Let's keep talking about ethanol and flex-fuel cars ...

The campaign to pump more and more ethanol into our cars is fueled by a conspiracy of good intentions -- the Corn Belt agribiz lobby, the environmental lobby, and the political powers who listen to them.

It might seem hard to argue against renewable energy, reduced greenhouse emissions and reduced fossil fuel imports. But there are powerful arguments on both sides of the ethanol issue.

Admittedly, today's Road Worrier column gave scant space to these big questions. Instead, it focused narrowly on the risks of pumping E85 (85% ethanol) into a car that simply can't stomach it. (Read today's Road Worrier, with lots of reader comments.)

In fact, most of our cars can't run on E85. But most drivers are not aware that E85 can damage our cars, and that we easily can put it into our cars by mistake. The words "warning" and "damage" do not appear in the advisory labels on E85 pumps.

In addition to comments posted online with today's column -- many of them sarcastic attacks on clueless car owners, evil ethanol, or Al Gore -- I received e-mail from the ethanol industry, from another driver who damaged his car with E85, and from other folks. I'd like to hear more.

Below are the addresses of Triangle-area E85 stations, and links to online resources on E85, flex-fuel cars and renewable fuels.

First, this note from an ethanol industry executive. Phil Lampert, marketing vice president for Growth Energy Inc. of Jefferson, MO, comes down hard on the careless motorist who puts E85 into a non-flex fuel car. He seems to favor punitive action -- fines levied by the EPA -- against motorists who damage their own cars with ethanol. This is an unusual marketing strategy.

First: There is an assumption that drivers can read the English language. What part of “For FFVs ONLY” is not clear? “STOP-Not gasoline” is also pretty clear…………..but to the point, many people fail to heed speed limits, Yield signs, etc. When motorists violating other signs are noticed by law enforcement, they may be fined.

Secondly: What you don’t mention is that the U.S. EPA can, and should, also fine motorists that fail to heed the warning labels on E85 pumps and misfuel their vehicles-----intentionally or not! “Oh Officer, I didn’t know that I was driving 85 mph,” is the same as “oops, I thought this was regular gasoline.”

Next, Conrad Chin describes what happened when he mistakenly put E85 into his car at C-Mini Mart Shell on US 64 in Apex, at Lake Pine Drive.

It started jerking and quitting at stop lights right away. After a couple of days, the check engine light came on. I took it to the Honda dealer and they said the fuel sensor was bad (I did not provide them the information of pumping the high ethanol gas).

They said it would cost me about $300 to replace the sensor. I declined and paid for the $50 diagnostic fee. After I consumed that tank of "bad" gas, I refuelled with high-octane gas, and the light subsequnetly went off.

My question is: it seems this high ethanol gas is bad for a lot of cars. Then why is the gas station selling it?

Here are the three Triangle-area stations that sell E85 to the public. Not included on the list are E85 pumps that service government vehicle fleets.

C-Mini Mart - Shell
902 US 64 W (at Lake Pine Drive)
Apex NC 27523
Phone: 919-462-8332

Carlie C's IGA
604 S Wall St
Benson NC 27504
Phone: 919-207-0744

Cruzers #20
1914 Sedwick Rd (off NC 55)
Durham NC 27713
Phone: 919-806-3458

And here are online resources for folks who want to learn more about flex-fuel vehicles, ethanol, other E85 stations, and other renewable fuels.

Triangle Clean Cities Coalition - www.trianglecleancities.org
N.C. Solar Center Clean Transportation – www.cleantransportation.org
National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition – www.e85fuel.com
Renewable Fuels Association - www.ethanolrfa.org
US EPA Alternative Fuels - www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/fuels/altfuels/altfuels.htm
US Dept of Energy Alternative Fuels - www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/