Issues with Ethanol as an Additive in Non- Road Motor Fuel

IBEX

Presented By: John McKnight, NMMA

Ethanol GASOLINE

What are the effects of ethanol

• Alcohol is a solvent

• Effective cleaning agentIt will clean the boat fuel tank and the marina’ s fuel tank.

• Alcohol absorbs waterIt will dry out materials if they are not designed for ethanol (gaskets /

hoses) and it attracts water into the fuel

• Alcohol separates from fuel more readily than MTBE or tolueneWhen it separates from solution it will evaporate more readily and that

will lower the octane level in the fuel.

Acceptable Operating Range

Limit for Emission Compliance

Limit for Acceptable Operation

Operation on Neat Gasoline

Operation on E10 Gasoline

Operation on E20

Gasoline

Lean Air:Fuel Ratio Rich

E-20’s Impact on Current, Exhaust- Emission Compliant Small Engines

• Exhaust temperatures up 100°F

• Peak cylinder pressures higher

• Combustion deposits

• Cylinder head gasket burned & failed

• Exhaust valve burned

• Cylinder bore scored– 25 hours light duty emissions testing– Lost cylinder compression– Lost 20% power

E-20 Implications on Engine Durability

Cylinder head gasket burned

Lost seal

Exhaust leak out

Cylinder Bore scoring

Deposits

E-20 Implications on Engine Durability

Engine Durability Implications with E-20

Head bolts discolored due to heat and carbon build up from exhaust gas

blowing past bolt.

1 7654

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EPA Waiver Criteria

• Manufacturer must demonstrate that E20:– Will not cause or contribute to the failure of any vehicle to comply with

emission standards over it useful life.– Testing must be completed to access the impact on

Tailpipe emissionsEvaporative emissionsMaterials compatibilityDrivability

– Registration of a fuel additive also requires testing to characterize compounds for potential health effects

NMMA Strategy

• Continue to work with the industry coalition;

• Collect data specific to the impact of E-20 on recreational marine engines and fuel systems;

• Build a technical case focusing on the waiver criteria against incremental increases in ethanol content;

• With solid documentation present this information to the Minnesota representatives, both state and federal;

• Post ethanol information on the NMMA website and make this information available to the public and press;

• http://www.nmma.org/government/environmental/

• Develop an NMMA Position that considers the potential national trend towards increase use of reformulated fuels.