In Alaska it was - and still is I would guess - common practice to add a
bottle of alcohol like HEET or some other brand - to the gas tank on
fill up in winter to keep ice and water out. Alcohol absorbs the water
and prevents it from freezing into crystals or a solid which interferes
with fuel flow. Just how much alcohol is acceptable I don't know, but
Alaskans have been running with alcohol in the fuel for a very long
time. I don't know how it compares with car engines, but I used to run
model engines on an alcohol/castor oil mix with just a hint of benzine
and never had any problems. Those little engines would just run forever
on the stuff.

John

On 12/26/2012 9:22 AM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
> I read that "[...] the Environmental Protection Agency has approved a
> new policy that will allow states to raise the blend to up to 15 percent
> ethanol (also known as E15), approved for use for cars and light trucks
> from the model year 2001 and later."
>
> There is concern that some older vehicles may be unhappy with the blend.
>
> <http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/8mfbvPh1hvQ/story01.htm>
>
> Anyone have any idea whatsoever what running E15 might do for our engines?
>
>
> --
> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
> 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
> Bend, Ore.
>