The question “How much ethanol is in 93 octane gas?” has probably crossed the minds of most car owners who know that additives such as ethanol are added to gas for a myriad of reasons.
We’ll discuss the amount of ethanol that you can find in premium gas and why ethanol is even added in the first place. Also, we’ll look at how ethanol affects engine performance and the results of mixing ethanol with regular gas.
Finally, this article will answer various questions regarding the other gas types and the amount of ethanol they contain.
What is 93 Octane Gasoline?
Fuel quality is a crucial aspect to consider when powering your vehicle. Within the realm of gasoline, 93 octane plays a vital role in ensuring optimal engine performance. But what exactly is 93 octane gasoline, and what makes it different from other types of fuel?
Specifications and Standards
The American Petroleum Institute (API) sets the standards for gasoline in the United States, including the octane rating.
The octane rating is a measure of a fuel’s resistance to engine knocking or pinging, which can cause damage to the engine over time. In the case of 93 octane gasoline, it meets the API standard for high-performance engines.
How Much Ethanol Is Contained in 93 Octane Gas?
The amount of ethanol contained in 93 octane gas ranges between 10 to 15 percent depending on the state where the test is conducted. This is because each state has laws that prescribe the percentage of ethanol that can be mixed with 93 octane gas.
Here are the percent ranges of ethanol present in these other types of gas.
#1. 95 Octane Gas.
How much ethanol is in 95 octane gas? The 95 Octane gas rating usually has 10 percent ethanol in the mix. However, some fuel producers claim that their 95 Octane gas is ethanol-free.
According to them, the fuel is efficient in seasonal machines and limited-use engines and can be stored for a maximum of 3 years.
#2. 91 Octane Gas.
How much ethanol is in 91 octane gas California? In the state of California, the ethanol content in the 91 Octane rating is 10 percent. In 2007, a law was passed that required fuel producers to increase their ethanol content to 7.78 percent. In 2010, the ethanol requirement increased to 10 percent.
#3. 90 Octane Gas.
How much ethanol is in 90 octane gas? The percentage of ethanol in 90 Octane gas is 10 percent or 15 percent, just like the 93 Octane gas rating.
However, Recreational Gasoline, popularly referred to as REC-90, has no ethanol present. This fuel type is also used in recreational engines such as mopeds and go-carts.
Rec-90 is also used in marine engines such as boats. The reason REC-90 is used in these types of engines is due to the corrosive nature of ethanol, which can damage the engines.
#4. 88 Octane Gas.
How much ethanol is in 88 octane gas? Gasoline with an 88 octane rating has a 15 percent ethanol. It is usually classified as E-15 due to the ethanol percentage and marketed as Unleaded 88 gasoline.
Unleaded 87 has 10 percent ethanol but when you add 5 percent more alcohol, the result is Unleaded 88.
#5. 87 Octane Gas.
How much ethanol is in 87 octane gas? The 87 Octane gasoline rating has 10 percent ethanol. This type of fuel is useful in engines that have higher compression ratios such as diesel engines.
If you use a lower octane gas in engines with higher compression, it causes incomplete combustion, which can damage the engine.
#6. 85 Octane Gas.
How much ethanol is in 85 octane gas? There is 10 percent ethanol is 85 octane gas, however, do not confuse it with E-85, which contains 85 percent ethanol.
In colder months, especially during the winter, the ethanol percentage in 85 octane gas may reduce to as low as 51 percent.
#7. Premium Gasoline.
How much ethanol is in premium gasoline? Premium gas has 10 percent of ethanol and is better at resisting detonation, also known as engine knock.
Aside from that, premium gasoline doesn’t actually provide more power than other grades of fuel as is usually marketed by Oil producing companies.
How Ethanol Affects The Automobile?
Since ethanol has been used more frequently in the gasoline supply recently, a greater proportion of the gas sold in America now comprises ethanol. Here are some positive effects that ethanol has on your vehicle’s efficiency.
Cleaner Emissions
In comparison to gasoline alone, ethanol-gasoline mixtures have been found to provide cleaner emissions and better air quality.
This is because ethanol burns more cleanly than regular gasoline and reduces the production of dangerous pollutants like particulate matter, hydrocarbon, and carbon monoxide emissions.
Ethanol is a highly effective greenhouse gas exhaust emission reducer compared to competitive fuel derived from petroleum like E-85 gasoline.
Each mile that some cars travel might result in a loss of 29%. Additionally, this fuel mixture has fewer spill issues. Since it is a corn-based substance, ethanol can decompose in about 5 days if it spills.
Lower Maintenance Cost
Lowering maintenance costs is another advantage of putting ethanol in your vehicle. Ethanol aids in engine cleaning and deposit buildup prevention.
Your engine’s lifespan can be increased, and its performance can be enhanced. This leads to cost reductions for maintenance.
Enhanced Fuel Economy
Ethanol can be utilized in engines with higher performance engine levels because it comes with a greater octane level than gasoline. The impact on fuel economy can be increased by blending this type of fuel with gasoline.
This is due to the ethanol’s greater octane rating, which enables more complete combustion and reduces mechanical energy density loss.
Renewable Ability
DDGs (dried distillers grains) and carbon dioxide are the two main byproducts of ethanol manufacturing, which can act as renewable sources.
The formation of dry ice, cryogenic freezing, and the use of carbon dioxide as a pneumatic system agent are all possible when carbon dioxide collection technologies are used in ethanol production.
Meanwhile, DDGs are utilized in place of soybean meal or cornmeal in animal feeding stocks. A metric ton of dried distillers grains might substitute for 1.22 metric tons of maize and soybean meal used to make food items.
How Do You Know If Gas Has Ethanol In It?
Not all vehicles run on fuel with alcohol. If you own such a car, the best move is to go for ethanol-free gas.
Many reputable filling stations have this option. However, you might find yourself in the awkward situation of fuel with ethanol that leads to issues like a car not starting after refueling.
The good news is that there is a trick to pull to know if the fuel has ethanol or not. You will need a graduated measuring cylinder.
One with a capacity of 50 milliliters will do fine. Additionally, you should have protective gear, such as a facemask, goggles, and gloves to handle the fuel. Ensure your working area is far from open flames to prevent a fire hazard.
You now pour the fuel into the cylinder; measure about 10 milliliters. You then add 2 milliliters of water and cover the cylinder. Shake it gently and allow the contents to settle. Ideally, you can let the mixture rest for around 20 minutes for the best outcome.
When checking your results, you focus on the point of separation. If there is no ethanol, you will see the separation point at the 2-millimeter mark, indicating the amount of water. As you know, water is denser and will settle at the bottom of the cylinder.
If the separation line is above the 2-millimeter mark, it is an indication that the fuel had ethanol. The logic is that ethanol is miscible with water; hence, it will increase its amount.
To get the percentage of ethanol, you subtract the volume of water from the mixture, which is 2 milliliters in this case. Multiply the value you get by 10. That is the ethanol percentage in the fuel.
Always ensure that you have a clean fuel tank to curb any issues to do with impurities.
Mixing Ethanol and Gasoline
Ethanol is miscible with regular gasoline to develop higher octane ratings. The ratings indicate the percentage of ethanol blended with gasoline. In the United States, all grades must have at least some ethanol content.
Congress first mandated the use of ethanol in gasoline in the 1970s as a way to reduce dependence on foreign oil.
The use of ethanol in gasoline has since increased, and today it’s estimated that about 15 billion gallons (57 billion liters) of ethanol are used in gas each year.
Ethanol is typically blended with gasoline to create what’s known as E10, E15, and E85 fuels.
E10
The E10 fuel refers to gasoline composed of 10% ethanol. When ethanol was introduced to gasoline in 1990 it started with 10% ethanol. This was the first time any oxygenate was used in gasoline to increase octane and reduce emissions.
E15
The E15 fuel is a blend of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline. It was introduced in 2012 for use in vehicles built after 2001. Most manufacturers in this period built vehicles that could handle this fuel type without any modifications.
E85
E85 fuel is a mix of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. This blend can be used in flex-fuel vehicles, which are specially designed to run on either E85 or regular unleaded gasoline.
The use of E85 fuel reduces emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the greenhouse gas that’s responsible for climate change. E85 fuel reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 30% compared to gasoline.
Cons of Using Ethanol in Your Car
Here are some of the potential drawbacks of using ethanol in your car:
#1. Lower Energy Density.
The biggest downside to using ethanol is that it has a lower energy density than gasoline. This means that you need more ethanol to travel the same distance as you would with gasoline.
#2. Expensive.
Ethanol is more expensive than gasoline, and this can add to the cost of running your car. Since you will need more ethanol to travel the same distance, this will result in higher fuel costs.
#3. Corrosive.
Ethanol is also more corrosive than gasoline, and this can damage your car over time. Ethanol can cause problems with seals and gaskets, and it can also lead to rust and corrosion.
#4. Reduced Horsepower.
Another potential drawback of using ethanol is that it can reduce horsepower. This is because ethanol has a lower energy density than gasoline, so it doesn’t provide as much power.
What Is Octane Rating?
The octane rating on different grades of gasoline is a measurement of the fuel’s stability. Higher octane numbers mean greater stability.
The greater stability indicates the gasoline’s resistance to preignition and the fuel’s ability to resist “knocking” or “pinging” during combustion. These sounds come from the air-fuel mixture detonating prematurely in the engine.
Internal combustion engines compress a mixture of air and fuel and ignite them with a spark. Under certain conditions, the fuel-air mixture can ignite early, creating a knocking sound in the engine.
Newer cars have sensors that prevent preignition, so you’ll rarely hear knocks and pings unless you drive an older vehicle.
A gasoline’s octane rating averages two testing methods — the research octane number (RON) under idle conditions and the motor octane number (MON) under higher engine speed.
You might have noticed this formula in smaller letters on the yellow buttons displayed on gas pumps — (R+M)/2.
The larger numbers on gas pump stickers indicate the octane rating of the different gasoline grades. Typically, gas stations sell gasoline with three octane levels. The exact levels vary from region to region, climate to climate, and by time of year.
Regular
Regular unleaded gas is the lowest octane fuel at typically an 87 level and is suitable for most cars.
Mid-grade
Mid-grade is the middle-range fuel at usually an 89 octane level.
Premium
Premium is the highest-octane fuel you can buy and has levels of 91-94.
Even though some companies market their different grades of gas with names such as “Super Premium,” “Ultra,” or “Ultimate,” they all refer to the gasoline octane rating.
Is Gasoline With Ethanol Better?
Gasoline that is mixed with Ethanol is better in terms of performance and increased power in your vehicle.
Since a higher octane gasoline burns cooler, there are more variables that can be played with within a cars ECU to output better performance numbers, without sacrificing damage to the engine.
However, in terms of MPG, gasoline with ethanol performs worse. The higher the ethanol rating, the less MPG your car will be getting.
This is because ethanol contains about one-third less energy than gasoline. To put this into perspective, a vehicle with E10 will get about 5% fewer miles per gallon than gasoline without ethanol at all. E15 will get about 4% fewer MPG than E10.
FAQs.
Q: Does 93 Octane Gas Have Ethanol?
93 octane is a premium gas, meaning it has a high octane rating. To achieve this rating, there may be the implementation of measures such as the addition of ethanol. 93octane has ethanol, though some companies have ethanol-free varieties.
Q: What Gas Has Less Than 10% Ethanol?
Some countries, especially in Europe, subscribe to gas with low ethanol content. Among them is E10 gas, which falls under the regular grade with an octane rating of 87. It has less than 10% ethanol and is suitable for standard vehicles.
Q: Which Premium Gas Has No Ethanol?
If looking for ethanol-free gas near me, you may consider premium varieties. Yes, there exists premium gas with no ethanol from renowned brands like Shell and Esso. The octane rating is mostly 91.
Q: Does Sunoco 93 Octane Contain Ethanol?
Sunoco is a reputable company with its headquarters in Dallas, Texas. In its vast catalog, you will find the premium grade 93 octane gas suitable for supercharged vehicles, as it burns efficiently.
It has ethanol, which helps boost its octane rating and reduce emissions in the environment.
Q: Does Premium Gasoline Have Ethanol In It?
Ethanol is a standard additive in most premium gas brands. Its main purpose is to improve the burning of the gas and reduce knocking, which comes from its detonation.
In the USA, premium gasoline has a 10% ethanol content. However, you will encounter some premium-grade brands with zero ethanol content.
Q: How Much Ethanol Does Shell Gas Have?
Shell gas contains ethanol, but the quantity will vary depending on the country. For instance, the percentage does not exceed 10% in the US. In the UK and most European countries, the value is less than 5%.
Final Words
Ethanol is a crucial additive in gasoline, with an advantage over other additives such as aromatics and lead. It performs well in efficiency and emission control.
Ethanol rating varies depending on the country, with places like Brazil having 27% ethanol content in the gasoline. The rating is 10% and below in the USA, whereas the UK is a maximum of 5%.