M100 not compatible with 95-E10 petrol

[alan e]

I don't care I am going electric have you seen the new Lotus

[Giniw]

Giniw,
We haven't been able to buy non E5 standard unleaded for ages. They are labeling it so that you know if it is E10 or E5. It's the EU so any decision has been made for you.

Think of it like the President of the EU Commission, it suits the Germans, you know it affects your daily life, but there's nothing you can do to influence it.

Same here, 95 has been 95E5 for ages too I think and as for the rest, I am well aware of the eu commission operation indeed ...

[madbilly]

Hi all,

I just randomly came across this thread. Referring back to the link on the Lotus website: https://www.lotuscars.com/fuel-compatibility/ Elan 1989-1991 suggests that only the NA and SE are affected but not the S2. What differences for the S2 are there which would mean it is compatible with E10 but the NA and SE are not? Or do you think that they just forgot that they continued to make the Elan until 1996?!

Cheers

EDIT: The Esprit from 1989 is compatible and it would be odd if they'd used different materials for fuel system of the Elan and the Elise in the same production years (except for the engine bits), so maybe it's just more likely that the Esprit's parts were actually tested for E10 compatibility as they continued production until 1999, whereas the Elan wasn't in production when the E10 testing requirement came in therefore the parts were never tested so are declared as incompatible even if they're made of the same stuff.

[madbilly]

Hi all,

I got emailed Lotus and got a reply from Neil Turner:

Thank you for your recent e-mail.

We are able to confirm that neither the M100 Elan S1 or S2 fuel system is compatible for use with E10 fuel.

We have taken your prompt to review and correct our website – we apologise for any confusion or misinformation.

The website has now been updated to include models up to 1994 but we can assume it includes all Elans.

Cheers

[ktskisail]

Did they provide any info on what is compatible, or show any interest in providing this?

[madbilly]

Hi ktskisail,

That's all they wrote in relation to E10. I think we already know from elsewhere that E5 is considered compatible, whether it was a service note or something else I'm not sure, but I am pretty confident that E5 is compatible with the Elan M100. I don't know of any other grades of E-blended fuel between E5 and E10, are there some?

Cheers,
Will

[tb10]

https://www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/ever ... assic-car/

regards

John

[ktskisail]

Not sure of other grades... just wondering if there are some seals/hoses that are of concern. May be increased corrosion somewhere??

[tb10]

Not sure of other grades... just wondering if there are some seals/hoses that are of concern. May be increased corrosion somewhere??

Apparently, E10 fuel can corrode brass, copper, lead, tin, zinc, rubber, plastic and fibreglass parts.......

[tb10]

https://www.classicoils.co.uk/additives

Valvemaster with its unique phosphorus formula protects against valve seat recession under all driving conditions. Containing Etha-Guard ethanol stabiliser that protects and enables use of ethanol E5 and E10 petrol in classic cars, motorcycles and pre-1996 petrol vehicles. For use with 95, 97, 98, 99, or higher octane ethanol E5 and E10 petrol.

[steve matthews]

How do the Brit. ethanol readings compare with the US?

[ktskisail]

Europe octane rating is RON with ethanol content as extra marking... E5 (5%), E10 (10%). US octane uses average of RON and MON figures (PON). Have read that 95 RON would be 91 PON. Not sure how ethanol content marked at the pump in US... guess Google/Wikipedia time

[GeoffSmith]

[Saltire]

Most UK “super unleaded fuel” (97 RON and higher) is either ethanol free or contains minimal (<5%) ethanol. My fuel of choice for all the cars is Shell V-Power,but it’s a 20 mile round trip to my nearest Shell station, so I occasionally use Greenergy (Tesco) Momentum 99, which is low ethanol but lacks some of the V-Power detergents. AIUI, it’s essentially ordinary unleaded with some alcohol added to boost the RON.

When I started driving, we had 2 star and 4 star. Or, as my local garage man used to say “Do you want meths or whisky today?” Raised a few eyebrows with those who weren’t used to his little ways.

[Rambo]

I remember as a young boy my Mother and Father going to the local garage (no supermarket garages back then or Marks and Spencer type places serving petrol) and asking the petrol attendant for "4 and 4 shots" The shots reference wasn't a voddie or whisky snifter but 4 squirts of Redex engine conditiiner from the big, portable red machine by the pumps. Your windscreen was also cleaned at tge same time and the garage forecourt was impeccable. Not the dirty, greasy places covered in spilt diesel that you tend to find these days

I still use Redex, or equivalent, petrol and diesel engine/injector cleaners every few tanks, particularly when I can't get my preferred 97 or 99 RON fuels. And, I know I've mentioned it before, but I've never had any engine or injector problems by using the "better", slightly more expensive fuels

[alan e]

I remember as a young boy my Mother and Father going to the local garage (no supermarket garages back then or Marks and Spencer type places serving petrol) and asking the petrol attendant for "4 and 4 shots" The shots reference wasn't a voddie or whisky snifter but 4 squirts of Redex engine conditiiner from the big, portable red machine by the pumps. Your windscreen was also cleaned at tge same time and the garage forecourt was impeccable. Not the dirty, greasy places covered in spilt diesel that you tend to find these days

I still use Redex, or equivalent, petrol and diesel engine/injector cleaners every few tanks, particularly when I can't get my preferred 97 or 99 RON fuels. And, I know I've mentioned it before, but I've never had any engine or injector problems by using the "better", slightly more expensive fuels

When i left school i had a part time job at a garage they also checked your oil if it needed any they would only put half a can in the engine and then stand the can up in the bin when the customer left they would then get the half a can from the bin and use it on the next customer and pocket the money for a full can.

[Saltire]

I’d forgotten the Redex ‘shots’, Mark, until you said that. And I still use it too.

2-star at five shillings and ten pence ha’penny a gallon, IIRC. Those were the days

[Rambo]

I remember the cans of Wakefield Castrol, BP, Esso, Shell etc too. I think they were pint sized as that was the difference between max and min on the dipstick