– Many older cars are equipped with petrol hoses that cannot tolerate the ethanol content in the new petrol. Use of 95 E10 can therefore have serious consequences, says Gjermund Thomassen, day-to-day manager at GT Maskin AS in Alta. You may not have thought about it, but most of the petrol sold at petrol stations in Norway has bioethanol added. Today, the most common type is called the 95 E5. This means that he has added up to 5 per cent bioethanol. The bioethanol makes the fuel more environmentally friendly, and is in line with the green shift. This year, 95 E10 takes over as the main product for unleaded petrol sold at Norwegian petrol stations. It has up to 10% bioethanol by volume. From 1 July, the new petrol type will be standard at all Norwegian petrol stations. Photo: Johan Isak Niska / news – Can be fatal For petrol cars manufactured after 2011, it will be unproblematic to use E5 or E10. But for some cars manufactured before 2011, it can be directly fatal with E10 in the tank. Older cars in particular can have problems with the new type of petrol. Photo: Johan Isak Niska / news – The ethanol dries up the petrol hoses, and this is a process that goes very quickly. We have had several cars come into the workshop with year-old fuel hoses that look like they have been on the car for 30 years. And it is independent of whether they are expensive or cheap petrol hoses, says Thomassen. – If you get a leak in the fuel hose, fuel can spray out of the exhaust system. Then the disaster can be a fact with a full fire in the engine compartment. After a few minutes, there may not be anything left of the car. – Check the car According to Thomassen, the ethanol content in the petrol can cause problems for all the rubber parts that are in contact with the fuel. And since the ethanol attracts water, metal parts – such as petrol pumps and petrol tanks – can also rust when exposed to ethanol over time. Newer cars have petrol pipes and petrol tanks made of plastic or another resistant material, and are thus not affected to the same extent by the ethanol. If you have a petrol car manufactured before 2011, you should check the petrol hoses annually, says Gjermund Thomassen at GT Maskin AS in Alta. – Especially exposed to leaks is where there is a bend in the hose, he says. Photo: Johan Isak Niska / news – We should not be hysterical, but we must be aware that this is a real problem. My tip is therefore that everyone with older petrol cars check the fuel hoses at least once a year. And be careful when you do this, he says. – Is there a solution to the problem? – The safest thing is to replace all petrol parts that do not tolerate ethanol. But this is not cheap. And you can’t replace some things either, such as some older petrol pumps. Then you’re at peace, says Thomassen. – Annoying car enthusiasts Marvin Knudsen and Are Karlsen are members of the Alta Amcar club. They drive around in large and beautiful American cars that use a relatively large amount of fuel. This means that they often have to visit the petrol station. – As far as we are concerned, we are lucky. A local fuel player has said that he will continue to sell 95 octane without added ethanol. But when we are going to meet, and drive over long distances, we have a problem, says Knudsen. They must look up which petrol stations sell petrol without ethanol and rearrange the route accordingly. – It is irritating and an unnecessary challenge, says Knudsen. Marvin Knudsen and Are Karlsen in the Alta Amcar club hope that more petrol stations will start selling petrol without ethanol. – It will make life easier and safer for many car enthusiasts, the two claim. Photo: Johan Isak Niska / news The fact that many petrol stations have also stopped selling 98 octane makes it even worse to get hold of the right type of fuel. – What do they think about someone having to drive several miles to find petrol without ethanol? – It is indefensible. The retailers are free to choose what they will have in the pumps. Perhaps a little local influence can help them buy petrol without bioethanol, says Knudsen. Are Karlsen has now chosen to take matters into his own hands. – I am in the process of changing all parts that do not tolerate ethanol on a car from the 80s. It is very expensive. But it will be much easier to drive on holiday with a car that tolerates all types of petrol. Also E10, says Karlsen. Fear of engine breakdown at sea It is not only older cars that can have problems with 95 E10. Older boat engines can also be delayed. The boating industry association Norboat, which has 390 member companies throughout Norway, warns against uncritically using the new petrol in boat engines. – With 10 per cent added ethanol, the fuel will absorb much more water than it did previously. The water binds in the ethanol in the petrol and is dragged into the injection system and engine. This can lead to more engine stoppages and breakdowns, says the member responsible for Norboat, Thomas Nicolai Bjønnes. – In addition, some older boat engines have carburettors with o-rings and metal alloys that do not tolerate ethanol. These should run on 98 octane anyway. Thomas Nicolai Bjønness in Norboat does not recommend 95 E10 for boat engines. – It can lead to engine stoppage and breakdown, he says. Photo: Kommunikasjon / Norboat – What kind of recommendations do docks have for boaters who can’t get hold of 98 octane? – If it is a long time until you are going to use the boat, you should run the tank empty or drain all the petrol. Ideally, the last trip before winter should be driven on 98 octane, says Bjønness. According to Bjønness, several of the marinas in Norway have already switched to offering 98 octane instead of 95 E10. Others have chosen to switch to the new 95 E10. – Undramatic So far, 16 European countries have introduced 95 E10 as their main product when it comes to petrol. Head of department at Drivkraft Noreg, Kjartan Berland, says it is time that Norway also introduced this more environmentally friendly type of petrol. – Norway aims to be climate neutral by 2050. And the fuel industry must also be involved in this work. That is why the members of Drivkraft Noreg have decided to launch the fuel 95 E10 during the spring of 2023. Head of department in Drivkraft Noreg, Kjartan Berland, says it is high time that Norway also introduces 95 E10 as the main petrol type. – If Norway is to achieve the goal of being climate neutral in 2050, the fuel industry must also be involved, he says. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB – What do you think of the reactions from the amcar community? – It is possible to contact the petrol station you use and ask if they can take in petrol without bioethanol. The fact is that E10 has been the main petrol type in many countries in Europe for several years. That Norway is now following suit is undramatic, says Berland. Facts about E10 E10 is fuel with up to 10 percent bioethanol (biofuel) All cars from 2011 or later can run on E10. E10 should not be used on outboards and cars older than 2001, including vintage cars. Car owners who are unsure whether their car can handle E10 should check with their dealer. E10 is more climate-friendly than traditional fossil fuel. Emissions from biofuel are not considered fossil fuel and do not contribute to climate emissions. (Source NAF)
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Meiner E10 petrol, which is 95-octane with added ethanol, can be fatal – news Troms and Finnmark
