ethanol issues

I have done some research and may have found the answer, which I thought I'd share with you. Quoting from United petroloeum's website: "Unleaded E10 is United Petroleum’s ethanol-based unleaded petrol offering. As a result of ethanol being present, it has an octane rating of 95; higher than the 91 octane of normal unleaded petrol. Ethanol is a natural octane enhancer - adding ethanol to petrol boosts the octane number and its performance. It also helps the other components in petrol burn more completely thereby having a cleaning effect on a cars fuel system." So that may be why you can either use Premium Unleaded or E10. It still doesn't answer why Toyota don't bother to mention this in their manual.

 

OP needs to check the gas station and pump to see what kind of fuel was put into the car. Go for long drives and use the gas pedal carelessly and repeatedly.

At the 1/2 tank point fill up with a KNOWN type of fuel. Preferably a fuel that contains no ethanol.

If the dealer was correct this should begin the climb back to fully operational condition. If it doesn't, there may be a different issue.

You CAN run E10 or premium. They only stated not to run third world gas with less than 87 octane.

E10 has a higher octane rating than regular fuel, but is less energy dense. You'll wind up with decreased mpgs and no perceived benefits from a higher octane rating.

I ran several tanks of premium fuel through my C and found absolutely zero mpg increase or a perception of anything better happening because of it. Going back to regular fuel was also uneventful.

I won't try E10 in my C. It's proven less mpgs in the truck and the Camaro. No need to go through that again. I don't like it anyway simply on principle. My condolences to those in a mandatory E10 area. Voting has consequences.

 

Alright for those people saying ethanol cleans your fuel injectors so there is less "gunk" I can speak from experience that is just absolute crap. When I had my SUV engine cleaned due to carbon buildups, the dealer said to use Techron. I also had the spark plug changed. Since then I used regular fuel (what the manual said to use) but it was 10% ethanol fuel, and I had been using Techron. A few years later, my check engine light comes on, and guess what. More gunk in the engine! In fact my whole system needed a fuel cleaning. You would think that if ethanol fuel would clean the injectors etc. that I wouldn't have to go back to the dealership for the same problems as before, huh? - Oh, and guess what the dealership said was causing more deposit buildups in their customers' cars over the years: yup, ethanol in the fuel.
Ethanol cleans my fuel? I disagree.

Edit: Basically if you're stuck with E10, get yourself a cleaner, like Techron, or use QMI, which cleans the whole system (not just the injectors):
2. QMI VMER - Pertinent Ideas

 

E85 will clean any fuel system. E10 seems pretty weak compared to a higher alcohol blend.

Mike

Mobile on my SGH-i717