The New E-10 gas .. problems..

[umberto]

I noticed that in an earlier post, Chris acknowledged that the problem is water mixed in due to the ethanol, so he recommended using dry gas. Then in post #87, there was that long letter on the subject direct from MINI/BMW again acknowledging water as the end result problem, but no mention of using dry gas to get rid of the water.......confused ......my car runs great, but only after the first minute of rough idle/almost stalling/ second start as nicely described by numerous posters here.....I've just gotten used to it and I hadn't much thought about it anymore, except for now jwardell's post about it eating my fuel pump away(no problems with it...yet)

[jwardell]

Isn't dry gas mainly ethanol?

[jwardell]

I just got a comment on my blog post suggesting tis K100 stuff. Reading the description, sounds like it should help:
K100-G for Autos and Gasoline

[GBMINI]

A lot of scientific non-science on their web site though

And at least one claim I'd dispute: "Higher Octane / Cetane numbers mean easier starting, less hesitation upon acceleration, and less knocking" - higher octane is NOT easier starting!

And it looks like adding $4-$5 per tank?!

[GadgetGav]

I think you're right that dry gas is ethanol. The problem now seems to be ethanol and water getting together which is how dry gas dries the gas.
Going to get my ECU reprogrammed at MOP next Wed (3pm if anyone's in the area) so we'll see if that fixes my problems. It's become one of those things now that it starts, stalls and then I have to restart. It shouldn't be like that

[snek]

Do NOT use the K 100. My car now doesn't start every single morning, instead of just sometimes....

[jwardell]

It's been weeks since my car has started on the first try in the morning. Usually when the weather cools off like it has been it starts running better again. Glad to know it only took a few months to start affecting the new fuel pump.

[GBMINI]

GPMINI has shown zero gas issues so far; starts fine every morning and doesn't hiccup or do anything strange.

GBMINI started fine this morning (been "sleeping" for a while) and - as always - didn't stall ... Sunoco 91 (Margaret even specially went to "my" gas station and got 91 while she was using GBMINI during MTTS)

[GadgetGav]

What's K100..?

Well, MOP re-flashed the ECU yesterday (and put regular plugs back in instead of Densos ) and this morning.... it..... started! It seemed like it wasn't going to. It turned over a few times before it caught, and it seemed like it was going to stall but instead of dying it seemed to idle a little faster and then settle down. No bogging down when I put it into reverse. On a sample of one, I'm impressed so far...

[snek]

K 100 is an additive someone recommended on Josh's site.

[GadgetGav]

Ah, no... I've given up on additives. The word from MOP now is vary the octane of the fuel you put in...
They also say the problems aren't limited to MINI and that the repairs (if needed) are not being covered under warranty any more. Much as I detest class action law suits (like suing Starbucks for $114m for withdrawing a freinds and family free drink offer that you 'aquired' on the internet and they wouldn't honor BBC NEWS | Business | Starbucks sued for pulling offer) I think the fuel issue needs one to get any action from the gas companies. The car makers say it's because you put bad gas in the car, but you have no choice, even if you buy Top Tier (tm). It's all bad...

[jwardell]

I know. The issue is their failure to design a fuel pump to handle gas sold by each state. I'm sure if it comes down to it we can always ask annette for some "helpful contacts."

[GadgetGav]

The way I view it is that it's the gas companies fault. They used to sell a product that worked fine (or at least didn't kill car components). They changed the composition of that product and as a direct result (being the way it absorbs water) parts of the car's fuel system which would otherwise have lasted for years and years are failing. Tell my why that has less merit than suing McDonalds for selling hot coffee, or Starbuck for not giving their coffee away to anyone with email...??

[snek]

The gas companies changed the formulation not because they wanted to, but because it's a federal mandate.

[snid]

Federal manatee?

I kid because Vermont hasn't switched to E-10 yet.