What is the Impact of Ethanol Gasoline on Turbocharging?
3 Answers
Ethanol gasoline's impact on turbocharging: 1. Reduced power performance: Ethanol gasoline has a lower calorific value than pure gasoline, and its evaporation temperature is higher than that of gasoline. During combustion, the vaporization speed affects the formation of the air-fuel mixture, leading to a decrease in power; 2. Difficult cold starts: Ethanol gasoline has a high latent heat of vaporization and absorbs more heat. During vaporization, it absorbs more heat from the surrounding environment, leading to a decrease in the working temperature inside the engine cylinder, making it difficult to start at low temperatures; 3. Cleaning effect: Ethanol gasoline not only reduces vehicle emissions but also has excellent cleaning properties. It effectively eliminates the deposition and coagulation of fuel impurities in the fuel tank and fuel system, particularly phenomena like gum formation, providing good fuel system cleaning.
After using E10 ethanol gasoline in a turbocharged car, the acceleration feels noticeably less responsive, as if the engine is covered by a layer of gauze. This fuel contains 10% alcohol, which has a lower energy density than pure gasoline. After the turbo kicks in, more fuel is needed to achieve the same power output, leading to a 5%-10% increase in fuel consumption. However, ethanol burns at a lower temperature, and when combined with direct injection technology, it can help alleviate high-temperature carbon buildup issues in turbocharged engines. It's worth mentioning that ethanol is highly hygroscopic. If the fuel sits for more than three months, it may separate and corrode the fuel system. Older cars, in particular, need to pay extra attention to the sealing of the fuel system and may require more frequent fuel filter replacements.
Our factory has tested turbocharged vehicles compliant with China VI emissions standards, and the original factory settings can generally handle E10 ethanol gasoline. The high octane rating of ethanol (approximately 108) actually benefits turbocharged engines by reducing the likelihood of knocking, allowing the ECU to advance ignition timing more aggressively. However, components like plastic fuel lines and sealing rings must be replaced with alcohol-resistant materials, otherwise they may corrode and leak within two to three years. Last week, we encountered a GTI owner who installed a Stage 2 tune and stubbornly used E30 blend fuel, resulting in clogged fuel injectors and a repair bill over 8,000 RMB. Take my advice: stock vehicles without ECU tuning can safely use E10, but modified turbocharged cars should avoid high-ratio ethanol blends.
