E10 fuel - yes or no

[MTKelly]

So good peeps what fuel are you running your barges on? 

Since the recent introduction of E10 here in Northern Ireland we are limited to two options of either E10 95 Ron or 97 Ron super unleaded….we don’t get anything better than that over here unfortunately. 

[Tinonline]

I’ve stuck to E5 super. I don’t do mega miles at all so the cost is relative…doesn’t feel high…although that gauge doesn’t move up as much as it used to!

Had to fuel stop at a Sainsbury over the weekend and all they had or I could get to was E10 so a few quid of that had to do.

In Spain over the summer, in my region we didn’t see any E10 at all. My 1995 Alfa 155 sport doesn’t like normal unleaded…it pinks…so super really has to be used. No idea about E10. I doubt it.

 

[Redefined]

This is a question I had today aswell. The govt barge finder doesn't seem to work for our cars... or it's down!

I'm commuting (60 and 70 miles one way - yes, it does feel a bit daft driving an LS430 for it but enjoyable) and found the higher octane to give more miles in my other car. Though it had a badge on the fuel cap stating 95ron...

Anyway... I just found this but still stuck in tw9 minds as to using the higher octane stuff...

 

[DomTurner]

Yeah the Government website says that the LS430 should run okay with E10 however I noticed an immediate difference in MPG. E10 struggles to get much over 16MPG vs. ~18-20 MPG on E5 (same driving scenarios). I've only filled up with E10 a handful of times and personally stick with premium.
I don't feel a difference in power delivery or smoothness, not to say there isn't any.


Cannot speak for LS400/460, however.

[Tinonline]

31 minutes ago, Redefined said:

This is a question I had today aswell. The govt barge finder doesn't seem to work for our cars... or it's down!

I'm commuting (60 and 70 miles one way - yes, it does feel a bit daft driving an LS430 for it but enjoyable) and found the higher octane to give more miles in my other car. Though it had a badge on the fuel cap stating 95ron...

Anyway... I just found this but still stuck in tw9 minds as to using the higher octane stuff...

 

You should be able to search on your motor.

The late 400s are fine from earlier search but as usual owners have to validate themselves.

For some reason later 600 variants won’t take it. 

[ambermarine]

The government website states that the LS400 97-2000 is safe to run on E10 they do not say what damage it does to other variants .My understanding is the ethanol content destroys hoses and corrodes some metal components in fuel systems that are not designed for its prescence.I have been using it and have noticed no appreciable difference in mpg and it as not effected the mechanical aspects of the car.

[brendangeorge]

12 hours ago, Tinonline said:

You should be able to search on your motor.

The late 400s are fine from earlier search but as usual owners have to validate themselves.

For some reason later 600 variants won’t take it. 

If they did not test the 600 then they will say the newer fuels are not supported.

[BigBoomer]

If the car was not designed for E10 use then using it will cause problems, but often these will be years down the line.
Almost any petrol car can run one tankful of E10 with no harmful effects, so if you find yourself somewhere needing fuel and only E10 is available then use it.
However, don't let it sit in the petrol tank for more than a few days. Probably better to only add enough E10 to get you to a station that has E5.

Longer term if your car was not designed for E10 then you either need to use E5 or else add a fuel stabiliser additive to every tankful.
The stabilisers prevent the Ethanol from separating out and also prevent corrosion and damage to fuel system components.

E5 is 0% to 5% Ethanol. E10 is 6% to 10% Ethanol.
E10 absorbs a lot more moisture from the atmosphere than E5.

The long term effects of E10 use can be:
1- Rust inside steel petrol tanks causing clogging of filters and potentially damage to pumps and injectors.
2- Ethanol can damage certain plastics and rubbers used in older fuel lines, pumps, connectors & injectors.

All of the LS600s can use E10.
The only Lexuses made after 1998 that cannot are listed here
https://check-vehicle-compatibility-e10-petrol.service.gov.uk/manufacturer/Lexus

The LS430 is E10 safe but the Owners Manual states that it requires 96RON.
Personally I have run mine for nearly 50k miles on 95RON-E5 and 95RON-E10 with no ill effects.

[GEN]

One hears mostly negatives about the E10 so why risk it?  E5 for my Ls600hl, the E10 seems to be a false economy.

[BigBoomer]

On 11/4/2022 at 5:14 PM, GEN said:

One hears mostly negatives about the E10 so why risk it?  E5 for my Ls600hl, the E10 seems to be a false economy.

Since the LS430/460/600 (except for the 06/07 460s) all have the plastic fuel tank and appropriate fuel system components, the only reason to run E5 is personal choice. E10 will cause no problems with your engine. Since E5 is 5p per litre more expensive than E10 that offsets the difference in fuel economy between them, so you are going to get about the same mileage per Pound with either of them. So, no damage from either, same mileage per £, but the E10 reduces net Carbon emissions. Your money, your choice.

[Malc1]

On 11/3/2022 at 6:31 PM, MTKelly said:

So good peeps what fuel are you running your barges on? 

Since the recent introduction of E10 here in Northern Ireland we are limited to two options of either E10 95 Ron or 97 Ron super unleaded….we don’t get anything better than that over here unfortunately. 

Mark hi  are you on a Mk3 Ls400  ?  if so then it's E5 fuel for you as it is for me ...... min 97 Ron E5 .......   sometimes it's 99 octane but usually 97 hereabouts

Malc

[Las Palmas]

Here there is E5 written on all types of gasoline, 95 and 98.

Used to drive on 98 and had consume 6.3L/100km. After 3 - 4 or maybe more months on 95 I now see 6.5L/100km.

Started last filling going back to 98 to see if it will improve. After some months will have the result.

E5 all over no matter if BP or Shell.

As far as I know ethanol increase octane rating, so what should be the problem?

[Rabbers]

I have a fairly eccentric Swiss friend who mixes E5 and E10 50/50 when he fills up his Morgan.  When I enquired why he does this, his not unreasonable reply was that he gets a nice feeling from the thought that he  is the only driver in the country using E7.5.