E10 and E5 petrol

[Nev]

So, I have decided to just use the 98 Ron petrol in the Ace, and notrisk using the new petrol, seems a sensible and safe move.

[paho]

Hi Nev,
E10 has been available in the US since 1990. Searching on the internet there are quite a few discussions on use of ethanol and E10 by
Mustangs with one referencing a users manual from 1990 recomending using E10. I found one on the Ford user manual site for 1996 model saying the same
but this was for a 4.6 litre model. I suspect that we can use E10 without any problems (10% ethanol) but I will also stick to E5 (98 octane) until I see something
definitive.

On another note when E85 (85% ethanol) was introduced here in Sweden cars, such as the SAAB 9-5 Bio power models, had a shorter service interval running on E85
than if they were run on E5. Ethanol affected the engine oil and oil filter lifetime apparently. My daughter drives such a model and it runs without any problems,
whatever petrol she tanks with.

The US Mustang oil change interval is 5000 miles according to the user manual I downloaded, the Ace is 6000 miles,
is the difference between the two taking into account the use of E10 petrol?
As I do a low milage I service my car on a yearly basis before putting it into winter storage I'm not too worried by this aspect either.

BR /Paho

[Max Allan]

I don't use my Ace much so not had much experience using E5 or 10. But during the past 3 years I've had to change split pump hose connection in the tank 3 times. The original Ford hose became rock hard and split, and first couple of times I replaced it with Jag P.I. hose from 70's (long before ethanol had been dreamed up), which clearly didn't like being permanently immersed in E5. Last replacement was with hose supposedly able to cope with E5 at least. However, cranking the engine recently pressure was slow to build, but not investigated further.
It's quite likely the hoses either side of the filter will fail (again had to change one of those in recent years due to going soft). Time will tell effect on Ford fuel rail hoses. Biggest worry for me, being aluminium, is potential corrosion of fuel tank

Max

[DGoose]

Always E5

Thing to note here is that E5 petrol doesn't necessarily have 5% ethanol as far as I'm aware, the terminology is UP TO 5%.
Certainly BP ultimate 98RON /E5 had a far lower percentage or even zero ethanol in some parts of the country until quite recently.

I've always used the more expensive fuels in the AC's, and garden machinery for that matter, I wouldn't leave E10 sitting in my mower over winter so certainly not the Ace.
For the mileage most of our cars cover in a year the additional cost of E5 probably isn't that significant.

Nothing to do with this thread but there is a very decent, well sorted Ace currently being advertised in the AC Owners Club magazine if anybody's interested.

All the best,

David