I have been having trouble with my VW Bug in regard to my gas mileage. When I called my dealer they said that I may want to change gas because ethanol may be causing me to get significantly less gas mileage. Is this true? I didn't even know ethanol was in gas, and/or that it could hurt my gas mileage.
2007-07-16 08:30:48 · 10 answers · asked by Ashley G 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Makes ➔ Volkswagen
10 percent is almost unoticeable for fuel economy. However you need to change your fuel filter more often when using ethonol blend.
Your FI system is able to handle 10 percent, but itf you go to the 80 percent your will start breaking parts, like fule pump, pressure regulator, and fuel injectors. Only Flex Fuel certified vehicles can run the 80 percent ethanol.
Seek a good VW specialist in your local area as dealers are just a bit to weird for most of us,
ASE Cert Auto Tech, 92 GTI16V 2.0L
2007-07-17 01:54:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ethanol does reduce a car's gas mileage, so your dealership could be correct. The GM vehicles that can run on E85 (85% Ethanol, 15% gasoline) estimate 20-30% worse gas mileage when running E85 versus gasoline.
Most gas stations will have a sticker or something on the pumps telling you if they use gas additives like Ethanol or Methanol, and how much is in their fuel.
It won't damage your engine or anything, but Ethanol will worsen your gas mileage.
2007-07-16 08:36:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ethanol will not hurt your car. The goveronment started making refineries add ethanol to fuel and yes your mileage will drop a little it takes more ethanol than methanol to create the same combustion therefore your mileage will go down a little. Another thing to consider is using the high grade of fuel when filling up This will increase your mileage a little and if you calculate the difference you will actually save money by purchasing the high grade fuel. Check your aircleaner also.
2007-07-16 08:39:26 · answer #3 · answered by Big Deall 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The gasoline you buy at the pump is about 15% ethanol. It has been this way since the 1970s. It is not causing any damage to your vehicle.
However, if you are putting something other than normal gasoline in your car (such as E85, which is 85% ethanol), then your car may function poorly.
2007-07-16 08:42:42 · answer #4 · answered by lithiumdeuteride 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't know that ethanol is "hurting" your Beetle, but ethanol does hurt your gas mileage (generally). Its addition is for emissions purposes, since it is a cleaner burning fuel, but since it is less efficient, you burn more of it (compared to gasoline without ethanol added).
2007-07-16 08:34:14 · answer #5 · answered by menzinator 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
VW's, or any European cars have trouble with ethanol, what the US puts into their gas to help reduce smog......
Until the US goes ethanol free, you won't see your car running the way it should, but I doubt that will happen, since the US wants more hybrids from Japan and China.....
2007-07-16 08:35:31 · answer #6 · answered by kaliroadrager 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
To add to menzinator's answer the Alcohol has less energy per gallon than does gasoline, do yes, it takes more to get the same power and in some vehicles it is not good for seals and injectors. Do NOT use B-85 if your car is not designed for it at ALL!! If you can use B-85. expect and honest 25% reduction in fuel economy.
2007-07-16 08:38:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
As soon as a car starts the charge will last "if the alternator works". Yours does not because your battery is dead. And it will not stay running. What is smoking? I am guessing you are burning up the starter(another big cost that was not needed) It didn't start. Enough already. You knew the starter worked. That is probably fried now. So you are looking at starter motor( a rebuild will do), alternator repair and battery. If you are in the habit of jump starting other cars"using jumper cables" if you hook the cables up to your battery and if the other end gets cross connected or they touch together for even a micro second you blew the diodes in your alternator. It will not charge fully if at all. It needs repair. And it seems it has not been doing its job(and that is to keep your battery fully charged.) Wal~Mart can confirm the diagnosis.
2016-04-01 07:15:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Generally speaking you should put regular fuel in your car at least every 3rd fillup. The ethanol will leave more deposits
2007-07-16 08:39:28 · answer #9 · answered by jb88 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
use owner's manual
maybe change gas stations
2007-07-16 08:34:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋