major manufacturers like Ford and GM in their FFVs to meet the higher demands created by ethanol rich fuels. For example, the flex-fuel Fuel Pumps at GM have been bench-tested for running over 100,000 miles on E85 without any measurable performance degradation.
The owners of regular vehicles who use lower ethanol fuels need to ensure that the Fuel Pump installed in the vehicle is compatible with ethanol-blended fuels. When one does fail due to exposure to ethanol, replacement costs range from $400 to $800 depending on the vehicle's make and model. Ethanol-compatible fuel pumps are generally 10% to 15% more costly than their standard version counterparts, but added durability and capability with high-ethanol concentrations make them well worth the investment in vehicles running on E85.
The use of ethanol-blended fuels has implications for fuel economy because ethanol possesses about 33% less energy per gallon as compared to gasoline. Since the energy content is low, that means the Fuel Pump that will deal with ethanol is bound to work more in order to keep the performance of the engine; this makes it even more important that a pump be used which can take the stresses.
As Henry Ford once quoted, "Don't find fault, find a remedy." For the vehicles running on ethanol-based fuels, ethanol-compatible Fuel Pumps are the best solution to their survival with better performance without the risk of premature failure due to an issue of fuel quality.
To know more about ethanol-compatible Fuel Pumps, log in to Fuel Pump.
The owners of regular vehicles who use lower ethanol fuels need to ensure that the Fuel Pump installed in the vehicle is compatible with ethanol-blended fuels. When one does fail due to exposure to ethanol, replacement costs range from $400 to $800 depending on the vehicle's make and model. Ethanol-compatible fuel pumps are generally 10% to 15% more costly than their standard version counterparts, but added durability and capability with high-ethanol concentrations make them well worth the investment in vehicles running on E85.
The use of ethanol-blended fuels has implications for fuel economy because ethanol possesses about 33% less energy per gallon as compared to gasoline. Since the energy content is low, that means the Fuel Pump that will deal with ethanol is bound to work more in order to keep the performance of the engine; this makes it even more important that a pump be used which can take the stresses.
As Henry Ford once quoted, "Don't find fault, find a remedy." For the vehicles running on ethanol-based fuels, ethanol-compatible Fuel Pumps are the best solution to their survival with better performance without the risk of premature failure due to an issue of fuel quality.
To know more about ethanol-compatible Fuel Pumps, log in to Fuel Pump.