New petrol

vitesse · 1st March 2021, 07:55

I ran a SD1 Vitesse on E85 (ethanol with 15% petrol) when ethanol was first introduced - it was much cheaper than petrol. My first attempt wasn’t successful as while the Rover V8 had hardened valve seats the rubber hoses were not compatible and swelled like elongated balloons. Some experiments with pieces of rubber hose immersed in petrol led to the discovery that Eberspächer hoses (fbh) worked. Changed all the hoses, added an adjustable fuel regulator and as there was some talk of “dry” fuel pumps added a small quantity of 2 stroke oil to each tank. One small return hose was overlooked and swelled and dumped most of a tankful of fuel - replaced and the Vitesse ran well until the government decided to raise the price of ethanol, went back to normal petrol then.

My only concerns regarding ethanol and Rover 75 would be the hoses and fuel pump but if Dorchester2 has had no issues with the much higher concentration E85, then our cars shouldn’t notice E5 or E10.

Our National Road Agency has published a list of vehicles which can use E10, Rover isn’t listed but it says all Land Rover from 1996, which must include the Freelander V6.

Regards

1st March 2021, 07:55	#19
vitesse I really should get out more....... Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Gävle Posts: 2,537 Thanks: 395 Thanked 823 Times in 652 Posts	I ran a SD1 Vitesse on E85 (ethanol with 15% petrol) when ethanol was first introduced - it was much cheaper than petrol. My first attempt wasn’t successful as while the Rover V8 had hardened valve seats the rubber hoses were not compatible and swelled like elongated balloons. Some experiments with pieces of rubber hose immersed in petrol led to the discovery that Eberspächer hoses (fbh) worked. Changed all the hoses, added an adjustable fuel regulator and as there was some talk of “dry” fuel pumps added a small quantity of 2 stroke oil to each tank. One small return hose was overlooked and swelled and dumped most of a tankful of fuel - replaced and the Vitesse ran well until the government decided to raise the price of ethanol, went back to normal petrol then. My only concerns regarding ethanol and Rover 75 would be the hoses and fuel pump but if Dorchester2 has had no issues with the much higher concentration E85, then our cars shouldn’t notice E5 or E10. Our National Road Agency has published a list of vehicles which can use E10, Rover isn’t listed but it says all Land Rover from 1996, which must include the Freelander V6. Regards