Issues with Ethanol Additives in Non- Road Motor Fuel

Minnesota E-20 Fuel

John McKnight, NMMA

Ethanol GASOLINE

EPA Waiver Criteria

• Manufacturer must demonstrate that E20:– Will not cause or contribute to the failure of any

vehicle to comply with emission standards over it useful life.

– Testing must be completed to access the impact on• Tailpipe emissions• Evaporative emissions• Materials compatibility• Drivability

– Registration of a fuel additive also requires testing to characterize compounds for potential health effects

Acceptable Operating Range

Limit for Emission Compliance

Limit for Acceptable Operation

Operation on Neat Gasoline

Operation on E10 Gasoline

Operation on E20

Gasoline

Lean Air:Fuel Ratio Rich

E-20’s Impact on Current, Exhaust- Emission Compliant Small Engines

• Exhaust temperatures up 100°F

• Peak cylinder pressures higher

• Combustion deposits

• Cylinder head gasket burned & failed

• Exhaust valve burned

• Cylinder bore scored– 25 hours light duty emissions testing– Lost cylinder compression– Lost 20% power

E-20 Implications on Engine Durability

Cylinder head gasket burned

Lost seal

Exhaust leak out

Cylinder Bore scoring

Deposits

E-20 Implications on Engine Durability

Engine Durability Implications with E-20

Head bolts discolored due to heat and carbon build up from exhaust

gas blowing past bolt.

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NMMA Staff Proposed Strategy

• Continue to work with the industry coalition;• Collect data specific to the impact of E-20 on

recreational marine engines and fuel systems;• Build a technical case focusing on the waiver criteria

against incremental increases in ethanol content;• With solid documentation present this information to the

Minnesota representatives, both state and federal;• Post on E-20 documentation on the NMMA website and

make this information available to the press;• Develop an NMMA Position that considers the potential

national trend towards increase use of reformulated fuels.