Ethanol experts reply to tv personality Jay Leno’s demands to “get rid” of the fuel

US television personality Jay Leno, who is famous for his automobile collection and who recently wrote a comment titled ‘Can’t we just get rid of ethanol’ in Autoweek magazine, was the object of an immediate reply by two ethanol experts, according to a statement by the Renewable Fuels Association published March 6.

Bob Reynolds, president of Downstream Alternatives and an expert in automotive engines and fuels, said that in 2007 Hagerty Insurance partnered with Kettering University and tested ethanol blends in vintage cars from 1940s to 1970s.

“After 1500 hours of testing … fuel lines didn’t leak and fuel pumps did not fail,” Reynolds added that ‘with minor updates and proper maintenance E10 will not prevent the ability to enjoy a collector car.

The association pointed that Leno had himself in the past said that ethanol produced less monoxide and emissions than gasoline and also had praised the high octane rating of E85 gasoline at 100 to 105 “allowing engine builders to run higher compression ratios producing more horsepower.”

Leno himself had acknowledged in the past that because ethanol runs at lower temperature than gasoline, performance can be helped as the engine runs cooler.