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Ethanol Conversion Kit: Issues to Be Concerned about

By: Editor

Converting a vehicle into one that would operate on E-85 ethanol is not an easy process like it is sometimes described to be. Gasoline and fuel containing 85 percent alcohol are considerably different substances; so, many parts of vehicles can get affected by the use of ethanol. An ethanol conversion kit needs to be completed with specially designed parts and features to protect not just the engine, but also the burning process. Compliance with federal emissions standards is one more thing that cannot be ignored.

The primary difference in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) and a vehicle engineered to operate on unleaded gasoline is in the fuel system parts made of magnesium, aluminum and rubber, all of which corrode under the exposure to alcohol. Stainless steel fuel tanks as well as differently calibrated fuel ignition systems would be needed in an ethanol conversion kit to be effective.

Emission Contrtol

The biggest issue with an ethanol conversion kit is in the emissions controls. The Environmental Protection Agency has mandated that following any type of conversion performed on a vehicle cannot alter the emissions approved at the time the car was manufactured. For example, if you have a 1985 Ford Escort and you convert it to use E-85 fuel, the emissions produced cannot be higher than those registered before the conversion took place.

Older Vehicles Will Meet Less Restrictions

In many states older vehicles, i.e. those made before 1973, have fairly loose emissions standards and many of the ethanol conversion kits on the market would comply with all emissions standards. After-market ethanol conversion kit is designed to work on a pollution controlled vehicle.

Vehicles using E-10 fuel, that is fuel mixed with 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline, have no issues. However, vehicles attempting to use an ethanol conversion kit to utilize E-85 fuel, that is fuel mixed with 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, will have EPA restrictions with which to be concerned.

Most ethanol conversion kit manufacturers guarantee compliance on vehicles manufactured before 1974, but will not make the same guarantee on newer vehicles. Although their systems are able to automatically read and adjust to the type of fuel being burned, ethanol conversion kits have not yet mastered the EPA requirements. One more disadvantage of vehicles designed to work on E-85 is the difficulty in finding fuel as there are currently very few stations offering this type of fuel as a regular choice to purchase.

Article Source: http://www.topicinfo.com

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