What is the benefit to using Ethanol free gas?

[strych9]

Originally Posted by RallySS

There is a reason why fuel pumps have a much shorter lifespan now than when the first electric fuel pumps came out, as well as leaking fuel injector o rings and brittle fuel tank ring gaskets. I have seen several fuel pumps where the motors ran just fine, but could not hold the pressure due to destroyed internal seals. I personally ran E85 in my 2007 Flex Fuel Avalanche, which was supposed to have the upgraded rubber, etc, and the fuel pump died at 40k miles. Alcohol pulls chemicals out of the rubber that keeps them pliable, and regular gasoline is less solvent, resulting in greater rubber life in nearly every case.

I say you grab a couple injector rings, put one in 10% ethanol gas and the other in pure regular unleaded, then try to bend each of them after one year, repeating until the first breaks. That is the only way I can think to convince everyone.

Your points have some merit, in that alcohol does in fact dry out natural rubber seals. However, pumps and other fuel system components have been using Viton seals for years, and they are impervious to degradation caused by alcohol.

Fuel pumps do not fail because of any components deteriorating due to ethanol exposure. Typically, it is the metal shaft bushings for the impeller that fails, locking the pump up. If you take one apart after it fails, you will typically see scoring on the bushings.