Ethanol Bankruptcies Continue Apace

by Edward Niedermeyer

Published: May 20th, 2009

Despite Obama’s clear support for ethanol, refineries continue to drop like flies. UPI reports that four Pacific Ethanol Inc subisdiary refineries have filed bankruptcy documents in Delaware. High corn prices and low fuel prices continue to kill the market for ethanol (such as it is); apparently the evil grocery lobby is still hard at work. Ethanol refiners are reporting around 30 cent per-gallon losses. (Interactive map of ethanol pumps found here.)

Edward Niedermeyer

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Niky Tamayo on May 20, 2009

As long as he uses new rubber and the valve seats have been hardened for use with modern unleaded, it should be good to go.

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Gsorter on May 20, 2009

I have a 71 E Type, and I haven't had a problem with the 10% ethanol. I have had both the original Strombergs and now Webers, and gas seems to be the least of my worries. What I have learned is that you DO NOT want to use lead substitute, since European cars of that vintage were used to unleaded.

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Niky Tamayo on May 20, 2009

Oops. Guess there's no need for a valve job, then.

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No_slushbox on May 20, 2009
George B: Unfortunately high octane only matters in cars that are designed to take advantage of it. For street cars running a naturally aspirated engines at high compression is out of the question because it would limit the cars to only running on E85, but some very interesting things could be done with turbo cars.

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