Fuel - Alcohol Fuel Recommendations

84chrysler5 Models


All Gasoline Fueled


Subject


Alcohol Blend Fuels


Index


FUEL

Date


October 22, 1984 No..


14-52-84

P-4644-C
The increasing availability of gasolines containing alcohol has resulted in the need to provide additional information relative to driveability problems that may be experienced with the use of gasolines containing alcohol. Chrysler's 1984 and 1985 Owner's Manual statement on gasolines containing alcohol reads as follows:

Gasolines Containing Alcohol

Some gasolines sold at service stations contain alcohol, although they may not be so identified. Use of fuels containing alcohol is not recommended, unless the nature of the blend can be determined as being satisfactory.

Gasohol - A mixture of 10% Ethanol (grain alcohol) and 90%
unleaded gasoline may be used in your vehicle. If driveability problems are experienced as a result of using gasohol, it is recommended that the vehicle be operated on gasoline.

Methanol - Do not use gasolines containing Methanol (wood
alcohol). Use of this type of alcohol can result in vehicle
performance deterioration and damage critical parts in the fuel
pump, carburetor, and other fuel system components. Fuel
system damage and vehicle performance problems, resulting from
the use of gasolines containing Methanol, may not be covered by


the new vehicle warranty.


The following comments do not appear in the owners manuals.

Although gasohol is not recommended, it may be used. However, driveability problems may be experienced, such as longer starting times, hesitation/stumble on accelerations, and/or loss of power on accelerations resulting from fuel foaming/vapor lock due primarily to the increased volatility of the gasohol.
For customer complaints of this nature, and if the customer is using gasohol or a fuel of unknown corn position, it is strongly recommended that the vehicle be returned to 100% unleaded gasoline to obtain maximum driveability, performance, and fuel economy.

You can easily test the fuel for the presence and percentage of alcohol by using Miller Tool #C-4846. This special tool is listed in your Miller Tool Catalog.

It is our recommendation that customers are made aware of the cautionary fuel statement in the Owner's Manual in order to avoid unnecessary driveability complaints.

Customers may question the availability of alcohol-free fuel. As of the date this bulletin was printed 22 states will have passed alcohol labeling laws which require a label on the pump if alcohol is present in the gasoline.

The attached is a partial list of where the major fuel suppliers stand on alcohol blended fuels. Discretionary use of alcohol blends by independent retailers, however, may occur and should be recognized.


POLICY: Information only

ALCOHOL BLENDS: WHERE THE MAJORS STAND


COMPANY MARKET BLEND

Amoco Iowa, Eastern Nebraska, Southeastern South 10% Ethanol
Dakota and Kansas.

Arco About 1,400 branded jobber and dealer outlets in Oxinol: 4.75%
New York and Pennsylvania; wholesales to small Methanol, 4.57%
refiners, unbranded distributors; owns a 200 Co-solvents
million gallon a year methanol plant.

Ashland Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Iowa; joint 10% Ethanol
venture partner in a 60 gallon a year ethanol plant
at Southpoint, Ohio.

Chevron About 1,000 stations in Kentucky and Tennessee; 10% Ethanol
83% interest in a 21 million gallon a year
Kentucky ethanol plant.

Conoco Wholesales ethanol at terminals in Missouri, 10% Ethanol
Illinois, Nebraska, and Kansas. Jobbers sell
blends in Nebraska and Iowa and the company sells
blends through its subsidiary, Western Stores in Iowa.

Exxon None None

Getty Three small regions in Omaha, Nebraska; 10% Ethanol
Northeastern Iowa, and Western Kansas. Owns
100 million gallon a year methanol plant in Delaware
(but not blending).

Gulf Last year considered owning part of an None
ethanol plant in North Carolina.

Marathon None None

Mobil None None

Phillips Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Iowa. 10% Ethanol

Shell None None

Sohio None None
COMPANY MARKET BLEND

Southland Markets ethanol blends in 14 states, primarily 10% Ethanol,
California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Oxinol
Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Tennessee, and Utah. Testing oxinol in Houston.

Sun Test marketed oxinol at about 200 branded None
stations in Pennsylvania.

Tenneco Tennessee and Florida, owns a 135 million 10% Ethanol
gallon a year methanol plant in Texas, but does not blend methanol.

Texaco Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Western Tennessee, 10% Ethanol
and St. Louis. Owns 50% of 60 million gallon a year ethanol plant in Illinois.

Union None None


Sources: Information Resources, Inc., Washington, D.C.