Ethanol in the gas

If you have a small gas engine (old or new) in lawn, sports, or work equipment, in a generator, water pump, etc., or have an older car or motorcycle, these are in the process of dying and becoming virtually worthless due to the effects of ethanol (alcohol) in all gasoline (now 10 percent by law).

Rubber gas lines are drying out and becoming brittle; engine seals and gaskets are turning to mush and leaking, and anything else (usually synthetic) coming in contact with the gasoline is deteriorating.

While potentially fixable, the cost may not be affordable, the item is probably effectively worthless, and you will have to dispose of it.

And if you decide you really need it and opt to replace it with new, you’ll find the new models are no better than the old: they won’t work on over 10 percent ethanol either and the parts will still quickly deteriorate in contact with the ethanol!

But don’t take my word: go to any small engine repair facility, talk to the repair technician, look at the repair backlog, ask about the growing number of ethanol-related problems they’re getting, and ask how many are being left for dead.

And then write to your Congressperson (as I just did...) and ask them to explain why your boat, snowmobile, fishing motor, generator, ATV, motorcycle, auto, truck, while still safe, in good shape, maybe even new, is no longer usable due to their adoption of current, and potentially-higher, ethanol content laws.

And ask them to cancel all current and future ethanol requirements!

Ethanol was a bad idea right from the start, it’s been proven not cost-effective, and we need to get rid of it altogether ASAP!

Fred Keller, Green Valley